The Voice News: In a dramatic escalation of intra-Palestinian conflict, Hamas has reportedly killed 50 fighters over recent months from a militia group in Gaza that was armed by Israel, according to a statement released amid multiple reports of direct Israeli military intervention to protect the group.
The militia, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, has clashed with Hamas in Rafah, with Israeli news outlets, including i24 News, reporting that Israeli troops intervened to prevent Abu Shabab’s assassination, resulting in casualties on both sides.
Israeli defense officials recently acknowledged arming Abu Shabab’s group in a controversial bid to undermine Hamas’s grip on Gaza. Aid organizations have previously accused the same group of looting UN aid convoys.
This week, an Israeli drone strike killed four Hamas militants in what i24 described as “the first Israeli airstrike in Gaza specifically intended to assist the Abu Shabab militia.” The militia, formally known as the Anti-Terror Service or Popular Forces, claims to provide security for aid convoys entering Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
In a statement, the militia said:
“Hamas has killed over 50 of our volunteers, including relatives of our leader, Yasser, as we guarded aid convoys and redistributed supplies that were otherwise destined for corrupt entities linked to Hamas. We’ve also cleared explosive remnants from the area – losing members in the process.”
According to Ynet, Abu Shabab’s men ambushed and killed six members of Hamas’s “Arrow” unit, known for targeting collaborators with Israel.
Background on Abu Shabab:
Once jailed in a Hamas-run prison for drug trafficking, Abu Shabab was reportedly released under unclear circumstances during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Since then, he has re-emerged at the center of a pro-Israel militia of over 100 fighters based in eastern Rafah.
Dubbed “the Israeli agent” by critics, Abu Shabab is viewed by many in Gaza as a traitor. Hamas has publicly vowed to track him down and kill him, saying:
“Had it not been for the intervention of the Zionist air force to protect the traitor Yasser Abu Shabab … he would have been in the grip of the resistance today.”
Israeli analysts have warned that arming a local militia in Gaza risks pushing the territory toward civil war, raising concerns over the long-term stability of the region.