Discussion of the 26 June Gaza protest calling for self-rule

[dairydebris]

This is a thread for us to discuss the planned June 26 protest by Gazan Palestinians- the aim of which is to pressure Hamas to honour the ceasefire agreement and allow Gazans self rule.

Brave people who take part.

Watching and wishing them safety and hoping they can suceed.

Is that what happened?
Or was it organised by Gazan citizens?
If the first, then it is BS

I read it thinking it was Gazans standing up for themselves, out of their own accord, without no further terrorist groups pressing them. Parents fighting for their children's future, with words and plackards.

I hope it is the later and they standing up for themselves, to take control of their lives, in a peaceful political way.

I don't know if that what happened. I am just going by what is in this thread. When I looked it up I only got Israeli articles on it. Limited web where I am.

But I got this about similar protests last year. France 24 :

Hundreds of Palestinians rally against Hamas in Gaza, demanding end to war with Israel - France 24

"On the social media network Telegram, at least one appeal to protest had circulated on Tuesday."

"I don't know who organised the protest," said Mohammed, a demonstrator who declined to give his last name for fear of reprisals."

"As of Tuesday evening, Telegram messages from unknown sources were calling on people to reprise the demonstration in various parts of Gaza on Wednesday."

And this line in that article stands out :

"Israel regularly calls for Gazans to mobilise against the Islamist movement that has been in power in the territory since 2007."

The article then goes on with the best data it has about how much support for HAMAS etc

"The last available survey was conducted in September by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR).

It estimated that 35 percent of Palestinians in Gaza said they supported Hamas, and 26 percent said they supported its rival Fatah, the party of Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas."

Also from last year I got this. Haaretz. And the byline says it all really.

"The protests need a path to success, but all Israel is offering to Gazans is control over their lives, just like in the West Bank, or emigration. By doing so, Israel is discouraging Gazans to hit the streets, even before Hamas turns its weapons on them"

Hypocrites in Israel Back Gazans' anti-Hamas Protests While Squashing Chances of Success - Israel News (haaretz.com)

So really, the question is, who organised this years protests. The Times of Israel just says "FACEBOOK".

It is highly unusual for Gazans to protest against Hamas - for very understandable reasons.

It could be the way forward if they were allowed to have more of a voice and then we would be able to see how many Palestinians don't support Hamas. At the moment we're only guessing or looking at flawed data - flawed because again, they may be afraid to speak the truth.

I share your wish for a new political party to raise and end the terror. Someone whose aim is to rebuild Gaza for the Gazans, without wars and terror.

In my heart I can't really see it happening though while Hamas are still there and not allowing any dissenting voices.

I'm not arguing with anyone. We agree that potential protestors in Gaza would have been put off voicing their legitimate concerns for fear of reprisals from Hamas.

From that link:

The Facebook page of the June 26 Revolution, named after the date set for the protests' launch, says it is motivated by the “suffering of the people and their legitimate demands”.

It says the campaign is not affiliated with “groups or militias collaborating with the occupation [Israel], or any entities operating east or outside the Yellow Line” that divided Gaza into Israeli-controlled and Hamas-controlled territory after the ceasefire.

It is not clear who is behind the campaign, but several Gazans living abroad appear in videos posted on the Facebook page, including journalists, activists and opponents of Hamas.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/06/26/poor-response-to-call-for-mass-protests-in-gaza-over-living-conditions/

I think it’s because threads like this…..well you can see the tumbleweed rolling.

I think it's pretty understandable why it's not safe for those who organised this years protests to identify themselves.

Nevertheless, the motivation behind the protest seems legitimate, motivated by the “suffering of the people and their legitimate demands”.

We all agree that Hamas are terrorists so again, it's not hard to understand why some people in Gaza would feel strongly that they want to protest against them, and Gazans living overseas would also feel strongly about it.

That doesn't change just because the Israeli government had endorsed the protests on its Arabic account on X.

So you aren’t posting about Palestinians trying to go against Hamas, just continuing to go against someone who quite rightly says “where are all the posters about this very important topic”
She’s right, where are they.
Nothing to see here.

From a different source:

Palestinian activists have called on social media for mass protests against Hamas and its continued rule over the Gaza Strip, setting June 26 as a day of demonstrations across the enclave, in a repeat of earlier movements that were suppressed in past years.

Journalist and activist Abdul Hamid Abdul Ati was the first to call for and adopt the movement. A Gaza resident, he left for Egypt with his family during the war after a previous bombardment killed and wounded many of his relatives.

Activists known for opposing Hamas, including some who joined or called for similar movements years ago, backed Abdul Ati’s call and urged Gazans to take part. The appeal triggered a storm of reactions, some critical and others supportive.

Most of those calling for participation are now outside the strip, having left during the war or, in some cases, years earlier, after being detained by the Hamas government over similar events. Fewer voices inside Gaza have backed the movement, most of them less influential than other figures who remain in the enclave and have stayed silent.

As public debate widened, Hamas-affiliated media kept trying to discredit the movement and those behind it. Hamas controls part of the Gaza Strip after Israel seized more than 60% of the territory.

Activists aligned with the group mounted similar campaigns, accusing the organizers of serving foreign agendas and exploiting Israel’s escalation to launch the movement. They said those outside the strip had no right to speak for people living in displacement tents, shelters and other sites while they themselves lived abroad.

Abdul Ati said the accusations by Hamas and its supporters against him and other organizers abroad were an attempt to dodge the core issue.

“A Palestinian remains Palestinian wherever he is, whether in Gaza, the West Bank or the diaspora, and he has the right to speak about his people’s suffering and express his opinion freely,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5283854-june-26-revolution-calls-gaza-protests-against-hamas

Well yes obviously.

Its a terrorist group.

