Analysis - Rayhan Uddin
18 October 2025 14:19 BST

Battered and bruised but unbowed, Hamas forces were back patrolling the streets of Gaza almost immediately after the ceasefire with Israel came into effect.

It was both a warning to Israeli-linked gangs and collaborators, as it was a statement about who still governs the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave.

US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza envisions a future in which Hamas plays no military or political role.

However, analysts argue that the complex realities on the ground - and the absence of a viable political alternative - cast serious doubt on how feasible it is to marginalise Hamas.

With ceasefire secured, what’s next for Hamas?

^{Rayhan Uddin (Middle East Eye)}