Hamas claims victory, shows it’s back in charge – but not everyone wants to celebrate amid Gaza’s ruins

With the start of the ceasefire on Sunday morning, Hamas declared victory over Israel and didn’t lose time in embarking on a mission to show it is back in charge of the Gaza Strip. However, not all Gazans are in celebratory mood, as many expressed shock after seeing the ruins of their former homes.

The terror group’s media office announced Sunday that thousands of its police officers, which had been targeted by Israel during the war, were being sent throughout the enclave to “preserve security and order.”

The statement added that Hamas’ other government institutions would start to “implement all the measures that guarantee bringing back normal life.”

After months of discussions over who would govern the Gaza Strip on the “day after,” Hamas is making a concerted effort to show it still in charge of the enclave.

Videos showed police officers standing at attention next to the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis as the Palestinian national anthem was played, while other videos showed armed Hamas terrorists emerging from hiding in the hospital complex.

More video clips showed armed Hamas terrorists deploying in areas of the strip with their infamous white Toyota pickups, which were used during the Oct. 7 invasion and massacre.

The highpoint of Hamas’ propaganda came toward the evening, when the terrorists again turned the release of the three Israeli hostages into a show of force, as dozens of armed and uniformed Hamas terrorists surrounded and climbed on the Red Cross cars that were to take the hostages to freedom.

A crowd of hundreds gathered in Gaza City’s Saraya square, cheering the terrorists and chanting “Allahu Akbar,” and "Khaybar ya yahud," a reminder of a Quranic massacre committed by the Prophet Muhammad against a Jewish tribe.

One of the terrorists in Gaza City told Reuters, “All the opposition factions remain despite Netanyahu. This is a full and comprehensive ceasefire and with the help of Allah there will be no return to war despite Netanyahu.”

However, footage of this event also showed the hollowness of Hamas’ claims. Drone videos showed that contrary to the impression given by cameras in the crowd, the crowd only numbered a few hundred at the most.

Despite Hamas’ efforts to project an atmosphere of victory celebrations, some Gazans expressed their shock and frustration after returning north and seeking out their old homes after spending months in the humanitarian zones in southern Gaza.

“What have we achieved? I have four houses, and they have all been leveled,” a Palestinian named Muhammad Abu Bilal told CNN. “Where am I? Is this my house? Is this my life?”, he wondered.

Muhammad al-Qadi concurred, “We are defeated. We have no life. We will live on the streets. I came to see if my house was still standing, but I found out that it was destroyed.”

According to Ynet News, the IDF apparently withdrew from a secondary corridor it established in recent months to cut off the Jabaliya area, enabling crowds of refugees to stream back into the area.

“My house was destroyed six months ago, we will probably live in a tent,” said Talal Abu Sayed, a resident of Jabaliya, according to Ynet News. Nadia Abu Haloub, a resident of nearby Beit Lahiya said she couldn’t believe her eyes when she returned to the area where her home had stood.

“The whole area was bombed. The destruction affected everything - people, stones and trees. Nothing was left of the house, except the keys. The house was a refuge and all the memories were destroyed along with it when it was bombed. May God compensate us and reward us for our catastrophe. These are the victories of Hamas,” she said bitterly.

Ahmed Abu-Ayyam told Reuters that in the face of the destruction, he could not take part in the celebrations: “We are in pain, deep pain, and this is the time to hug each other and cry,” he said.

A Gaza Municipality spokesman, Asim a-Nabiya, told the Al-Arabi channel on Monday that more than 70% of the roads in the city were completely or partially destroyed, over 75% of the central water wells in the city and all the sewage pumps were partially or completely damaged. A-Nabiya added that only 40% of the city currently receives water.

The Palestinian Authority also used the opportunity to criticize its most important rival. Mahmoud al-Habash, an adviser to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, slammed Hamas for the high price the Palestinian people had to pay for the release of the Palestinian prisoners as part of the ceasefire deal.

Talking to the Saudi al-Arabiya channel, al-Habash said that in exchange for the expected release of some 1,500 to 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, over 50,000 Palestinians were killed, more than 120,000 were injured, and more than 13,000 Palestinians were arrested during the war.

Al-Habash demanded that Hamas admit that it failed, instead of using “empty slogans about victory.”

However, for the moment, the lasting image seems to be that Hamas is back in charge. “The message is that Hamas is ‘the day after’ for the war,” Ibrahim Madhoun, a Turkey-based analyst seen as close to Hamas, told the New York Times.

“They’re conveying that Hamas must be a part of any future arrangements, or at least, be coordinated with,” he added.