A New Militia Emerges in Gaza, Backed By Israel
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Israeli-Backed Militia Leader Emerges in Gaza Amid Growing Controversy
Yasser Abu Shabab has emerged as a controversial figure in Israel’s covert strategy to destabilise Hamas in the besieged Gaza Strip. The 31-year-old Bedouin from the influential Tarabin tribe reportedly escaped during an Israeli airstrike on a prison. He has since resurfaced at the helm of a self-styled militia called the “Popular Forces” or “Anti-Terror Service” operating in eastern Rafah. His group has been implicated in alleged protection rackets involving aid convoys from Kerem Shalom and has faced accusations of commandeering humanitarian supplies under the guise of protecting them from Hamas looting. His criminal past—extending to allegations of theft, drug trafficking, and illegal arms dealing—has further fuelled public suspicion.
Once jailed for drug trafficking by Hamas authorities, the 31-year-old Bedouin from the influential Tarabin tribe reportedly escaped during an Israeli airstrike on a prison and has since resurfaced at the helm of a self-styled militia called the “Popular Forces” or “Anti-Terror Service”. Operating in eastern Rafah, Abu Shabab and his group are now securing aid distribution systems in an area devastated by months of conflict and humanitarian collapse.
Although Abu Shabab denies any direct connection with Israeli forces, insisting his group has “never met any Israeli officer”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to confirm state-level engagement with groups opposing Hamas. “We made use of clans in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas… What’s wrong with that? It saves the lives of IDF soldiers,” Netanyahu stated on Thursday.
The admission drew sharp condemnation from opposition leader Yair Lapid, who accused Netanyahu of arming factions “close to Isis” without any long-term strategic planning. “After Netanyahu stopped giving millions of dollars to Hamas, he moved on to giving weapons to organisations close to Isis in Gaza… all leading to more disasters,” Lapid posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Abu Shabab’s militia, largely composed of clan members, mercenaries, and locals, reportedly oversees the distribution of aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Fund. However, The Times UK reports that the group has been implicated in alleged protection rackets involving aid convoys from Kerem Shalom and has faced accusations of commandeering humanitarian supplies under the guise of protecting them from Hamas looting.
His criminal past—extending to allegations of theft, drug trafficking, and illegal arms dealing—has further fuelled public suspicion. Hamas police records reportedly document multiple arrests, and although he was never formally tried, Abu Shabab was previously suspected of links to Islamic State elements during unrest in the Sinai region.
Despite his claims that his mission is purely humanitarian, Abu Shabab’s tribal and community leaders have publicly disavowed him. “He has sold himself as a soldier in an army that is exterminating his own nation,” read a statement from the National Coalition of Palestinian Tribes and Clans. “These gangs are destined for the dustbin of history… justice will eventually catch up with them.”
The situation in Rafah remains volatile. The collapse of civil infrastructure and the withdrawal of Hamas forces from eastern areas have left a vacuum, now occupied by irregular armed groups. Last week, as tens of thousands of desperate Palestinians gathered at newly opened aid distribution points, several dozen were killed in chaotic and sometimes violent scenes.
Among many Gazans, opinions on Abu Shabab remain muted—possibly out of fear, uncertainty, or sheer exhaustion. “He will be an experiment, just like the American aid experiment,” said Safwat Tamraz, a Khan Yunis resident. “Our people are like lab rats — everyone tries things out on them.”
With Israel’s military campaign continuing, international scrutiny is intensifying over its use of proxy militias and the long-term implications of such strategies. The emergence of figures like Abu Shabab, profiled extensively by The Times UK, highlights the murky alliances and deepening fragmentation of Gaza’s already fragile social fabric.
Militia in Gaza Gains Power, Supported By Israel : State of the World from NPR : NPR
A New Militia Emerges in Gaza, Backed By Israel. The militia calls itself “The Popular Forces” They are presenting themselves as a counter to Hamas’ rule.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jehad Alshrafi/AP Jehad Alshrafi/AP
A new powerful group has risen in Gaza and they are being armed by Israel. The militia calls itself “The Popular Forces” and they are presenting themselves as a counter to Hamas’ rule of the territory. Our correspondent tells us what we know about this new armed power.
