Demanding an end to the war, hundreds pressed the militants to relinquish control of the enclave, a rare demonstration against a group that has suppressed dissent with violence.

As the director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, I have studied public opinion in Gaza for decades and to be sure, Hamas has never in its entire history had a majority support in Gaza.

Palestinians hold signs at a protest against the war and Hamas in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in a rare show of public anger against the militant group that rules the territory. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana, File)