HAARETZArmed Gaza Militia Rivaling Hamas Hands Out Aid in Israeli-controlled Zone

Analysis of satellite images and videos shows the Abu Shabab militia operating near Rafah along Gaza's main north-south route. Its armed members man checkpoints and distribute aid amid allegations that Netanyahu's government is arming ISIS-affiliated militias

Nir Hasson Rawan Suleiman Avi Scharf Jonathan Lis
Haaretz, June 5, 2025

Satellite images and videos posted online in recent weeks show that a new armed Palestinian militia has expanded its presence in southern Gaza, operating inside an area under the direct control of the Israel Defense Forces.Last month, Haaretz revealed the activities of a group calling itself the "Anti-Terror Service," operating in eastern Rafah. The group is reportedly led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a Rafah resident from a Bedouin family, known locally for his involvement in criminal activity and the looting of humanitarian aid late last year.

Sources in Gaza claim the group consists of roughly 100 armed men who operate with the tacit approval of the IDF. When asked for comment last week, an IDF spokesperson declined to respond to these claims.

The Abu Shabab militia operates east of destroyed Rafah, between the Morag and Philadelphi routes.Credit: Photo: Planet Labs PBC

In recent weeks, Abu Shabab launched two Facebook pages where he publishes anti-Hamas and anti-Palestinian Authority messages while promoting his militia's efforts to provide security and distribute aid to civilians.

Videos shared on these pages show his fighters wearing new uniforms, helmets, and vests emblazoned with insignias that include the Palestinian flag. Abu Shabab also shared the original Haaretz report about his group.

Some videos show the militia stopping and inspecting convoys from the Red Cross and the UN, guarding the Salah al-Din road, Gaza's main north-south route, and conducting armed formation drills.

In mid-April, four militia members were killed by an explosive device planted by Hamas. Although Hamas initially claimed the attack targeted an undercover Israeli unit, it later emerged that the casualties were members of Abu Shabab's group.

Yasser Abu Shabab next to a truck carrying hundreds of sacks of flour distributed to local residents, in a video he posted on his Facebook account this week

In a video posted this week, Abu Shabab claimed the four were killed while clearing homes in Rafah in preparation for the return of displaced residents. The video also described the deceased as former security officers or Palestinian Authority employees.

On Tuesday, Abu Shabab released another video showing his forces setting up a tent camp and unloading food from a truck. The accompanying message stated that "the popular forces have returned to eastern Rafah under the umbrella of Palestinian legitimacy, led by commander Yasser Abu Shabab."

Displaced Palestinians were invited to join the camp to receive food, shelter, and protection. Phone numbers were provided for coordination. The video also showed the distribution of hundreds of sacks of flour and food packages.

One of the senior members of the Abu Shabab militia, holding a shortened M16 rifle, alongside Red Cross personnel east of Rafah, two weeks ago.

Haaretz identified the tent camp's location in satellite imagery from Planet Labs, showing 16 tents under construction in a zone long controlled directly by the IDF – between the east-west Morag and Philadelphi routes, about five kilometers northeast of the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Previous efforts by Palestinian journalists and online activists to geolocate Abu Shabab's militia videos confirmed that they were also filmed in this same area (marked in red on the attached map).

UN maps from late 2023 designated the zone as "hazardous" due to frequent looting of aid convoys. In a past interview with The Washington Post, Abu Shabab admitted to looting some of the aid in order to feed local families.

The IDF declined to comment on the militia's activity in Gaza and referred Haaretz to the Shin Bet, which also refused to respond.

On Wednesday, Israeli lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman, a former defense minister, claimed that Israel has supplied weapons to ISIS-affiliated Gazan criminal gangs.

In an interview with Kan Bet radio, Lieberman said, "Israel gave assault rifles and small arms to crime families in Gaza on Netanyahu's orders. I doubt it went through the Security Cabinet. No one can guarantee these weapons won't eventually be turned against Israel."

Since the start of the war, there have been several reports suggesting that Netanyahu and senior IDF officials have considered transferring local governance in Gaza to large clans or families as a counterweight to Hamas.

In response to Lieberman's allegations, Netanyahu's office said: "Israel is working to defeat Hamas through various means, as recommended by all heads of the security establishment."

The two pages of Yaser Abu Shabab, who describes himself as ‘Commander-in-Chief of the Popular Forces’, created on Facebook/Meta with a small dose of artificial intelligence.
The private one : 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575907420429

The official one:

https://www.facebook.com/Popularforces2024