Another resident, Hussam al-Majdalawi, was reportedly kidnapped and beaten in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp. Al-Majdalawi, who had also spoken against Hamas, was shot in the legs and left wounded in a public square, according to eyewitnesses.
Hamza al-Masri, a Gaza-based social activist who lost an eye after being tortured by Hamas in the past, said the crackdown was part of a broader effort to silence dissent.
“Just for asking to live, a Hamas military unit kidnapped several young men, including helpless Odai,” al-Masri wrote on social media. “Hours after he was taken, he was returned to his family without life.”
He accused Hamas of maintaining tight control over local media, preventing journalists from reporting on abuses. “There isn’t a single journalist in Gaza who can speak about the crimes being committed here,” he said. “The world has no idea what’s happening.”
Despite the threats, mourners at al-Rubai’s funeral shouted anti-Hamas slogans, including “Hamas out,” and several relatives fired weapons into the air. Members of his family reportedly identified one of the men responsible for the torture and vowed revenge.
“Don’t come to offer condolences before we take revenge,” one family member was quoted as saying.
Gazan influencer Mustafa Asfour wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that al-Rubai was “killed because he said aloud: We want to live. These are very sad moments, fueling hatred that could ignite a civil war.”
Palestinian sources said other demonstrators have gone missing in recent days, as Hamas seeks to reassert control and deter further dissent.