How are unarmed people going to stand up to that?

If Israel with all its military might couldn't beat Hamas how are some displaced starving civilians..

True dat.

Maybe read my first post on the thread which clearly outlines my opinion on this topic. I'm quite entitled to query someone else's motivation for posting when it appears to just be about having a dig at other posters.

So you aren’t posting about Palestinians trying to go against Hamas,
I have, read my posts on it, but you're clearly not....
Pot kettle black

I absolutely welcome dissent against Hamas from displaced Palestinians abroad but those living in Gaza are in too vulnerable a position when they are surrounded on all sides by people happy to kill them. If there is to be any realistic movement away from Hamas Israel needs to butt out completely, their gaslighting tweets are not helpful and just put innocent people at more risk. They are bad actors in this.

It's not up to me (or you) to decide it's pointless if Palestinians feel they want to protest against Hamas.

Obviously they can't defeat Hamas in a military sense but protestors normally protest because they hope to get a message out that others will pick up on.

It would be good if more of our media sources covered this story - maybe sources like the BBC will get round to it later, they can be slow covering protests against authoritarian regimes.

I agree it's a lot safer for Palestinians living abroad to express dissent.

Though I repeat what I said above about it not being for us to decide for them that Palestinians in Gaza shouldn't protest against Hamas. Yes they are vulnerable, but this is not the only example in history where people have to be very brave to protest but some still choose to do it because they feel so strongly.

Agree that Israel endorsing the protest plan was not helpful and they should have kept out of it. But Israel's tweet on X is not the core issue and focusing on that instead of what Hamas is doing is not helpful to those that risked themselves and their family's wellbeing to protest.

it not being for us to decide for them that Palestinians in Gaza shouldn't protest against Hamas.

I don't think anyone has said that Palestinians in Gaza should not protest against Hamas

But Israel's tweet on X is not the core issue and focusing on that instead of what Hamas is doing is not helpful to those that risked themselves and their family's wellbeing to protest.
I disagree that focusing on that tweet is not helpful because it raises concerns about meddling. My concern is mainly about the intervention of bad faith actors causing more trouble for Palestinians, I mean it was those bad faith actors that were instrumental in Hamas getting to power in the first place.

Yes we can focus on Hamas threats about closing the protests down but a couple of us have posted links to protests that happened last year without issue so it's hard to know what's going on.

"I don't think anyone has said that Palestinians in Gaza should not protest against Hamas".

I feel like you implied it was too dangerous for Palestinians in Gaza to protest when you said, I absolutely welcome dissent against Hamas from displaced Palestinians abroad but those living in Gaza are in too vulnerable a position when they are surrounded on all sides by people happy to kill them.

Also Marty seemed to imply protest was pointless when she said, If Israel with all its military might couldn't beat Hamas how are some displaced starving civilians..

Why is your concern is mainly about the intervention of bad faith actors causing more trouble for Palestinians ... ?

By bad faith actors I presume you mean Israel's tweet but is Israel endorsing the protest really more concerning than Hamas denying Palestinians the right to show criticism of the way they are ruling by threatening violence and death to anyone who dares show dissent?

I was searching for updates on this story all day yesterday but wasn't able to find much written at all. I think the protests didn't go ahead, or were at least very limited. If anyone has read anything I'd be interested to read too...

I wanted to hear the voices of the people protesting.

I haven’t been able to find much either. Nothing on the BBC website.

I think there were some protests but they were limited. Agree it would be good to hear Palestinian voices on the subject, but I guess most are afraid to be identified.

Maybe there will be more in UK media tomorrow.

I feel like you implied it was too dangerous for Palestinians
I do feel that they are very vulnerable but that's very different to your suggestion that posters say they shouldn't
it not being for us to decide for them that Palestinians in Gaza shouldn't protest against Hamas.

By bad faith actors I presume you mean Israel's tweet but is Israel endorsing the protest really more concerning than Hamas denying Palestinians the right to show criticism of the way they are ruling by threatening violence and death to anyone who dares show dissent?
Israel has been killing far more Palestinians than Hamas so I do not trust them in this at all which is why I said they should butt out. As I said their interference in the past contributed to Hamas gaining power and they are already funding militia gangs in Gaza so yes they are bad faith actors who do not care about the welfare of Palestinians.

denying Palestinians the right to show criticism of the way they are ruling by threatening violence and death to anyone who dares show dissent
Protests have already happened last year so there does seem to be some dissent being tolerated. I don't support anyone threatening anyone with violence if they dare show dissent and I support everyone's right to protest.

@dairydebris @Twiglets1 what Palestinian voices are you referring to? Those from inside or outside Gaza? There are plenty from outside Gaza giving views on the situation

Those inside Gaza.
The average person on the street.
I listen to many voices on many different media streams but was particularly interested to hear what the average Gazans on the street want to say to their own government and their immediate neighbours.
I feel these voices are under represented in what I currently consume.

Well it's very difficult to get their voices heard with the ban on access to the strip for international journalists and the targeting and killing of Palestinian journalists in Gaza. I actually find it pretty tone deaf to not have considered this in your quest to hear these under represented voices.

Also Marty seemed to imply protest was pointless when she said, If Israel with all its military might couldn't beat Hamas how are some displaced starving civilians

@Twiglets I didn't imply anything I think it is completely pointless.
Hamas will murder their own citizens so why send them to their deaths protesting without any international support.
That's not to say I think Hamas should remain in power.
But it is very easy for a journalist in Egypt to organise a protest on Facebook against a vicious terrorist group when he is nice and safe .

Of course I've considered it Boolabus. I'm not living under a rock.

I'm interest to hear these voices whether or not you find it tone deaf I'm afraid.

If anyone has seen direct reporting from any protest please post- I am also searching myself of course.