After the Trump Deal: Is Hamas on a Killing Spree in Gaza to Reassert Control?
In the aftermath of a historic ceasefire agreement brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump between Israel and Hamas, new reports from Gaza paint a disturbing picture. Multiple media outlets have alleged that Hamas has launched a violent internal campaign—executing suspected collaborators, clashing with rival factions, and asserting dominance across the war-torn strip. What began as a fragile truce may now be morphing into a brutal consolidation of power.
The Ceasefire and the Trump-Brokered Deal
The so-called “Trump deal,” announced in early October 2025, was hailed as a breakthrough in the long-running Gaza conflict. The agreement outlined a phased ceasefire: Hamas would begin releasing Israeli hostages, while Israel would gradually pull back its troops to designated lines inside the enclave. The first phase also included the release of 2,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and the opening of humanitarian corridors for aid.
Trump himself declared that “both Israel and Hamas have signed off on the first phase,” touting the deal as a stepping stone toward what he called a “lasting peace through strength.” For a region exhausted by months of bombardment, the ceasefire brought a rare glimmer of hope. But almost immediately after the guns fell silent, reports began to surface of another kind of violence—this time within Gaza itself.
Reports of Internal Crackdowns and Killings
According to sources cited by India Today, Hindustan Times, and The Guardian, Hamas security forces have conducted a wave of internal purges since the ceasefire took effect. Dozens of individuals accused of “treason” and collaboration with Israel have reportedly been executed by firing squad. Others, particularly members of rival clans such as the powerful Doghmush family, have been detained, tortured, or killed in armed clashes.
One report suggests that at least 30 people were killed in just a few days of fighting between Hamas and local armed factions. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos—streets cordoned off, homes raided, and masked gunmen rounding up suspected opponents. Hamas’ justification has been consistent: those targeted were “criminals,” “traitors,” or “collaborators.”
In one particularly tense episode, Hamas militants allegedly stormed neighborhoods controlled by the Doghmush clan, long considered a semi-independent power broker in Gaza’s underworld. The fighting reportedly left scores dead or injured, with both sides accusing the other of treason and lawlessness.
Power Vacuum and the Struggle for Control
The ceasefire created an unusual moment in Gaza’s recent history. With Israeli troops withdrawing from major population centers, Hamas suddenly found itself back in charge—but over a deeply fractured and traumatized territory. Months of bombardment, hunger, and displacement had eroded its internal authority, allowing rival militias, clan leaders, and criminal networks to fill the vacuum.
For Hamas, which sees itself as both a resistance movement and the governing authority, reasserting order has become a matter of survival. Analysts suggest that the current crackdown reflects a classic post-war dynamic: the effort by a ruling faction to re-establish monopoly control over violence. “Hamas cannot afford to appear weak in front of either its people or its enemies,” said one Middle East analyst quoted in The Guardian. “It must show that it—and only it—holds the power of the gun in Gaza.”
To that end, Hamas has redeployed its armed police units and Qassam Brigades fighters across several districts, reportedly setting up checkpoints, confiscating weapons, and re-enforcing curfews.
Humanitarian Costs and Fear Among Civilians
For ordinary Gazans, however, the post-ceasefire atmosphere has brought little relief. Human rights monitors warn that the line between restoring order and suppressing dissent is increasingly blurred. Civilians caught between rival factions have reported arbitrary arrests and public executions without trial.
In Gaza City, residents told journalists they were afraid to speak out, fearing reprisal from Hamas security forces. “It feels like the war never ended—only the enemy changed,” one man said. With communications only partially restored and journalists facing restricted access, independent verification of these claims remains difficult. Still, the pattern of reports suggests that the ceasefire’s “peace dividend” has not reached the people it was meant to help.
Uncertainties and the Fog of War
While the allegations of a Hamas “killing spree” have been echoed across several media outlets, it is important to treat the claims with caution. Conflict-zone reporting is fraught with misinformation, propaganda, and competing narratives.
Some of the reported killings may have occurred during residual clashes with Israeli forces or as part of long-standing clan disputes unrelated to politics. Moreover, Hamas’ accusations of collaboration—often used to justify executions—are rarely subject to independent investigation. In previous conflicts, human rights organizations have documented Hamas’ use of “treason” charges as a tool for eliminating internal rivals.
At present, no international body, including the United Nations or the Red Cross, has confirmed the full extent of the alleged killings.
Political Implications for Hamas and the Ceasefire
The internal violence threatens to undermine the very gains Hamas sought from the Trump-brokered deal. If Gaza descends further into lawlessness or authoritarian purges, it could complicate future negotiations with Israel and the international community.
At the same time, Hamas’ show of force might consolidate its grip over Gaza in the short term, allowing it to project stability to external actors. In this sense, the crackdown may be both a tactical necessity and a political message: that despite the destruction of the war, Hamas remains the uncontested ruler of Gaza.
Observers note that this balancing act—between control and chaos—has defined Hamas’ governance strategy for nearly two decades. Every ceasefire, they say, brings a reckoning: who controls the guns, the streets, and the narrative.
A Fragile Future
The situation in Gaza remains fluid. As humanitarian aid begins to trickle in and reconstruction efforts loom, the challenge for Hamas will be to maintain order without alienating its own population. Whether it can transition from wartime authority to credible governance is uncertain.
For now, the reports of internal executions and rival clashes serve as a grim reminder that peace in Gaza is far more than the absence of war—it depends on the restoration of trust, justice, and unity among Palestinians themselves.
Until those conditions are met, every ceasefire risks becoming just another pause between battles—this time, within the same borders.
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