Violent clashes in Gaza City over the weekend left at least 27 dead as Hamas security forces confronted armed members of the Doghmush clan, one of the territory’s most influential families.
The fighting escalated near the former Jordanian Hospital in the Tel al-Hawa district, where over 300 Hamas fighters battled clan members entrenched in the area.
Hamas officials said their forces aimed to arrest those responsible for provoking the violence. Eight Hamas personnel died during what was described as “an armed assault by a militia,” while medical sources reported 19 Doghmush clan members killed.
Residents described the chaos as families fled their homes under intense gunfire, many already displaced multiple times amid prior conflicts.
“This time people weren’t fleeing Israeli attacks,” a witness said. “They were running from their own people.”
The Doghmush clan has a long history of tension and frequent clashes with Hamas. Hamas accused the clan of killing two of its fighters and wounding five others, triggering the Hamas operation. Conversely, Doghmush representatives claimed Hamas sought to evict them from the building after they had taken refuge following Israeli strikes that destroyed their homes.
Following recent ceasefire developments and Israeli troop withdrawals, Hamas has recalled about 7,000 security members to regain control over key districts. Despite deploying forces in both civilian clothes and police uniforms, Hamas denies reports of fighters roaming the streets.
The internal fighting raises concerns about rising factional violence in Gaza, complicating fragile peace efforts and threatening civilian safety amid ongoing regional instability.