“Leave Us—At Any Cost”: Palestinians Are Publicly Rejecting Hamas’s Claim to Represent Them
“Come live our life. We are being humiliated enough… You want to negotiate on behalf of Gaza while you live in hotels in Qatar?… Leave us to God. At any cost, leave us. We are dying.”
—Gaza resident, witness statement to Kevin LaChapelle
For nearly two decades, Hamas has ruled Gaza with an iron grip, presenting itself as the sole voice of resistance and representation. Yet across Gaza, a growing chorus of Palestinians are declaring that Hamas no longer speaks for them. Their words are not whispered—they are shouted in protests, captured in interviews, and etched in the despair of daily survival.
1) The Streets: “Hamas Out”
Beginning March 25–27, 2025, thousands of residents in Beit Lahiya, Jabalia, and other areas broke a long-standing fear barrier and marched with chants of “Hamas out” and “Hamas doesn’t represent us.” Reuters documented the rallies, describing hundreds in the initial demonstrations, with follow-on reporting that militants warned people against “helping Israeli aims” by protesting. These were the first major anti-Hamas rallies in Gaza in years.
Palestinians protest against Hamas exclaiming, “Hamas Out!”
Rights groups and media then reported intimidation and arrests. Amnesty International formally urged Hamas to stop targeting protesters and to respect peaceful assembly (May 28, 2025). ABC News likewise covered the crackdown.
2) The People: What Polling Actually Shows
Public-opinion data do not show Gazans “rallying” to Hamas. In the May 2025 survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR):
Satisfaction with Hamas in Gaza was about 43%, with many feeling pressured to voice satisfaction of Hamas.
An increasing number of Palestinians believe that Israel might be a better option than that of Hamas governing Gaza.
Another PCPSR highlight picked up by Reuters: 48% of Gazans supported the anti-Hamas protests, a rare figure in an atmosphere where dissent is so dangerous.
Bottom line: support for Hamas has significantly slipped in Gaza, and visible opposition has surged—even if many Palestinians still distrust alternatives or fear chaos, those previously afraid to speak out against Hamas are finding courage to do so due to the declining situation and the corruption within Hamas.
3) The “Starvation” Narrative vs. a War Economy
Hamas has hammered a message that “Israel is starving Gaza.” It’s a potent line that travels fast—and it exploits real shortages. Israel rejects the famine assessment and denies any starvation policy. Multiple outlets note that U.N. agencies and other watchdog groups blame access restrictions and lawlessness for deadly gaps in deliveries on Hamas.
But here’s what Hamas’s narrative leaves out:
Black markets & profiteering: Independent reporting has repeatedly documented aid being sold in Gaza markets at abusive prices. AP described Hamas gangs and merchants taking rationed aid and selling it at markups; lawlessness expanded as Hamas police often are working in collusion with the gangs. Le Monde/OCCRP earlier reported profiteering and accusations that Hamas-led authorities enabled a black-market ecosystem.
Alleged Hamas diversion/sale of aid: Israel has alleged that Hamas diverts up to 25% of aid to its fighters or sells it to civilians; the IDF has released video evidence of Hamas looting trucks. The US State Department said it found evidence of massive, systematic theft of US-funded aid, citing video evidence and intelligence indicating diversion.
Net effect: while famine is real and heavily driven by access and security conditions, Hamas’s messaging turns genuine deprivation into propaganda, omitting the documented black-market economy and credible allegations that fighters and allied networks divert or monetize aid.
4) “Leaders in Hotels”: The Qatar Disconnect
Witness assertions—“you live in hotels in Qatar”—is not just rhetoric. Hamas’s political leadership has long operated from Doha; Ismail Haniyeh was based in Qatar during the war, a fact widely reported. For Gazans dodging airstrikes and hunger, the exile-leadership gap fuels the sense of humiliation and betrayal.
5) Do Some Palestinians Prefer Israeli Administration to Hamas?
A significant number of Gazans expected Israeli control—an expectation that signals how little confidence many have in Hamas’s return, even if they don’t explicitly prefer Israeli rule.
Anecdotally, reporters have recorded Gazans saying they want order and security—whoever provides it—and some protest leaders have said “Hamas does not represent the majority” anymore.
