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היה אחראי על "אבטחת סיוע הומניטרי" - ובזז אותו. אבו שבאב * Who was responsible for "securing humanitarian aid" - and looted it? Abu Shabaab. Published by YNET

Netanyahu and Lieberman. "This was with the knowledge of the head of the Shin Bet" (Shalom, AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, Haim Goldberg; Photo:Shalev )
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Will there be no Fatahstan? The Palestinian Authority says they are paying a salary to Abu Shabab - a former drug dealer whose men fired rockets into Israel. He also looted humanitarian aid he was supposed to secure, and survived an assassination attempt in Khan Yunis. His associates claimed: "He is supported." And also: the involvement in the APC disaster in 2004, the assassination of his brother by Hamas, and the connection to ISIS

by Ynet News
June 5, 2025

After Israel confirmed the arming of the Palestinian militia operating against Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip - led by Rafah resident Yasser Abu Shabab - disturbing details are emerging about its members, its activities (both in the past and in the current war), and its ties to extremist terrorist elements.

Abu Shabaab, a member of a poor Bedouin family in eastern Rafah in his 30s, established the so-called "Popular Forces" in the Gaza Strip. Ynet's conversations with sources involved in the militia reveal a disturbing picture: This is not just a force operating against Hamas in the Gaza Strip - but an armed group with a record of terrorist activity against Israel, ties to ISIS, and a criminal history

Abu Shabaab, according to his associates, dropped out of school at a young age and began dealing drugs – mainly hashish and psychoactive pills. He later moved on to “securing humanitarian aid trucks” brought into the Strip, where he exploited his position to steal goods and systematically loot.

Among other things, he provided "security services" for trucks of the Red Cross, UNRWA, and the UN - but in reality, Abu Shabaab traded the goods he received in exchange. A UN source even claims that his name was mentioned in an internal memo as being responsible for the large-scale looting of humanitarian aid that was being channeled into the Gaza Strip.

About 300 Gazan militants - some of them prisoners released from Hamas prisons - currently belong to Abu Shabaab's force.

About 30 families in eastern Rafah are considered to support him, and for the time being enjoy relative protection: the IDF is in the area, so airstrikes are not carried out there; at the same time, thanks to the presence of the Israeli army, the families are also protected from Hamas attacks.

Will there be no Fatahstan? The Palestinian Authority says they are paying a salary to Abu Shabab - a former drug dealer whose men fired rockets into Israel. He also looted humanitarian aid he was supposed to secure, and survived an assassination attempt in Khan Yunis. His associates claimed: "He is supported." And also: the involvement in the APC disaster in 2004, the assassination of his brother by Hamas, and the connection to ISIS.

After Israel confirmed the arming of the Palestinian militia operating against Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip - led by Rafah resident Yasser Abu Shabab - disturbing details are emerging about its members, its activities (both in the past and in the current war), and its ties to extremist terrorist elements.

Abu Shabaab, a member of a poor Bedouin family in eastern Rafah in his 30s, established the so-called "Popular Forces" in the Gaza Strip. Ynet's conversations with sources involved in the militia reveal a disturbing picture: This is not just a force operating against Hamas in the Gaza Strip - but an armed group with a record of terrorist activity against Israel, ties to ISIS, and a criminal history.

Abu Shabaab, according to his associates, dropped out of school at a young age and began dealing drugs – mainly hashish and psychoactive pills. He later moved on to “securing humanitarian aid trucks” brought into the Strip, where he exploited his position to steal goods and systematically loot.

Among other things, he provided "security services" for trucks of the Red Cross, UNRWA, and the UN - but in reality, Abu Shabaab traded the goods he received in exchange. A UN source even claims that his name was mentioned in an internal memo as being responsible for the large-scale looting of humanitarian aid that was being channeled into the Gaza Strip.

About 300 Gazan militants - some of them prisoners released from Hamas prisons - currently belong to Abu Shabaab's force. About 30 families in eastern Rafah are considered to support him, and for the time being enjoy relative protection: the IDF is in the area, so airstrikes are not carried out there; at the same time, thanks to the presence of the Israeli army, the families are also protected from Hamas attacks.

Although the force is presented as opposed to Hamas, members of the armed militia have also been involved in launching rockets at Israel - and even maintain contact with ISIS elements. A source close to Abu Shabaab said, "We are counting on the masses to rise up against Hamas. We have broad support. Abu Shabaab is seen as a hero who fears no one."

ISIS fighters involved in the kidnapping of Shalit

Among the most 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 before the outbreak of the war on October 7, and was recorded launching rockets into Israel without coordination with Hamas. According to sources, he was sentenced to death, but he managed to escape from prison on the first day of the fighting in October 2023.

Another militia member, Rasan al-Dahini, the brother of Walid al-Dahini - an ISISmember who was eliminated by Hamas - was involved in the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit in 2006, and currently operates as part of the new militia, despite being officially a Fatah member.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it will be recalled, said that there will be no "Fatahstan" in Gaza - but sources in the Palestinian Authority report that the Abu Shabaab militia receives salaries through the Authority, under the personal patronage of the senior Palestinian intelligence officer in Gaza, Baha al-Balusha. However, the sources noted that there is tension over the issue of support for the militia between al-Balusha and the head of the General Intelligence, Majed Faraj.

