Gaza Residents Plan June 26 Protest Wave Against Hamas

Residents in the Gaza Strip are preparing for an unusual series of public protests against Hamas leadership, in what is being described as a grassroots “revolution” against the militant group. According to a report in the British Daily Telegraph, the initiative appears to have emerged largely among Palestinians in exile and is calling on people still inside Gaza to flood the streets on June 26, 2026. Protesters are expected to demand that Hamas and local authorities put public needs ahead of the group’s narrow interests. A Facebook page linked to the movement is gaining traction inside Gaza and abroad despite the risks of openly opposing the ruling faction.

One public post aimed at Hamas said, “You will not break our spirit, our determination is steadfast.” It added, “Your fate is to fail, to be uprooted and swallowed into the depths of the abyss and its darkness.” Supporters say the goal is to send a clear message that Gaza’s silent majority is no longer willing to accept rule by slogans, threats, or appeals to religion.

The unrest comes after a new UN investigative report accused Hamas police units of beating, mutilating and publicly executing dozens of Palestinians over the past two years. The commission said Hamas members were directly involved in nearly a quarter of 249 documented cases, including 108 deaths. The report described killings, knee shootings, and broken bones caused by iron bars or concrete blocks, saying the perpetrators justified the abuse as punishments for alleged treason, looting aid, theft, or ties to political rivals.

Residents quoted by the Telegraph said anger is growing as negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain frozen over the second stage of Donald Trump’s peace plan. Although there have been reports of some progress in Cairo on disarmament under a unified Palestinian Authority, officials in Jerusalem say Hamas is still misleading mediators and has no real intention of giving up its weapons. The final decision now rests with diplomat Nikolay Mladenov, but the last word will be President Trump’s administration. With Israeli politics heading toward elections and the U.S.-Iran confrontation occupying Washington, some Gazans appear ready to seize control of their own fate on June 26.