For more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdates
Who is Abu Shabab? The Gaza militia leader Israel says it is arming – and Hamas wants to kill
Yasser Abu Shabab is from a prominent Bedouin family in southern Gaza. He says he commands hundreds of armed men known as the Popular Forces. His significance has grown in recent weeks, since Israeli authorities began to allow a trickle of aid to reach Gaza. Israeli officials have acknowledged providing weapons to his militia, as part of an operation to arm local groups to counter Hamas.. Hamas killed his brother last year and has tried to kill him at least twice, says an analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations.. Israel – and in particular Netanyahu – has never laid out clear plans for what governance and security in Gaza might look like if or when Hamas is defeated. It’s nearly impossible this entire psy-op is being done outside that is outside Gaza, says Muhammad Shehada at the ECFR. It is not clear whether they had to deal with local elements as it tried to distribute aid, or whether they are backed by Hamas or Hamas or the United Nations. The fact that he is not targeted by the Israelis is a clear indication of how they see him.
The photo shows a lean, tanned man in a dark helmet. He’s grasping a rifle and UN vehicles move behind him as he waves through traffic.
The man is Yasser Abu Shabab, who says he commands hundreds of armed men known as the Popular Forces to offer protection to international organizations working in southern Gaza.
In his early thirties, Abu Shabab is from a prominent Bedouin family in southern Gaza. On October 7, 2023, he was languishing in a Hamas-run jail in Gaza, accused of drug trafficking, before being released after the conflict started.
Now he is an emerging presence in southern Gaza, controlling aid routes near the crucial Kerem Shalom crossing and providing men to guard convoys against looting, which has only worsened since limited aid started entering Gaza in mid-May following an Israeli blockade.
As Hamas’ grip on Gaza has weakened and the territory’s police force has been hollowed out, gangs have emerged to steal humanitarian aid from convoys and re-sell it. But many convoys are also stopped and ransacked by desperate civilians.
Abu Shabab told CNN that he leads “a group of citizens from this community who have volunteered to protect humanitarian aid from looting and corruption.”
The reality is more complicated.
Israeli officials have acknowledged providing weapons to Abu Shabab’s militia, as part of an operation to arm local groups to counter Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the covert enterprise earlier this week, saying the security forces had “activated clans in Gaza which oppose Hamas.” He did not name Abu Shabab, but Israeli officials told CNN that Abu Shabab is part of the program.
Abu Shabab insisted to CNN that his men had not received weapons from the Israelis. “Our equipment is extremely basic, passed down by volunteers from their forefathers or assembled from limited local resources.”
For its part, Hamas says Abu Shabab is a traitor and a gangster. Last week, the group said: “We pledge before God to continue confronting the dens of that criminal and his gang, no matter the cost of the sacrifices we make.”
Hamas killed his brother last year and has tried to kill Abu Shabab at least twice, according to Muhammad Shehada, a Gaza analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
In response to written questions from CNN, Abu Shabab repeatedly denied any connection with the Israeli military, saying: “Our forces do not engage in any form of communication with the Israeli army, neither directly nor indirectly.”
Analysts find that difficult to believe, based on evidence of his movements in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza. One video from late May shows Abu Shabab stopping a Red Cross vehicle and talking with an official. CNN geolocated the encounter to an Israeli-controlled buffer zone close to the crossing point at Kerem Shalom. Other videos show encounters with United Nations’ convoys in the same area.
Israel – and in particular Netanyahu – has never laid out clear plans for what governance and security in Gaza might look like if or when Hamas is defeated. Israel has been trying to find groups or clans opposed to Hamas who might play a role, but more recently Netanyahu and other ministers endorsed a plan put forward by US President Donald Trump for relocating Gaza’s residents and redeveloping the territory.
A growing role
Abu Shabab has had a presence near the ruins of Gaza’s long defunct airport in Rafah since late last year. Shehada at the ECFR said that while the ceasefire held earlier this year, his group appeared to vanish.
But his significance has grown in recent weeks, since Israeli authorities began to allow a trickle of aid to reach Gaza through Kerem Shalom in mid-May. Abu Shabab’s social media presence, along with slick videos and fluent English commentary, has expanded.
“It’s nearly impossible this is being done inside Gaza,” Shehada said. “It’s probably someone outside that is running this entire psy-op.”
A diplomatic official told CNN that the UN had to deal with local elements as it tried to distribute aid, whether they are backed by Hamas or not.
A truck carrying aid makes its way to Gaza at the Kerem Shalom crossing on May 19. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters
Abu Shabab “has a few square kilometers of an area under his control, and then it’s on to the next guy,” the official said. “The fact that he is not targeted by the Israelis is a clear indication of how they see him.”
