Reuters: Hamas establishes 'Public Security Committee' in Rafah to control market pricing

After repeated IDF attacks on Hamas armed police in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip, Hamas has reportedly established what resembles a "people's squad" called the "Committee for Public Safety," according to Reuters.

The publication highlights that This " committee " oversees order in the Rafah markets and ensures fair pricing.

Maintaining order involves individuals described as "vigilantes," wearing masks and armed with batons, sometimes firearms.

Reuters underscores that the emergence of this "committee" coincides with mounting anti-Hamas sentiments in Gaza, particularly in Rafah, where recent protests featured tire burnings and the expulsion of traders from market squares.

Many Gaza residents allege that Hamas steals humanitarian aid, redistributing stolen goods to relatives who often sell them in markets—a claim supported by substantial evidence.