GAZA CITY—In a dramatic internal conflict following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of the Gaza Strip, a fierce gun battle erupted between Hamas security forces and armed elements of the powerful Dugmush (also spelled Doghmush) clan, resulting in at least 27 fatalities. The violence, which broke out on the evening of October 11, precedes a planned prisoner exchange between Israel and the militant group Hamas, which is scheduled for 8:00 AM local time on October 13.

The deadly confrontation, described by the BBC as one of the most intense internal clashes since Israel's partial military disengagement, highlights the volatile and complex security landscape in the Palestinian territory.

The Dugmush Clan and Hamas: A History of Tension

The Dugmush clan, one of Gaza’s most prominent families, has long maintained a tense and often adversarial relationship with Hamas, the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip. The clan's armed elements have previously been linked to various militant activities, including the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and British journalist Alan Johnston, with some members forming the notorious 'Army of Islam.' Past clashes with Hamas security forces have also been reported, underscoring a deep-seated rivalry over control and authority in the region.

The latest fighting broke out near the Jordanian Hospital in the southern part of Gaza City, a Dugmush stronghold. Eyewitnesses reported heavy exchanges of fire between masked Hamas security personnel and the clan's armed men. Hamas forces reportedly surrounded the area, engaging in intense house-to-house fighting to capture and detain clan members.

According to local medical sources, the two days of fighting left 19 members of the Dugmush clan and eight Hamas combatants dead.

A New Wave of Displacement

The violence forced hundreds of residents in the Tel Al-Hawa district, where the clashes concentrated, to flee their homes, compounding the distress of a population already reeling from months of conflict with Israel.

"This time, we are not fleeing Israeli attacks. We are running away from our own people," one displaced resident reportedly told the media, expressing the sense of betrayal and panic gripping the community.

Conflicting Claims Over the Spark

Both sides have issued conflicting accounts regarding the catalyst for the fighting.

Hamas's Interior Ministry stated that the Dugmush armed group killed two Hamas fighters and injured five others, and warned that it would "decisively deal with all armed activities that fall outside the framework of the resistance."

In a counter-claim, a Dugmush family source told local media that the violence began when Hamas forces stormed a building previously used as the Jordanian Hospital. The source alleged that Hamas intended to evict the clan's members from the premises to establish a new military base for its own forces, an assertion that Hamas has not publicly addressed.

As the region braces for the scheduled humanitarian ceasefire and the release of hostages, this internal conflict underscores the persistent fragility of security in the Gaza Strip and the significant challenge Hamas faces in establishing absolute control over rival armed factions and powerful local clans.