Honest read: There are Palestinians who now trust Israeli-administered order or corridors more than Hamas’s “governance.” What is undeniable is that Hamas’s legitimacy crisis inside Gaza is real.
6) The Propaganda Machine and U.S. Influence
Beyond Gaza, Hamas has built a sophisticated propaganda network designed to shape global perceptions. Its methods include:
Social Media Campaigns: Coordinated floods of content on X, TikTok, Telegram, and Instagram frame Israel as the sole aggressor, amplifying selective images while suppressing evidence of Hamas’s diversion of aid, use of human shields, or crackdowns on protesters.
Influence in U.S. Discourse: Hamas-linked narratives have filtered into American university campuses, activist groups, and protest movements, often presenting Hamas as synonymous with “the Palestinian cause.” This framing erases the growing Palestinian opposition to Hamas itself, silencing voices from Gaza who say “Hamas does not represent us.”
Exploiting Western Media Gaps: By flooding journalists with unverifiable casualty figures (from Hamas-controlled agencies), Hamas ensures that headlines often carry its numbers unchallenged. Western outlets, under pressure to publish quickly, risk repeating propaganda.
Targeting Sympathy: Hamas strategically emphasizes suffering—real suffering of civilians under war—while obscuring its own role in prolonging it. This one-sided portrayal fuels anti-Israel sentiment in the United States, where many well-meaning people adopt Hamas’s narrative without knowing the deeper reality from Gazans themselves.
Result: A cycle of misinformation and emotional manipulation that unfairly demonizes Israel, sidelines moderate Palestinian voices, and props up Hamas’s crumbling image abroad—even as its legitimacy collapses inside Gaza.
7) What This Adds Up To
Visible revolt: Protest chants, interviews, and arrests show growing disgust with Hamas’s rule and war decisions.
Crisis of representation: Polls and testimonies from Gaza—the people living under Hamas—show declining satisfaction and higher willingness to challenge the group than in the West Bank.
Propaganda vs. reality: Hamas’s “Israel-is-starving-Gaza” line omits its own role in a war economy—diversion allegations, documented black markets, and aid profiteering.
Leadership abroad: The Qatar-based politburo compounds resentment; it’s a symbolic and practical disconnect.
Global narrative war: While Hamas is losing legitimacy at home, its propaganda abroad—especially in the U.S.—has successfully confused the issue, painting opposition to Hamas as opposition to Palestinians themselves.
Conclusion: Palestinians—particularly inside Gaza—are telling the world that Hamas does not represent them. Their words, protests, and choices point to a demand for dignity, security, and honest governance, not the self-serving narratives and rackets that have prolonged their suffering. The tragedy is that Hamas’s propaganda machine has convinced many outsiders to defend it, even while the very people of Gaza cry out: “Hamas Leave us—at any cost.”
References (no hyperlinks)
Reuters — “Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza protest against Hamas…”, Mar 26, 2025.
Reuters — “Militants warn against helping Israel with Gaza protests”, Mar 27, 2025.
Amnesty International — “Hamas security services must stop targeting protesters…”, May 28, 2025.
ABC News (Australia) — “Hamas accused of brutal crackdown on protesters in Gaza”, Jun 2, 2025.
Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) — Public Opinion Poll No. 95, May 6, 2025.
Reuters — “Almost half of Gazans willing to leave, survey finds”, May 6, 2025.
AP — “Gangs and merchants sell food aid in Gaza…”, Jul 28, 2025.
Reuters — “Details of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza” (aid model & diversion concerns), Jul 4, 2025.
Le Monde / OCCRP — “Gazans are at the mercy of profiteers driving up food prices”, Mar 15, 2024.
IPC assessments — famine determinations, Aug 22–23, 2025.
Reuters — “Qatar has hosted Hamas’ political leaders… Ismail Haniyeh lives in Doha”, May 4, 2024.
The Media Line — “Leader of Gaza’s anti-Hamas movement: ‘Hamas does not represent the majority’”, Apr 23, 2025.
Time Magazine — “What the Anti-Hamas Protests in Gaza Actually Mean”, Apr 2025.
