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In War-Battered Gaza, Residents Grow Angry with Hamas

(Washington Post) Claire Parker - More than six months into the war in Gaza, Palestinians are growing more critical of Hamas, which some blame for the conflict that has destroyed the territory - and their lives. In interviews with more than a dozen residents of Gaza, people said they resent Hamas for the attacks in Israel and - war-weary and desperate to fulfill their basic needs - just want to see peace as soon as possible. Palestinians want leaders "who won't drag people into a war like this," said Salma El-Qadomi, 33. "Seventeen years of destruction and wars are enough." A mother of three, 29, who did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation, said, "We can't live like this anymore....We want the war to stop, whatever it takes." Fedaa Zayed, 35, said, "In reality, we are in full retreat, the domestic front is destroyed." In a poll conducted in March, a majority of Palestinians said Hamas' decision to carry out the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people was "correct." But researchers at the Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research said "support for the offensive does not mean support for Hamas." Instead, the results show 3/4 of Palestinians believe the attack refocused global attention on the conflict. At the same time, there was an increase in the percentage of Palestinians in Gaza who think Hamas will win the war and stay in power.
2024-04-28 00:00:00
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