Israel’s covert attempt to install an alternative rule in Gaza via armed gangs is facing fierce resistance and unraveling rapidly.
Palestinian resistance groups and local security forces in the Gaza Strip are intensifying operations against Israeli-backed armed groups led by Yasser Abu Shabab, operating under the protection of the Israeli army in the eastern areas of Rafah Governorate.
Security sources confirmed that resistance fighters engaged in a confrontation late last night with members of Abu Shabab’s gang. The skirmish escalated to the point that an Israeli drone was deployed to extract the gang leaders.
According to media reports, at least 50 members of the Abu Shabab gang have been killed by Hamas.
From Prisoner to Militia Leader
Palestinian security sources told Al-Jazeera that Abu Shabab and his deputy, Ghassan Al-Dahini, have extensive criminal histories. The gang was reportedly recruited and armed by Israeli occupation forces in late 2024, gaining safe haven in areas under Israeli control southeast of Rafah.
These armed groups are entrenched near the Kerem Shalom crossing, a key entry point for aid and goods into Gaza.
From this strategic location, the gang reportedly intercepts humanitarian convoys, resells stolen goods to civilians, and uses the proceeds to expand its network of recruits.
According to the same sources, the Israeli army directly oversaw the arming and rehabilitation of Abu Shabab, who styles himself the leader of the so-called ‘Popular Forces’. He now commands groups that block aid convoys and attack civilians near the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.
Hamas kills over 50 members of Israeli-backed Gaza militia
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Hamas has killed more than 50 members of the Israel-backed militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab, according to a statement issued by the militia. The group claimed its members were “guarding aid convoys and redistributing… pic.twitter.com/uqetGus8VA— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) June 11, 2025
Abu Shabab had been serving a 25-year sentence since 2015 on charges related to drug trafficking and distribution. He escaped from Khan Yunis’ prison in the early days of the Israeli assault on Gaza in October 2023, during a wave of bombings. Soon after, he re-established contact with Israeli intelligence and began organizing the current armed network from his base in Rafah, his birthplace.
The Israeli newspaper Maariv reportedly confirmed that the Shin Bet (internal security service) was behind the creation of the Abu Shabab gang.
Citing senior intelligence sources, the paper reported that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar proposed the initiative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of a pilot program to establish an alternative rule to Hamas in limited areas of Gaza.
The Israeli plan reportedly involved the controlled distribution of weapons to gang members, mostly individuals with criminal backgrounds recruited to act as mercenaries.
However, the Israeli security establishment is said to hold no illusions about the group’s viability as a genuine alternative authority in Gaza.
Profiles and Criminal Records
Deputy leader Ghassan Al-Dahini, born in Rafah in 1987, has emerged as the group’s main strategist, Al-Jazeera reported.
He was previously affiliated with the now-defunct Army of Islam, where he played a key role in managing smuggling routes and liaising with militant groups in Sinai, before being expelled for ethical violations.
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Yo! Abu Shabab, you’re next so i hear. You traitorous mutha fucka! pic.twitter.com/xYMbvJ4MIh— Brummy Art Collective (@BrummyTaz) June 11, 2025
Al-Dahini was arrested twice by Gaza’s security services, in 2020 and 2022, on various criminal charges. His brother Walid died by suicide in a Gaza prison in 2018 while in custody on drug charges.
Another high-profile member, Issam al-Nabahin from Nuseirat refugee camp, was sentenced to death after killing a Palestinian police officer during an attempted arrest. He escaped prison at the outbreak of the current war and has since joined Abu Shabab’s forces. His criminal record includes serious ethical and financial misconduct.
Clashes between Abu Shabab’s gang and Gaza security forces broke out again last night. An Israeli drone strike targeted the resistance fighters during the confrontation, killing four.
The Israeli military has repeatedly intervened to protect the gang during clashes, a pattern that underscores their role in Israel’s broader strategy of fostering instability within the Strip.
Though the gang claims affiliation with what it calls “Palestinian legitimacy,” Major General Anwar Rajab, a spokesman for the Palestinian Authority’s security forces, denied any connection.
“Our security services do not cooperate with groups operating under individual names,” he stated.
A senior source within the Gaza resistance’s security apparatus confirmed that Abu Shabab and his associates are being tracked. Intelligence and field operations have been ramped up to apprehend or eliminate the gang.
According to media reports, 50 members of the gang have been killed by the Al-Qassam Brigades.
This strategy was made clear in a video released by Hamas’ military wing in late May, which showed an ambush targeting members of the gang in eastern Rafah.
(PC, AJA)
