The numbers have risen dramatically in recent weeks, coordinated and escorted by defense officials —from movement within Gaza to police details in Israel until departure. This is done under government directives. Nearly 2,000 have left via the Kerem Shalom crossing, continuing to Ramon Airport or the Allenby Bridge, while the rest exited through the Rafah crossing when it was open.
Protests against Hamas in Gaza
Exit permits are granted to Gazans in need of medical treatment, who are permitted to travel with their families, as well as to Gazans with dual citizenship or residency visas from a third country. Defense officials receive hundreds of requests weekly for departures to a third country.
Leaving Gaza has become a struggle for survival rather than a choice. In recent weeks, many Gazans have conveyed a simple message: “Just get us out.” This is reflected in a growing wave of protests against Hamas in Gaza.
Protesters held signs reading “Our children’s blood is not cheap” and “Stop the war immediately,” while a group of young men chanted “Hamas out, Hamas must leave.” The demonstrators blamed Hamas for their displacement, citing rocket launches from nearby areas toward Israel.
This protest is considered highly unusual and one of the largest demonstrations held in Gaza throughout the war. Gazans face significant difficulties in opposing Hamas rule or removing it through legitimate means, as the organization enforces its authority through intimidation and even public executions of dissenters.
The protest seemed to embolden demonstrators to criticize Hamas, possibly due to a weakening “fear barrier” that previously prevented open criticism of the terror group. Hamas terrorists attempted to disperse the protests but failed.
