Hamas and Gaza Clans Clash in Gaza City: What We Know

A fragile peace in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip has been violently disrupted by intense internal clashes between Hamas security forces and armed members of the powerful Dughmush clan. The fierce street battles, which erupted over the weekend in Gaza City, have left at least 27 people dead, marking one of the deadliest episodes of infighting in years and exposing deep-seated power struggles within the Palestinian territory.

The violence underscores the volatile security situation in Gaza, even as it navigates a recent ceasefire after a prolonged and devastating conflict with Israel. These clashes between Hamas forces and armed clan members in Gaza City raise critical questions about Hamas’s ability to maintain control and the potential for wider internal conflict as different factions vie for influence in the besieged enclave.

• Death Toll: At least 27 people have been killed since the fighting began on Saturday, October 11, 2025.
• Casualties: Medical sources report 19 members of the Dughmush clan and 8 Hamas fighters are among the deceased..
• Location of Clashes: The primary locus of the fighting has been the Tel al-Hawa and Sabra neighborhoods of Gaza City, particularly near the former Jordanian Hospital.
• Trigger: The immediate cause of the clashes is disputed. Hamas claims it was responding to an attack on its forces, while the Dughmush clan alleges Hamas was attempting to forcibly evict them from a building they were using as a shelter.
• Broader Context: The violence erupts as Hamas seeks to reassert its authority in areas recently vacated by Israeli troops, deploying thousands of its security personnel across the Gaza Strip.
• Humanitarian Impact: The fighting has forced dozens of already displaced families to flee their temporary shelters, compounding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The Spark of a Firefight: Competing Narratives

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as masked Hamas gunmen and armed members of the Dughmush clan exchanged heavy fire. The clashes reportedly began after a Hamas force of over 300 fighters moved to storm a residential block where Dughmush family members were entrenched.

The official narrative from the Hamas-run interior ministry is that its forces were conducting an operation to “restore order” and deal with “an armed assault by a militia.” The ministry stated that “any armed activity outside the framework of the resistance” would be met with a firm response. Hamas initially reported that Dughmush gunmen had killed two of its fighters and wounded five others, prompting their large-scale operation.

However, a source from the Dughmush family provided a starkly different account to local media. They claimed that the family had taken refuge in the former Jordanian Hospital after their homes in the al-Sabra neighborhood were destroyed during the recent Israeli offensive. According to this source, Hamas forces sought to evict the displaced family to establish a new base for their own operations, leading to the violent confrontation.

The tragic death of Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi on Sunday, October 12, has been linked to the clashes. Palestinian sources told Al Jazeera that the 28-year-old was shot and killed by members of an “armed militia” while covering the fighting in the Sabra neighborhood, highlighting the grave dangers faced by journalists in the volatile environment.

A History of Tensions and a Looming Power Vacuum

The Dughmush clan is one of Gaza’s most prominent and heavily armed families, with a long and often contentious relationship with Hamas. The clan has been involved in various militant activities and has clashed with Hamas security forces on numerous occasions since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Some members of the clan have been associated with groups ideologically aligned with al-Qaeda, further complicating the internal security landscape.

This recent flare-up is occurring within a broader context of Hamas attempting to consolidate its power in the wake of the latest ceasefire. According to local sources, Hamas has recalled approximately 7,000 members of its security forces to reassert control over areas of Gaza that Israeli troops have recently left.

This redeployment is seen by analysts as a move to prevent a power vacuum and crack down on perceived collaborators and rival factions. Messages reportedly sent to Hamas fighters spoke of a mission to “cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators with Israel.” This campaign has reportedly involved appointing new governors with military backgrounds and deploying armed units, some in civilian clothes, to patrol various districts.

Latest Data and Statistics

The casualty figures from these clashes represent a significant loss of life in an internal Palestinian conflict.

The deployment of a 300-strong Hamas force to a single residential block indicates the scale of the operation and the perceived threat from the Dughmush clan. This mobilization is part of a larger recall of an estimated 7,000 Hamas security personnel to re-establish control across the Gaza Strip.

Official Responses and Expert Analysis

A senior official in the Hamas-run interior ministry, speaking to the media, framed the operation as a necessary measure to maintain security. He stated that security units had “surrounded them and engaged in heavy fighting to detain them,” referring to the Dughmush gunmen. The ministry has warned it will deal firmly with any armed groups operating outside the “resistance” framework.

Conversely, a Hamas official abroad defended the crackdown more broadly, telling The Media Line, “We cannot leave Gaza at the mercy of thieves and militias backed by the occupation.”

However, this aggressive reassertion of control has drawn criticism and sparked fears of a wider civil strife. Khalil Abu Shammala, a human rights advocate, cautioned that Hamas’s efforts could “jeopardize the peace agreement and plunge Gaza’s residents into even greater suffering.” Former Palestinian Authority security officials have warned that Gaza is “flooded with arms,” creating a fertile ground for more internal violence.

The Impact on Civilians: Fleeing from “Their Own People”

For the residents of Gaza City, who have already endured immense suffering, this internal conflict is a new and terrifying chapter. Dozens of families, many of whom had been displaced multiple times by Israeli airstrikes, were once again forced to flee their homes, this time from the crossfire of Palestinian factions.

One resident’s poignant comment to Yahoo News encapsulated the despair: “This time people weren’t fleeing Israeli attacks. They were running from their own people.” This sentiment reflects a growing fear and exhaustion among a civilian population caught between external conflict and internal power struggles.

The immediate future in Gaza City remains uncertain. Key developments to monitor include:

• Potential for Escalation: Whether the Dughmush clan and other rival families will retaliate, potentially drawing more factions into the conflict.
• Hamas’s Next Moves: How Hamas will proceed with its campaign to reassert control and whether it will employ similar tactics against other armed groups.
• Humanitarian Response: The ability of aid organizations to operate and assist civilians displaced by this new wave of violence.
• Impact on the Ceasefire: The potential for this internal instability to affect the fragile ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The deadly clashes in Gaza City are a stark reminder that the end of major hostilities with Israel does not necessarily mean peace for the people of Gaza. The struggle for power and control within the territory is a significant and dangerous dynamic. As Hamas moves to re-impose its authority, the risk of further infighting remains high, threatening to deepen the humanitarian crisis and create yet another layer of suffering for a population that has already endured so much. The world will be watching to see if Gaza can pull back from the brink of a new, internal war.

The Information is Collected from BBC and Fox News.