27 Dead as Hamas Forces Clash With Dughmush Clan in Gaza City

At least 27 people have been killed in violent clashes between Hamas security forces and armed members of the Dughmush family in Gaza City, marking one of the bloodiest internal confrontations since Israel’s major withdrawal from the enclave.

Witnesses said masked Hamas fighters exchanged heavy gunfire with clan gunmen near the Jordanian Hospital in the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood on Saturday. According to medical sources, 19 Dughmush clan members and eight Hamas fighters lost their lives in the battle.

A senior official from the Hamas-run interior ministry said its security units surrounded the militants and engaged them in fierce fighting to restore order. The ministry confirmed that eight of its personnel were killed during what it described as “an armed assault by a militia.”

Residents reported scenes of panic as dozens of families fled their homes under heavy fire. “This time, people weren’t fleeing Israeli attacks,” one witness said. “They were running from their own people.”

Power Struggle Turns Deadly

The confrontation reportedly began when a 300-man Hamas force stormed a residential building where Dughmush gunmen had taken positions. The Dughmush family, one of Gaza’s most influential clans, has had a long and uneasy history with Hamas, including multiple past clashes.

Hamas claimed the fighting erupted after Dughmush gunmen ambushed and killed two of its fighters, injuring five others. However, a source within the family accused Hamas of attempting to seize a building that once served as the Jordanian Hospital, where the clan had taken refuge after losing their homes in Israeli airstrikes.

The family alleged that Hamas sought to evict them and convert the site into a new military base.

Hamas Tightens Grip on Gaza

Following Israel’s recent pullback, Hamas has redeployed around 7,000 security personnel to reinforce control over Gaza. Armed units have been seen patrolling various districts, some in civilian clothes and others wearing blue police uniforms.

The Hamas media office denied that its fighters were being deployed “in the streets,” insisting that forces were only ensuring security and order.

The latest violence underscores the deep internal fractures within Gaza as Hamas struggles to consolidate its authority amid ongoing humanitarian and political turmoil.