The official also asserted that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – the controversial new US-backed organization tasked with distributing aid in Gaza – had contact with Abu Shabab, whether directly or indirectly.
Abu Shabab responded to CNN that “with regard to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, we stress the need for its work to operate within a unified national framework and to maintain continuous coordination with all legitimate parties.”
GHF told CNN on Sunday that it had no collaboration at all with Abu Shabab’s group. “We do have local Palestinian workers we are very proud of but none is armed and they do not belong to Abu Shabab’s organization,” GHF said.
Convoys and more
Last month, soon after limited aid began entering Gaza, Abu Shabab posted that his group had secured 101 trucks of aid, mostly flour, brought in by the World Food Programme, and praised “my loyal brothers who sacrificed their lives, and everyone who volunteered their primitive weapons or a drop of sweat to feed the bereaved and displaced.”
Truck drivers told CNN that Shabab had provided 200 armed men to protect the convoys.
“Our forces regularly accompany aid convoys, and protecting vulnerable civilians is one of our top priorities,” Abu Shabab told CNN.
His group’s role has expanded beyond protecting convoys.
On May 17, the day before the Kerem Shalom crossing reopened, work started on a tent encampment in eastern Rafah, according to satellite imagery reviewed by CNN. That work appears to have concluded on May 30.
The camp is less than 500 meters from where Abu Shabab runs checkpoints.
Members of the Popular Forces can be seen in this image posted on the group’s Facebook page. From Popular Forces/Facebook
Four days later the so-called Popular Forces issued a statement saying that Abu Shabab “invites the residents of these areas to return, where food, drink, shelter, security and safety have been provided, shelter camps have been set up, and humanitarian relief routes have been opened.”
The encampment is in an area known as the Morag Corridor, to which the Israeli military wants Gazans to move as it orders evacuation orders for much of the strip.
Early in May, the far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the population of Gaza, would be “concentrated” in a narrow strip of land between the Egyptian border and the corridor.
A senior Israeli security official said at the same time that the goal was to separate humanitarian aid from Hamas “by involving civilian companies and creating a secured zone patrolled by the IDF.”
This would include a “sterile area in the Rafah region beyond the Morag route, where IDF will screen all entrants to prevent Hamas infiltrators.”
Palestinian branding
Abu Shabab’s force uses Palestinian insignia and flags prominently on its uniforms, but he told CNN that his “grassroots forces are not an official authority, nor are we operating under a direct mandate from the Palestinian Authority.”
The office of the spokesperson for the Palestinian Security Forces, Major General Anwar Rajab, told CNN there was no connection between the Palestinian security apparatus and Abu Shabab’s group.
Nor does his family want anything to do with him.
“Leaders and elders of the Abu Shabab family” said in a statement that they had confronted him about videos showing “Yasser’s groups involved in dangerous security engagements, even working within undercover units and supporting the Zionist occupation forces that brutally kill our people.”
The family declared its “complete disassociation from Yasser Abu Shabab” and urged anyone who had joined his security groups to do the same.
“We have no objection to those around him eliminating him immediately; we state clearly that his blood is wasted,” the family statement said.
Abu Shabab told CNN that the statement was “fabricated and false” and accompanied by “a media campaign targeting me and my colleagues.”
He said his group had endured “false accusations and systematic smear campaigns, and we have paid a heavy price,” also alleging that Hamas had killed several of the group’s volunteers “and members of my own family while we were guarding aid convoys for international organizations.”
Yasser Abu Shabab can be seen in this image posted on the Popular Forces’ Facebook page. From Popular Forces/Facebook
Muhammad Shehada at ECFR said there is evidence that Abu Shabab’s presence is expanding with Israeli support into Khan Younis, to the north of his stronghold.
Even so, his reach is still limited. The Popular Forces speaks of “hundreds of daily requests we receive on our Facebook page from individuals seeking to join us,” but analysts believe Abu Shabab probably has only about 300 men under his command.
Most people in Gaza would never think of joining him for fear of being branded collaborators, said Shehada.
Even so, he added, Abu Shabab’s militia now serve multiple functions for the Israelis, helping control where aid goes, or does not go; trying to entice desperate and hungry people to the so-called ‘safe zone’ in eastern Rafah; and carrying out high-risk missions to detect the presence of Hamas fighters.
