Understanding Gaza's internal clashes: Hamas, the Doghmush Clan, and other armed groups

While Israeli air strikes have paused and a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas is ongoing, Gaza is facing internal unrest as rival armed groups clash with Hamas forces.

The October 2025 clashes

On Sunday, 12 October, violent confrontations erupted in Gaza City between Hamas security forces and the Doghmush clan, one of Gaza's most prominent families. The fighting occurred mainly in the Sabra and Tel al-Hawa neighbourhoods, particularly near the Jordan Field Hospital, according to the BBC.

• Casualties: At least 27 people were killed, including eight Hamas members and 19 Doghmush fighters, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.
   
• Trigger: Hamas said the clashes began when an "outlaw gang killed resistance fighters from the Qassam Brigades," the armed wing of Hamas. The Doghmush clan, however, said that Hamas forces attempted to evict them from a building where they had sought refuge.
   
• Civilian impact: "This time people weren't fleeing Israeli attacks," one resident said. "They were running from their own people." Families displaced multiple times during the war fled the heavy gunfire.
   

Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi, 28, was killed covering the clashes after being caught in the crossfire. At the time security sources told Al Jazeera Arabic the conflict was between was an 'armed militia' and Hamas.

Saleh Aljafarawi had gained prominence for his videos covering Israel's two-year war on Gaza. Photo: Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera/FILE

Aljafarawi had previously reported on what he called the "genocide in Gaza" and, like other journalists, had faced threats from Israeli authorities.

Who are the Doghmush Clan?

The Doghmush family is a major clan in Gaza with members across multiple political factions. They have a history of both collaboration and confrontation with Hamas:

• Historical clashes: The Doghmush and Hamas have an animosity towards each other, which in the past has devolved into armed clashes.
   
• Notable member: Momtaz Doghmush was involved in Jaish al-Islam's 2008 capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
   
• Allegations of Israeli ties: While some reports suggest Doghmush fighters may have collaborated with Israel, there is no direct proof. Nizar Doghmush, head of the clan in Gaza City, told the Los Angeles Times in early October that he refused an Israeli military request to manage a "humanitarian zone" in Gaza City.
   

The clan's mixed reputation makes them a particularly sensitive actor in Gaza's security landscape. Hamas sees their armed presence outside its control as a challenge to its authority.

Palestinians pass by the rubble following Israeli forces' withdrawal from the area, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 10. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

Hamas's response

Hamas has sought to reassert its control in areas recently vacated by Israeli troops:

• Force deployment: Over 300 fighters stormed Doghmush-held positions. "The Hamas-run interior ministry said its forces were seeking to restore order, warning that 'any armed activity outside the framework of the resistance' would be dealt with firmly."
   
• Reinforcement: Approximately 7,000 Hamas security personnel have been recalled to stabilize Gaza City and surrounding areas.
   

Hamas frames these operations as maintaining internal order and preventing rival militias from exploiting the post-war security vacuum.

Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation as displaced Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza move southward after Israeli forces ordered residents of Gaza City to evacuate, in the central Gaza Strip, September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

The broader context: militias and Israeli influence

The Doghmush clashes are part of a wider pattern of internal unrest in Gaza, fueled by historical and alleged Israeli-backed groups:

• Popular Forces: Widely recognized to be supported by Israel and led by Yasser Abu Shabab of the Tarabin Bedouin tribe. While Israel claimed Hamas was stealing aid from the people of Gaza, it was revealed that the Popular Forces was the one looting aid to resell to Gaza's starving people, Al Jazeera reported. The group has faced criticism from its own tribal leadership.
   
• Strike Force Against Terror: Led by Hussam al-Astal, a former Palestinian Authority officer accused of collaboration with Israel in the 1990s. This group controls villages in Khan Younis and has clashed with Hamas. The ongoing activity of these groups against Hamas and against civilians has contributed to a sense of unrest, as several people in Gaza have told Al Jazeera.
   

These groups, some alleged to have Israeli backing, contribute to the sense of instability and competition for influence within Gaza.

Consequences and outlook

• Security vacuum: The security void could lead to confrontations between groups looking to gain influence or territory.
   
• Humanitarian impact: Thousands of residents are returning to northern Gaza, and aid deliveries are resuming, but internal clashes threaten recovery and stability.
   
• Conflict legacy: Israel has killed at least 67,806 people in Gaza since the war began in October 2023. The devastation has left many areas vulnerable to factional violence.
   

The recent clashes between Hamas and the Doghmush clan illustrate how internal rivalries, historical grievances, and the presence of armed groups create ongoing instability in Gaza. Even as external hostilities pause, the struggle for authority and control within the enclave is far from resolved.