Just days after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in the Middle East, a new development is getting international attention. Hamas-run police are now back patrolling the streets of Gaza.
Under terms of the ceasefire, police, overseen by Hamas, are responsible for keeping law and order among Palestinians and will monitor the movement and re-entry of Palestinians into their homes.
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Hamas police forces are not allowed near Israeli troops and are not permitted to enter buffer zones near the border with Israel.
The U.S. and Israeli security officials reportedly urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to come up with a plan for governing Gaza in the aftermath of the war.
So far, he has not done so.
Hamas has now stepped in to fill that gap, despite Netanyahu saying at the outset of the war that one of the objectives was to crush Hamas.
Israel-Hamas War overview
The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing an estimated 1,200 Israeli citizens and taking another 250 people hostage. Israel responded with a ground and air campaign that reduced much of Gaza to rubble.
The conflict left about 47,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Many of Hamas’ top leaders were also killed.
Earlier this month, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Hamas had recruited nearly as many new fighters as it had lost in the war. He called the terror group a chameleon.
On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Israeli foreign minister stated that a permanent end to the war would require Hamas to give up power in later negotiations. He said there would be no peace, stability or security in the region if Hamas remains.
Still, Hamas is showing its authority by parading through the streets of Gaza, in uniforms and armed, while flashing victory signs.
President Donald Trump said Monday, that he is not confident the ceasefire will last and that Gaza looks like a massive demolition site.
