At least 64 people have died in Gaza amid violent clashes between Hamas and local militias, coinciding with the anticipated release of hostages by the militant group.
At least 64 individuals, including 52 members of the Doghmush clan and 12 Hamas militants, have been killed in violent confrontations in Gaza. The clashes erupted on Sunday, shortly before the expected release of hostages in the war-torn region, according to local reports.
The fighting unfolded as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepared to deliver a televised address, in which he described the imminent hostage release as “the beginning of a new path.” However, he cautioned that “the campaign is not over” and that significant security challenges remain.
Witnesses reported that gunfire sent families fleeing in panic. “This time people weren’t fleeing Israeli attacks. They were running from their own people,” one witness told the BBC.
The violence reportedly began when Hamas militants launched an assault on the Sabra neighborhood in Gaza City, home to the Doghmush clan, also known as the Al Doghmush family militia. According to Israeli outlet Ynet, the Hamas Interior Ministry accused the clan of attacking its forces, while members of the Doghmush clan claimed that Hamas exploited the ceasefire to target them due to alleged cooperation with Israel.
“Children are screaming and dying; they are burning our houses,” a relative of the clan told Ynet. Another member lamented, “We are trapped. I don’t know how they entered with all kinds of weapons. Where were they when the Jews were here? They arrested all the youths, lined them up against walls, pointed weapons at their heads. There is a massacre here.”
In addition to the casualties among the Doghmush clan and Hamas militants, reports indicated that Salah al-Ja‘farawi, a blogger who had celebrated the October 7 attacks online, was killed during the clashes. Hamas’s television channel claimed he was shot dead by “armed gangs operating outside the law.” The son of senior Hamas official Basem Naim was also reported among the deceased.
A senior member of the Doghmush clan expressed a sentiment of unity, stating, “We still say – you must not shed Muslim blood by a Muslim.”
In response to the escalating violence, Hamas’s Interior and National Security Ministry announced a “clemency framework.” This initiative allows militia members and criminals not involved in bloodshed to surrender by the following Sunday, with a warning that those who do not comply will face severe punishment.
Amid the turmoil, three anti-Hamas militias publicly expressed their support for President Trump’s peace proposal, rejecting Hamas’s authority in the Gaza Strip.
As the situation develops, Israel has indicated that Hamas is expected to release 20 living hostages to the Red Cross by 5 a.m. Eastern Time (noon in Gaza) on Monday. The hostages are to be transported in six to eight vehicles under Red Cross supervision and handed over to Israeli forces inside Gaza. They will then be driven to southern Israel to reunite with their families.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Israeli government for further comment.
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