Palestinians report demonstrations that broke out in several locations Sunday evening across the Gaza Strip to protest the high cost of living and the electricity shortage. Groups of demonstrators gathered in downtown Khan Yunis, and in the Jabaliya and Al-Bureij refugee camps. In another march organized in the Nuseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, participants chanted, "Shame, shame, the people are victims."
Videos posted by Palestinian activists show hundreds of people gathering and marching in the streets. Some of the demonstrations also included slogans against Hamas. "The people want to change the government," was one of the slogans shouted by some of the young people in the protest.
"Where is the electricity and where is the fuel, Haniyeh, Ya Abbas?" the angry demonstrators asked. They demanded an improvement in the standard of living and called for an end to the siege of the Gaza Strip.
Demonstrations in Gaza over high cost of living - calls to overthrow the Hamas regime
In recent weeks, Gaza residents have complained of electricity shortages, prompting dozens of them to take to the streets to protest, demanding a solution to the escalating crisis.
It should be noted that there is no regular electricity supply to households in the Gaza Strip, partly due to weak infrastructure and lack of fuel. At this stage, it is unclear what the scope of the protests is and whether they will spread to other locations.
"Where is the electricity", Abbas and Haniyeh, photo: Reuters
Shortly after the protest demonstrations began, Hamas operatives were sent to suppress the marches and arrests were reported. At the same time, counter-marches were organized by Hamas supporters waving the organization's green flag, demanding "the formulation of a unified national plan to confront the occupation." This was against the background of the conference of Palestinian factions convened today in Egypt.
Riots over economic hardship and the high cost of living broke out a few years ago under the slogan "Badna Naish" (We want to live). Hamas brutally suppressed the demonstrations at the time and arrested hundreds of people.
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