Israel-Backed Militia Leader Yasser Abu Shabab Killed in Gaza
Gaza City – Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of the Popular forces militia – a group reportedly backed by Israel - has been killed in Gaza, sources confirmed today. The death of Abu Shabab, a controversial figure accused of involvement in the looting of aid convoys, marks a meaningful growth in the ongoing complexities of security and humanitarian aid distribution within the territory.
Abu Shabab’s death comes amid a broader effort to establish a new security framework in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas raid into Israel and the subsequent Israeli offensive.The Popular Forces, comprised of individuals previously engaged in systematic looting of aid, were reportedly cultivated by Israel as a counterweight to Hamas and a potential force for maintaining order. This strategy emerged from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to allow the Palestinian Authority to administer Gaza.
In June,Abu Shabab told the Guardian his activities were “humanitarian,” adding that he did not work ”directly” with the Israeli military. His militia coordinated closely with Israeli forces around aid distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US- and Israel-backed private organization that recently ceased operations.
The israeli strategy of backing such militia factions is linked to Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, which envisions Hamas disarming and the territory being run by a transitional authority supported by a multinational stabilization force. However, progress on this plan has stalled, with hamas refusing to disarm and no agreement yet reached on the international force.
The war in Gaza,triggered by the Hamas raid that killed 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of 250,has resulted in over 70,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread destruction,exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and creating the conditions in which groups like the Popular Forces emerged.
