Palestinians, according to Abusada, are calling for Hamas to accept a ceasefire and include other parties in the negotiations. “Negotiating solely with Hamas doesn’t help… Hamas people don’t care about death. They think if they die, they go to paradise. That is why it’s very rare when Hamas fighters surrender. Most of them fight until the end, wanting to become shaheed (martyrs). They are ready to die.” 

“The voices I hear from Gaza are calling on Hamas to bring in the PA (Palestinian Authority) or Egypt to be part of the ceasefire talks. People just want an end to this madness,” he said.

Another Gazan, who requested anonymity, echoed these sentiments. “It’s true a lot of people are against Hamas now. People speak freely about it. They’re not afraid anymore. They don’t fear Hamas anymore. They are just killers, stupid people.”

Gaza City on Feb 2, 2025. (Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“The people of Gaza don’t want to fight Israel,” the Gazan man added, “But at the same time, many Gazans do blame Israel for not differentiating between civilians and Hamas. Why are we being kept in the same area as Hamas? Israel should have thought about safe zones from the beginning. Now, more people are realizing the importance of this idea. We need many safe zones where people can go, far from Hamas, and where aid can reach them.”

“For the first time, people are speaking out, even at great personal risk… they want change. They want an end to the violence, and they are ready to make their voices heard,” al-Natour said.