Gaza, Palestine – In a serious security development reflecting an internal escalation in the southern Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported on Thursday the killing of Yasser Abu Shabab,
He is the leader of the armed group known as the “Popular Forces” or “Abu Shabab Force”,
Which was working in cooperation with the Israeli army in the city of Rafah.
The incident occurred within the city amidst conflicting Israeli accounts regarding who was responsible.
But Israeli Army Radio described it as “a bad development for Israel”.
This has raised concerns about the collapse of these “local” formations
that were intended to act as an alternative to confront Hamas.
Conflicting accounts surround the killing of Abu Shabab
Official and unofficial Israeli accounts conflicted regarding how Abu Shabab was killed.
He was leading an armed group run as a “special force” to secure humanitarian aid
and carry out “cleansing” operations against Hamas east of Rafah.
Israeli Channel 14 confirmed that Abu Shabab was killed by “Hamas elements” in southern Gaza.
She noted that he fell into an ambush carried out by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas).
The account confirmed that his deputy, Ghassan al-Dahini, was seriously injured.
Israeli weapons and vehicles
Reports also indicated that Hamas seized Israeli-made weapons and vehicles from the militia.
Israeli Army Radio reported that he was injured during an internal clash with one of his men.
He was then transferred to a hospital in southern Israel where he died from his injuries.
The killing of Abu Shabab, who belonged to the Tarabin tribe
and had been detained before October 7, 2023 on criminal charges, sparked controversy.
There was widespread reaction in the Hebrew media, which considered it a blow to Israel’s strategy in Gaza.
Israeli Channel 12 described the killing of Abu Shabab as “a resounding failure of the alternative to Hamas project.”
She pointed out that these formations fell quickly despite the training and support.