Inside the Gaza militia armed by Israel: A history of terror, ISIS ties and attacks on IDF
The group is led by a man known only as “Abu Shabab” He is accused of being involved in the killing of 13 Israeli soldiers in Gaza in 2004. He is also accused of stealing goods from the Red Cross and other aid agencies. The group is also said to have links to ISIS and other terrorist groups. It is not clear if the group will be involved in any military operations in the future, though it is believed to have some ties to the terror group. It also has links to the Palestinian Authority, which has been accused of failing to do enough to stop the group’s activities in the past. It’s also believed that some of its members have ties to Hamas, which is fighting a separate operation in the West Bank, the so-called Golan Heights, to which they are linked by a deal with the U.S. State Department. The U.N. says it has no plans to send troops to the region to protect against the group, which it calls a “terrorist organization”
Abu Shabab, a man in his 30s from a poor Bedouin family in eastern Rafah, founded what is known locally as “the Popular Forces.” According to sources familiar with the militia who spoke with Ynet, the group is not merely engaged in fighting Hamas. It is a heavily armed organization with a track record of terrorist activity against Israel, links to ISIS and a criminal past.
4 View gallery Yasser Abu Shabab
Criminal past—military present
According to sources close to the militia leader, Abu Shabab dropped out of school at an early age and became involved in drug trafficking—primarily dealing in hashish and psychoactive pills. He later took up work “guarding humanitarian aid trucks” entering Gaza, a role he reportedly exploited to steal goods and engage in systematic looting .
Abu Shabab reportedly provided “security services” for aid convoys operated by the Red Cross, UNRWA and the United Nations—but in practice, is alleged to have sold off goods he received through those roles. A UN source told Ynet that his name appeared in an internal memo identifying him as responsible for large-scale looting of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip.
Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of an armed militia operating in southern Gaza against Hamas
Roughly 300 armed Gazans, some of them former inmates released from Hamas-run prisons, are now affiliated with Abu Shabab’s force. Around 30 families in eastern Rafah are considered his supporters. For now, they enjoy relative protection: the IDF operates in the area, limiting the likelihood of airstrikes and their presence also shields the families from potential Hamas retaliation.
Though the militia is portrayed as opposing Hamas, its members have reportedly taken part in rocket fire against Israel and maintain contacts with ISIS affiliates. A close associate of Abu Shabab told Ynet, “We’re counting on the masses to rise up against Hamas. We have broad support. Abu Shabab is seen as a hero who fears no one.”
ISIS links and Shalit abduction accomplices
Among the more prominent figures in the armed militia is Issam Nabahin, 33, from the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, who previously fought with ISIS in Sinai against the Egyptian army. Nabahin returned to Gaza shortly before the war began on October 7, 2023, and was documented launching rockets at Israel without Hamas coordination. According to sources, he was sentenced to death but managed to escape prison on the first day of the war.
4 View gallery Issam Nabahin
Another militia member, Ghassan al-Dheini—the brother of Walid al-Dheini, an ISIS operative killed by Hamas—was involved in the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and now operates within the new militia, despite officially being affiliated with Fatah.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said there will be no “Fatahstan” in Gaza. However, Palestinian Authority sources report that Abu Shabab’s militia receives salaries through the PA, under the personal patronage of senior Gaza-based intelligence official Bahaa Balusha. The sources added that tensions exist between Balusha and General Intelligence chief Majed Faraj over the extent of support for the militia. According to sources familiar with the matter, two additional militias are expected to become active soon—one in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza and another in central Gaza.
4 View gallery Ghassan al-Dheini
“In practice, this is an armed force simultaneously backed by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and former senior Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan, while openly operating against Hamas,” a senior Palestinian security official told Ynet.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Though Abu Shabab’s family is publicly opposed to Hamas and perceived as aligned with Fatah, it was involved in the deadly 2004 attack in Rafah known as part of the “APC disaster,” a pair of assaults in which 13 IDF soldiers were killed, including seven in Rafah.
4 View gallery Yasser Abu Shabab
In November 2024, Abu Shabab survived an assassination attempt at the European Hospital in Khan Younis. Two of his associates, his brother Fathi Abu Shabab and Majed Abu Dakkar, were killed in a Hamas ambush, but he managed to escape.
Israel’s arming of Abu Shabab’s militia was first revealed last week by Yisrael Beitenu Party Chairman Avigdor Liberman . Following the report, military censors cleared for publication some of the information.
Prime Minister Netanyahu later addressed the issue, confirming the move had been taken on the advice of security officials. “What’s wrong with it?” Netanyahu said. “It’s a good thing. It saves IDF soldiers’ lives.” He criticized Liberman’s disclosure, saying it “only helped Hamas” and calling it “a very serious matter.”