According to the sources, two additional militias will soon be operational in Gaza - one in Beit Lahiya, and the other in the center of the Strip.

According to a senior security source in the Palestinian Authority: "In practice, this is an armed force that is simultaneously supported by Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and former Fatah senior Muhammad Dahlan - while openly operating against Hamas."

As an opponent of Hamas, the Abu Shabaab family is superficially considered a supporter of Fatah, but it was involved in the severe attack in Rafah in May 2004 - known as part of the "APC disaster", a pair of attacks in which 13 fighters were killed, seven of them in Rafah.

In November 2024, Abu Shabab survived an assassination attempt at the European Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. Two of his associates - his brothers Fathi Abu Shabab and Majed Abu Dakar - were killed by Hamas operatives in a sophisticated ambush, but he himself managed to escape.

The fact that Israel is arming the Abu Shabaab militia was revealed last week by Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman . Following the publication, the censors had no choice but to allow some of the details to be published. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later commented on this, announcing that the move was on the advice of security officials. Netanyahu wondered: "What's wrong with that? It's only good. It only saves the lives of IDF soldiers." According to him, Lieberman's leak "only did Hamas good, it doesn't care. It's very serious."
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ISIS-identified militias in Gaza"; Prime Minister's Office did not deny

The chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu claimed in an interview with Reshet B that the government is "transferring weapons to a group of criminals and offenders." In his assessment, "this did not pass cabinet approval, it was with the knowledge of the head of the Shin Bet." The Prime Minister's Office: "We are acting in various and varied ways on the recommendation of all heads of the security establishment." Watch: A militia leader in Rafah announces coordination with the Palestinian

by YNET
June 5, 2025

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman claimed this morning (Thursday) that Israel is arming ISIS-affiliated militias in the Gaza Strip on the orders of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In an interview with Kan Reshet B, Lieberman said that the Israeli government is "transferring weapons to a group of criminals and offenders who identify with ISIS."

In response, the Prime Minister's Office did not deny it - and said: "Israel is working to defeat Hamas in various ways, on the recommendation of all heads of the security establishment." Lieberman responded in a short tweet on the X network (formerly Twitter): "Don't give them guns."

Liberman added that "in my opinion, this did not pass cabinet approval. The head of the Shin Bet was aware of it, but I don't know how much the chief of staff was privy to the matter." Liberman warned that "ultimately, these weapons will be turned against us." According to him, these are mainly light weapons and assault rifles, which were transferred from loot seized by Hamas.

Militia leader in Rafah claims: Acting in coordination with the Palestinian Authority

Meanwhile, Yasser Abu Shabab,a Rafah resident who was recently mentioned as the leader of an armed militia in the southern Gaza Strip, released an extraordinary video yesterday (Tuesday) in which he declared that he was operating "under Palestinian legitimacy" - referring to the Palestinian Authority. He claims that he received the blessing of the PA leadership and is operating in full coordination with it. According to him, the eastern area of ​​Rafah has been "cleansed" and is now under the full control of his forces, and he even called on residents to return to their homes. "We will guarantee you shelter and food," he said.

Abu Shabaab announced in the video that it had established a new armed force, the purpose of which is to protect civilians from "the terrorism of the de facto Hamas government" and "aid robbers." According to him, his men are distributing food and humanitarian supplies to hundreds of families - including in areas under IDF control. According to him, this is an action that is being taken "not out of desire, but out of necessity - to prevent the deportation plan." In the video he published, the militiamen are seen setting up tents and distributing aid, while calling on the media to come and document their activities.

Abu Shabaab's name has recently surfaced in Palestinian sources who claim that he is cooperating with Israel and the American aid organization GHF, which operates in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has accused his men of looting aid trucks, and even released footage showing the organization's terrorists shooting at militia members during what was described as a "meeting with undercover agents." However, GHF officials responded by saying that it does not employ or work with armed Palestinians.

Fear that kidnapped people will fall into the hands of armed militias

On Tuesday, security officials warned that as the anarchy in the Gaza Strip increases, there is a fear that the hostages will fall into the hands of armed militias, which will make negotiations for their release more difficult. Such a situation would force Israel to talk to several parties, and not just one address as it currently has.

Security officials told families of the hostages that there was a concern that if Hamas collapsed and lost control of the territory, the hostages would fall into the hands of armed militias, and negotiations would have to be conducted with each and every one of them. The conclusion of these officials is that a deal must be pushed for today, before it is too late, and as long as the hostages are being held by Hamas' military wing, which is under the control of the terrorist organization's leadership.

This is not a unified position, and there are also other opinions. A very senior figure in the defense establishment, who is involved in the issue of the hostages, said on Tuesday: "I don't actually recognize any sign of collapse. Even if there are public uprisings, I don't think the Hamas chain of command will collapse." A senior IDF official said in response to the publication that the IDF's assessment is that the hostages are under Hamas' control - and there are no signs of Hamas losing control of the hostages.