Summary:

In recent days, developments in the conflict between Israel and Hamas have prompted new protests in Tunis and elsewhere as Tunisians have taken to the streets to express their support for the Palestinian people and, in some instances, Hamas.      

On 9 August, Tunisians gathered at the Municipal Theater in downtown Tunis to express support for Hamas’ appointment of Yahya Sinwar as the new Head of Hamas’ Political Bureau after the assassination of Ismail Haniyah in Tehran, Iran. 

On 4 August, Tunisian citizens held a protest outside of the US Embassy in the Lac II area of Tunis in response to calls for a “Day of Anger” over the war in Gaza.  

On 31 July, the Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT) held a rally in downtown Tunis to express outrage following the assassination of Haniyah which is widely considered an Israeli operation. 

Outlook: 

The assassination of Ismail Haniyah in Tehran was a significant development in the evolving conflict in Gaza and the broader Middle East and will prompt consequential changes to Hamas’ leadership structure. 

The assassination, which was a highly provocative act on foreign soil and likely attributable to Israel’s foreign intelligence service, Mossad, drew significant attention globally, with protests occurring in many countries. 

While the protests in Tunis have not been as large as those witnessed in late 2023, they are symbolic of the frustration that remains tangible for many Tunisians regarding the ongoing war in Gaza. 

While the conflict in Gaza threatens to evolve and expand across the Middle East, countries like Tunisia remain vulnerable to the outbreak of popular protests in response to various events in Gaza and elsewhere that remain highly unpredictable. 

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