27 Killed as Hamas Clashes with Armed Tribesmen in Gaza City

Gaza City: At least 27 people were killed in fierce clashes between Hamas fighters and armed members of the Dummush tribe in Gaza City, according to local reports. The violence erupted shortly after the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Gaza, marking a new phase of internal tension within the enclave.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC that masked Hamas gunmen exchanged heavy fire with tribal fighters near the Jordanian Hospital in central Gaza City. The Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry later confirmed that eight of its members were killed in the confrontation, while 19 members of the Dummush tribe also lost their lives.

The fighting reportedly began when over 300 Hamas fighters moved to raid a residential complex in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood, where members of the Dummush tribe were taking shelter. The Dummush are one of Gaza’s most influential tribes and have long had a tense relationship with Hamas. The two sides have clashed on multiple occasions in recent years.

The Hamas Interior Ministry claimed its forces were attempting to restore public order and warned that any armed activity outside the framework of the resistance would be dealt with “decisively.”

Sources said the Dummush tribe members had earlier relocated to the former Jordanian Hospital building in the al-Sabra area after their homes were destroyed during recent Israeli airstrikes. They accused Hamas of trying to evict them from the premises to establish a new operational base there.

Analysts say the latest confrontation reflects Hamas’s efforts to reassert control over areas vacated by the Israeli military. As Israel pulls back its troops, internal power struggles appear to be intensifying across parts of Gaza.