A Gaza Exile Denounces Hamas’ Legal Challenge as Hypocrisy

The recent legal challenge by Hamas, seeking to overturn its designation as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom, has been met with outrage and disbelief from a Palestinian exile who experienced firsthand the group’s brutal suppression of dissent. Hamza Howidy, speaking to GB News from his current location in exile, detailed the horrific treatment he endured at the hands of Hamas in 2019, highlighting the stark contrast between their claims of upholding human rights and their actions within Gaza.

Hamas has initiated a legal application, submitted by London-based law firm Riverway Law, arguing that its proscription infringes upon supporters’ rights to freedom of speech and protest under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The 106-page document appeals to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

However, Howidy’s personal account paints a vastly different picture. Born in Gaza City in 1997 into a family that strongly opposed Islamist movements, he witnessed the gradual erosion of freedom under Hamas rule following their takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

“My father taught me from an early age that our entire family was anti any Islamist movement that would attempt to come to power,” Howidy stated.

Initially, his family remained silent despite witnessing instances of people being punished for their online activity. But in 2019, Hamza felt compelled to act.

“I had this crazy idea of joining people who dared to protest Hamas for the first time since the terror group came to power,” he recounted. “We were the crazy people who dared to protest against Hamas while we were at the same time seeing how Hamas deals with dissenting Gazans.”

Brutal Repression of Peaceful Protest

Carrying a banner reading “We Want to Live,” Howidy and other Palestinians peacefully demonstrated for increased economic opportunities and a change in leadership. Their peaceful demands were met with severe consequences.

• Beatings
• Arbitrary Arrests
• Detentions
• Torture

Howidy was arrested, accused of dissent, and imprisoned where he endured daily torture. He drew parallels between his experience and that of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, noting a crucial difference: “They at least had a bargaining chip.”

He emphasized that Hamas has “no special interest” in the welfare of ordinary Gazans, directing its brutality towards them.

His family managed to secure his release through bribes, but many of his friends faced far more dire circumstances. One friend, Amir, was reportedly subjected to electric shocks for months simply because he protested against Hamas’s rule.

Escalating Persecution After October 7

The situation has worsened considerably since the events of October 7th. Speaking from a safe location in exile, Howidy described how his friends are now being hunted by Hamas militias.

“Only yesterday I was talking to two of my friends from Gaza who are being chased by Hamas,” he explained. “Hamas militias went to their families’ tents where they live and they were asking for them because they participated in the protest.”

These individuals have been placed on a “red list”—a term Howidy described as terrifying—meaning that anything that happens to them is considered acceptable by Hamas.

Rejection of Hamas’ Legal Argument

When asked about Hamas’s legal challenge, Hamza expressed his disbelief and condemnation. “If they [Hamas] want to change their proscription from a terrorist organisation, a good place to start would be to stop terrorising the Gazan protesters,” he stated emphatically.

He concluded with a powerful statement that underscored the hypocrisy of Hamas’s legal maneuvering: “Their actions mean to me more than whatever they can write on a paper or a document.”