In late March and early April 2025, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip took to the streets demanding an end to Hamas rule, voicing despair over the devastation brought upon them by Hamas’s Oct. 7 war against Israel.

This is not the first time Gaza’s residents have expressed frustration with their rulers. But this wave of protests comes at a moment of rare vulnerability for Hamas. The group’s military infrastructure has been decimated, key leaders eliminated and a growing chorus of criticism in the Arab world now holds Hamas directly responsible for Gaza’s ruin. The unrest reflects both mounting internal discontent and a strategic opportunity — if the international community is prepared to act.

Yet the protests, however courageous, face four structural obstacles that limit their impact:

First, Hamas rules through fear. Palestinian activists report that since Oct. 7, Hamas has executed hundreds of suspected dissenters. In response to the recent demonstrations, Hamas operatives abducted, tortured, and murdered protest organizers. This is consistent with a longstanding pattern of brutal repression that has silenced internal criticism for........

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