US condemns Hamas after video shows terrorists intimidating, extorting Gazans - Leo Feierberg Better

 

by Leo Feierberg Better

According to activist Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the clip shows Hamas operatives shutting down small vendors who refused to pay taxes and threatening violence, disappearance, and torture.

 

Gunmen stand guard at the funeral of Marwan Issa, a senior Hamas deputy military commander who was killed in an Israeli airstrike during the conflict between Israel and Hamas, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in the central Gaza Strip, February 7, 2025.

(photo credit: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed)

 

The US State Department condemned Hamas for destroying the tents of Gazans who refused to pay taxes in a Sunday post on X/Twitter in response to an undated video circulating online appearing to show Hamas's "Sahm" (Arrow) Unit terrorizing and extorting civilians.

The video, posted on Palestinian anti-Hamas activist Hamza al-Masri’s Telegram channel, appears to show masked men belonging to Hamas tearing down a tent in Khan Younis while bystanders loudly protest the action. 

This video shows how Hamas treats innocent Gazans who won’t pay bribes or their "taxes.” It’s heartbreaking - @POTUS is ending Hamas’s stranglehold. Together, the @BoardofPeace & @NCAG are paving the way to a liberated and brighter future for all Gazans. https://t.co/DuzTmAHC3Q

— U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) February 22, 2026

According to Palestinian American activist Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the clip shows Hamas operatives shutting down small vendors who refused to pay taxes and threatening violence, disappearance, and torture, including "metal rods in legs and knees," against those who disobey.

Throughout 2025, Hamas faced internal opposition from Gazans who rejected the group’s rule and its refusal to end the war.

New secret recording tools are hopefully going to make it possible to begin exposing Hamas's fascism, terrorism, and death cultism against the Palestinian people in Gaza. In this clip, you see Hamas's death squads going through tent cities for the displaced and closing down small… pic.twitter.com/8beRaWHxiJ

— Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib (@afalkhatib) February 22, 2026

Gazans protest Hamas rule, terrorists crack down

Thousands of protesters took to the streets demanding peace. After a severe crackdown that included beatings, killings, and executions, the group appeared to reassert control. The video may reflect this ongoing effort to intimidate and control the population.

The Sahm Unit, part of Hamas’s police force, targets Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel and describes itself as responsible for “pursu[ing] and execut[ing] thieves, merchants, agents, and highwaymen.”

In May 2025, following the protests, the unit announced plans to publicly execute and dismember three alleged Gazan collaborators. Previously, it has been reported to have released gruesome videos of public lynchings.

In the past year, anti-Hamas militias, some reportedly backed by Israel, have emerged, aiming to oust Hamas from power. While engaging Hamas militarily, these groups have also taken on administrative roles in parts of the Gaza Strip, providing public services to citizens.

As Hamas seeks to maintain absolute control over Gaza, crackdowns, like the one shown in the video shared by the State Department, indicate the group’s continued reliance on intimidation and violence to suppress dissent and reassert authority.

Leo Feierberg Better

Source: https://www.jpost.com/international/article-887927

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