Internal Gaza Conflict: Deadly Clashes Erupt Between Hamas and Armed Clan in Gaza City

GAZA CITY – At least 27 people have been killed in fierce internal fighting between Hamas security forces and armed members of the powerful Dughmush family, marking one of the most violent confrontations within the Gaza Strip since the major Israeli military operations concluded.

The deadly clashes erupted over the weekend, with masked Hamas gunmen exchanging heavy fire with clan fighters near the Jordanian Hospital in Gaza City. Medical sources report that the toll includes 19 Dughmush clan members and eight Hamas fighters.

The Hamas-run interior ministry confirmed that security units had surrounded the area and engaged in heavy fighting to detain the clan members, stating that eight of its personnel were killed in an “armed assault by a militia.”

Eyewitnesses detailed scenes of intense fighting in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood in southern Gaza City. A Hamas force, reportedly numbering over 300, moved to storm a residential block where Dughmush gunmen were entrenched. Residents described panic and scenes of displacement, with dozens of families fleeing their homes under heavy gunfire—many of whom had already been displaced multiple times during the recent war.

“This time people weren’t fleeing Israeli attacks,” one resident stated. “They were running from their own people.”

The Dughmush family, one of Gaza’s most prominent clans, has a historically tense relationship with Hamas, and its armed members have clashed with the governing group on previous occasions.

The Hamas-run interior ministry asserted its forces were seeking to restore order, issuing a stern warning that “any armed activity outside the framework of the resistance” would be met with a firm response.

Both sides have traded accusations regarding the trigger for the latest violence:

Hamas’s Claim: The group initially stated that Dughmush gunmen killed two of its fighters and wounded five others, prompting the subsequent large-scale operation.

Dughmush Counter-Claim: A source from the clan told local media that Hamas forces had attempted to evict the family from a building near the former Jordanian Hospital. The family had taken refuge there after their homes in the al-Sabra neighbourhood were destroyed in a recent Israeli attack. The source claimed Hamas intended to use the building as a new base for its forces.

The conflict comes as Hamas attempts to reassert its authority across areas recently vacated by Israeli troops. Local sources suggest the group has recalled approximately 7,000 members of its security forces for deployment, with reports of armed units, some in civilian clothes and others in police uniforms, deploying across several districts. However, the Hamas media office has denied deploying “fighters in the streets.”