Protests against Hamas come amid a deep humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where most infrastructure including medical facilities has been demolished. Additionally, the U.N. has decided to reduce aid operations in the strip, citing Israel's "devastating strikes" and blockade of humanitarian aid entry. Aid workers have been killed in Israeli strikes.

Protests against Hamas are rare in the Gaza strip. The terror group has cracked down violently on demonstrations in the past, with Amnesty International reporting in 2019 that people had been beaten and detained arbitrarily over protests against the cost of living. It also said protesters had been subject to torture while in detention.

Videos on Wednesday, whose authenticity Reuters could not verify, showed protests in Shejaia in the north where the rallies began, but also in the central Gaza areas of Deir Al-Ba