The chances of the protests succeeding remain unclear. There are two million residents in Gaza, with tens of thousands in the military wing of Hamas. Overthrowing the regime would require the internal collapse of the strongest armed force in Gaza.
Chorev does not rule this out, and believes Israel’s resumed military campaign and the diminished aid influx could help
“It is possible that eventually, those currently filling the ranks of Hamas’s military wing will abandon it because the food and water they received in exchange for enlistment will run out, due to the ongoing ban on humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Hamas has recruited individuals, some of them very young, “who are not as ideologically committed as those who came before them and were killed,” “This could have an impact. The ongoing blockade could trap Hamas in a very difficult situation.”
Even if the current wave of protests ultimately ebbs or is suppressed, Chorev thinks it won’t be in vain: “Hamas is a social movement that embeds itself in the hearts of people, and once its image is damaged, it loses that hold.
This has a long-term effect, a social effect that could shape Gaza’s governance after the war and influence the [Gaza] public’s willingness to accept a different government instead of Hamas.”
