No fewer than 27 individuals have been claimed in violent clashes between Hamas armed units and armed members of the Dughmush tribe in Gaza City, marking one of the most violent internal clashes since the conclusion of extensive Israeli campaigns in the enclave.
Disguised Hamas gunmen traded gunfire with clan fighters near the city's medical facility, according to local sources.
Official Account
A high-ranking officer in the interior ministry under Hamas stated that security forces encircled them and entered fierce battles to capture them. The ministry reported that eight of its fighters were fatally wounded in "an armed assault by a militia".
Hospital representatives confirmed that nineteen Dughmush clan members and 8 Hamas militants had been fatally injured since conflict started on Saturday.
Eyewitness Testimonies
Eyewitnesses reported that the confrontations broke out in the Tel al-Hawa area in the southern part of Gaza City after a Hamas unit of over 300 militants moved to storm a apartment building where Dughmush militants were dug in.
Residents described chaotic situations as many residents escaped their dwellings under sustained firearm exchanges, with a significant number having been forced to move frequently during the hostilities.
"In this instance civilians weren't running from Israeli offensives," a local inhabitant stated. "They were fleeing from their own people."
Existing Conflict
The Dughmush clan, a significant Gaza family, has historically maintained a strained relationship with Hamas, and its armed members have clashed with the group on multiple instances in the earlier periods.
The Hamas-run interior ministry stated its units were attempting to reestablish control, alerting that "any armed activity not within the system of the Palestinian resistance" would be dealt with firmly.
Conflicting Versions
The two parties leveled charges over who was responsible for triggering the clashes.
The organization earlier said that Dughmush fighters killed two its militants and hurt five others, prompting the group to launch an operation against them.
In contrast, a Dughmush family representative told local media that Hamas fighters had arrived at a facility that formerly operated as the Jordanian healthcare facility, where the clan had taken refuge after their dwellings in the al-Sabra neighbourhood were destroyed in the latest Israeli offensive.
The source claimed that the movement tried to expel the family from the premises to establish a new base for its forces there.
Broader Situation
Hamas has reactivated around 7,000 fighters of its security forces to reestablish dominance over Gaza territories previously evacuated by Israeli troops, according to local sources.
Reports suggest that Hamas combat groups have been stationed across several districts, with some wearing civilian clothes and the remainder in the blue gear of the Gaza law enforcement. The Hamas communication department rejected that it was positioning militants in public areas.
