Mon Oct 13 15:29:29 UTC 2025: ## Tensions Flare in Gaza as Hamas Clashes with Armed Clan, Journalist Killed

**Gaza City -** Even as a fragile peace holds between Israel and Hamas, internal tensions are escalating in Gaza, with a deadly clash between Hamas security forces and the Doghmush clan leaving at least 27 dead, including a journalist. The violence raises concerns about growing unrest and the potential for further conflict within the war-torn territory.

The fighting erupted on Sunday in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry reporting that eight of its members and 19 clan members were killed. Among the dead was 28-year-old Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi, who was covering the clashes. Aljafarawi’s death, following the earlier killing of Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif, has sparked widespread grief, especially after it became known that he had also been threatened by the Israelis over his reporting.

According to a statement by the Sahem unit, an armed unit affiliated with the Interior Ministry, the fighting began when members of the Doghmush clan, described as an “outlaw gang,” killed Hamas fighters from the Qassam Brigades. Witnesses report that hundreds of Hamas fighters stormed a residential area where Doghmush gunmen were holed up.

The Doghmush clan is a large family with members spanning various factions across the political spectrum in Gaza. Some reports have suggested an affiliation between the clan and Israel, although clan leaders have denied any such connection. Nizar Doghmush, head of the clan in Gaza City, told the Los Angeles Times in October that he had rejected an offer from the Israeli military to manage a humanitarian zone in the city, after which his neighborhood was bombed.

The incident highlights a broader trend of growing unrest in Gaza, fueled by the security vacuum created by years of conflict. Reports indicate that Israel has historically supported various groups in Gaza to foment internal division. These groups have clashed with Hamas on multiple occasions, further destabilizing the region.

The recent fighting has ceased, but the potential for future clashes remains high as groups vie for influence and territory in a society devastated by years of conflict. Hamas denies deploying fighters to the streets, and the priority for many Palestinians remains the return to their homes in northern Gaza and the distribution of desperately needed humanitarian aid. The ongoing instability adds another layer of complexity to the already dire situation in Gaza, where at least 67,806 people have been killed since the start of the war in October 2023.

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