Following President Trump’s declaration in Israel’s Knesset that “the war is over” and his celebration of the return of the remaining living hostages, reports emerged of Hamas militants in Gaza executing opponents in Gaza City’s main square, openly visible to the public.
Videos circulating on social media purportedly depict these executions, which an Israeli military official informed Digital were “Hamas’s deliberate attempt to show the killing publicly and reestablish its rule by terrorizing civilians.”
In discussions with Digital, Gazans described Hamas fighters reappearing on the streets and reasserting their authority, though some expressed that this might also present their first genuine opportunity for change and to dismantle the regime of terror.
Mukhaimar Abu Saada, a political analyst from Gaza, told Digital that disarming Hamas would not be easy, as skirmishes between the group and local militias have already broken out. “This won’t happen quickly,” he stated. “We’re talking about an ideological organization. Even last night, people were killed in clashes between Hamas and local militias. It’s not a rosy road.”
Abu Saada mentioned that Hamas has issued an ultimatum, allowing alleged collaborators until October 19 to surrender and seek amnesty from Hamas, provided they were not involved in killings.
“They’re still strong,” he conceded. “Part of the reason they didn’t fight harder in the last days is that they saved some men and weapons for the day after. I still see Hamas police in the streets of Gaza. Trump said they lost thousands, but they’re still there, able to control the streets once Israel redeploys.”
A man in Gaza, who requested anonymity, conveyed to Digital that, despite official declarations, “You cannot say the war is finished.” He added, “We have to wait a few weeks to see what happens. There are gangs in Gaza now; Hamas is trying to fight them. If they don’t unify, another war could start.”
He characterized Hamas as weakened and fragmented. “Hamas is not strong like before. Those who remain are mostly police — not the real Hamas people who believe in their extremist jihadist ideology,” he explained. “We have to watch what happens next and see if they rebuild.”
He indicated that the group’s continued existence hinges on whether it accepts the deal. He labeled the situation “very strange,” observing that Hamas consented to a release while Israeli forces still occupy parts of Gaza. “It’s not a real deal yet. We need someone from Hamas to explain what they agreed to, because we need to think about our future.”
Another man in Gaza City echoed this sentiment of uncertainty. “No one knows what is happening — who will rule, what will happen with Hamas, and if the war is truly over,” he remarked. “We hope for a better future. I just want me and my family to live without targeting, without bloodshed.”
Ordinary Gazans, he further noted, are exhausted but crave tranquility. “People just want the blood to stop. They want to stop losing their relatives and friends … It’s in their hands now — if they will allow Hamas to continue or finally rise up. But nothing is clear.”
Abu Saada asserted that there is “no question Hamas will have to disarm one way or another,” describing this as an inevitable component of the plan announced by President Trump and sanctioned by Israel’s leadership.
“The real question is who will hold those weapons — the Palestinian Authority or the so-called ‘security stabilization force’ that’s supposed to deploy next. It’s definitely going to happen, but we have to wait for the second phase of the negotiations.”
Abu Saada also stated that even sources have confirmed that disarmament “has not yet been discussed but will be discussed in the coming days.” For now, he added, Gazans are concentrating on survival after “two years of misery, destruction, and bloodshed.”
Ultimately, he predicted, Hamas will be obliged to comply. “No Arab country will give a single dollar if Hamas doesn’t disarm. Rebuilding Gaza depends on Hamas no longer being in control. The war is over, but the real test is only beginning.”
While perspectives from within Gaza express doubt, experts in Washington contend that Hamas’s political and military isolation has reached an unprecedented level.
Jacob Olidort, director of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute, informed Digital that Hamas is “in the most militarily and diplomatically isolated place it has ever been.”
“Even before and after the release of hostages, Hamas has been defiant in tone,” Olidort observed. “But all of that will be overshadowed by the vast expansion of peace agreements between Israel and its neighbors. All of Israel’s regional partners are eager to normalize and build on where they left off prior to Oct 7.”
Olidort indicated that the Sharm el-Sheikh summit will mark the commencement of phase two of Trump’s plan — “Whatever is happening now on the ground doesn’t reflect Gaza’s future,” he explained. “None of the steps in the peace plan have been implemented yet. What comes next will be defined by that summit and by the regional consensus that Hamas cannot continue to control Gaza.”
For Israel, he appended, “the focus will be restarting, in a more public way, its regional and global partnerships — defense, commercial, and diplomatic. That’s where Israel’s future lies.”
While the sounds of conflict have quieted, the subsequent phase — Hamas’ disarmament and the arrival of a stabilization force — will determine whether Gaza finally embarks on reconstruction or descends back into turmoil. As Abu Saada articulated, “The war is over, but the question is whether peace will really begin.”