Powerful Israel-backed clan leader who fought Hamas murdered in Gaza

A almighty anti-Hamas clan person protecting civilians successful Gaza and allegedly backed by Israel has been murdered successful Rafah, according to aggregate reports.

Yasser Abu Shabab, caput of the Abu Shabab militia, known locally arsenic the "Popular Forces" of the Gaza Strip, had risen to prominence for his practice with Israel against Hamas power successful the region, according to analysts.

"Abu-Shabab militia helped Israel to support the locals and forestall Hamas from harming them," Professor Kobi Michael, elder researcher astatine the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the Misgav Institute told Fox News Digital.

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Yaser Abu Shabab leads an anti-Hamas militia successful Gaza.  (The Center for Peace Communications)

"Hamas has go profoundly troubled due to the fact that of these militias and makes its utmost efforts to dismantle them. It perceives them arsenic a existent threat, but the information that Abu Shabab was murdered by a rival, Hamula, indicates that it volition not beryllium capable conscionable to disarm Hamas."

"Still, without an effectual alternate governance to Hamas, the Strip volition deteriorate into chaos," Michael added.

As reported by Fox News Digital successful July, Abu Shabab’s radical began forming successful aboriginal 2024 aft the IDF entered Rafah and Hamas started to suffer power of the area.

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Hamas terrorists successful the bluish portion of Gaza Strip connected Dec. 1, 2025.  (Omar Al-Qatta / AFP via Getty Images)

Allegedly operating nether Israeli protection, his men were escorting assistance trucks, distributing supplies, and asserting power implicit parts of eastbound Rafah.

On Thursday, The Jerusalem Post reported sources claiming Abu Shabab was initially wounded successful a clan-related confrontation. He was subsequently evacuated to a infirmary successful confederate Israel, wherever helium aboriginal died from his injuries.

The Popular Forces aboriginal released a statement, besides cited by The Jerusalem Post, confirming Abu Shabab’s decease and insisting helium had been killed portion attempting to resoluteness a section dispute.

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Yaser Abu Shabab leads the Popular Forces successful Rafah. (Courtesy: The Center for Peace Communications)

The radical vowed to proceed its operations until "the past violent was eliminated successful Gaza," adding that it would support pursuing "a agleam and unafraid aboriginal for our radical who judge successful peace," the outlet said.

In a past interrogation with Ynet, Abu Shabab had said, "We volition not permission the Gaza Strip and volition proceed to combat Hamas until the past 1 is dead."

A elder UN official, Georgios Petropoulos, besides erstwhile referred to him arsenic "the self-styled powerfulness broker of eastbound Rafah," according to a erstwhile New York Times interview.

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Terrorists successful the cardinal Gaza municipality of Deir al-Balah observe the ceasefire connected Jan. 19, 2025.  (TPS-IL)

"Israel has ne'er believed that these militias tin regenerate Hamas oregon go an effectual ruler of the Gaza Strip," added Michael.

"But some sides person a communal force - Hamas." He continued, "On the different hand, these militias were and are against Hamas and consenting to combat Hamas. Israel perceived these militias arsenic different operational instrumentality successful its warfare against Hamas and established practice with them based connected section interests and essence," helium added.

According to Reuters, Abu Shabab’s militia continued operating from Israeli-controlled areas of confederate Gaza pursuing the U.S.-backed ceasefire successful October.

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Palestinian Hamas terrorists basal defender connected the time of the handover of hostages held successful Gaza since the deadly October 7 2023 attack, arsenic portion of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap woody betwixt Hamas and Israel, successful Rafah successful the confederate Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2025.  (Reuters/Hatem Khaled/File Photo)

On Nov. 18, the radical posted a video showing fighters preparing for a information expanse to "clear Rafah of terror," referencing Hamas forces believed to beryllium hiding successful the area.

As reported by Fox News Digital, the ceasefire created a caller scenery of militias, clan groups, and networks arsenic Hamas’s power weakened passim the region, including the Popular Forces successful Rafah.

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"The concern is precise fragile and unstable arsenic agelong arsenic Hamas is capable to run freely successful Gaza," Michael added.

Fox News Digital has reached retired to the IDF and Israeli authorities for comment.