Deadly power struggle begins in Gaza with dozens killed in clashes as Hamas scrambles to fight off clans and retain control of the strip

A deadly power struggle has broken out in Gaza, leaving dozens dead in clashes between Hamas and its arch-rivals.

At least 27 people lost their lives in deadly clashes between the terrorist organization and armed members of the Dughmush family in Gaza.

The two groups have reportedly been fighting in Gaza’s main city since Saturday, including the Jordanian hospital in the city’s west.

The BBC reported that 19 Dughmush tribe members and eight Hamas fighters have been killed since then.

But ordinary Gazans, who have been suffering under Israeli occupation for more than two years, have also been affected by the conflict.

Local residents described scenes of terror as families, many of whom had already been forced to move from one place to another, fled their homes under loud and heavy gunfire.

One local resident said: ‘This time people were not running away from Israeli attacks. ‘They were running away from their own people’.

Hamas and the Dughmush clan have a long and bitter rivalry with each other that has led to numerous fights over the years.

Hamas officials working within the Gaza Strip government said their forces were working to restore order and warned that ‘any armed activity outside the framework of the resistance’ would be dealt with.

After two years of brutal conflict with Israel, which ended with the signing of a peace agreement, Hamas is severely weakened and appears to be consolidating its control over the Gaza Strip.

Over the weekend, Hamas vowed to eliminate ‘outlaws and Israeli collaborators’ as it recalled security forces to take back control of Gaza.

Nearly 7,000 armed men have been called in by Hamas to regain control of the enclave evacuated by Israeli forces during the two-year war.

The mobilization order was issued through phone calls and text messages: ‘We declare general mobilization in response to a national and religious call of duty to clear Gaza of outlaws and Israeli collaborators.

‘You must come to the designated locations within 24 hours using your official codes.’

Hamas units have already been deployed in many regions, while the militant group has already appointed five new governors, all with military backgrounds.

Footage showed armed police, some in civilian clothes, others in blue uniforms, patrolling the streets as tens of thousands of Palestinians returned to the heavily destroyed northern Gaza Strip.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid and fuel enter Gaza from the Karem Abu Salem crossing point within the scope of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza on October 12, 2025 and reach Khan Younis.

Palestinians gather around aid trucks entering the Karem Abu Salem crossing point in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on October 12, 2025

As Israeli troops slowly withdraw, questions remain about who will govern Gaza and whether Hamas will disarm, as called for in Trump’s ceasefire plan.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted that Israel may renew its attacks if Hamas does not lay down its weapons.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s population of nearly two million, often multiple times. Many will find fields of rubble where their homes once stood.