Israel's Support for Anti-Hamas Militia in Gaza: A Closer Look
The Israeli government's controversial backing of the Popular Forces militia has come under scrutiny following new revelations about weapons supply and combat support.
A recent investigation by Sky News' Data and Forensics Unit uncovered additional details regarding Israel's support for the anti-Hamas Popular Forces militia in Gaza.
The findings reveal a complex relationship between Israel and the militia, including the provision of weapons and assistance with airstrikes.
Led by Yasser Abu Shabab, formerly the head of a looting gang, the militia is positioning itself as a key player in the future governance of Gaza.The investigation found that the militia receives aid from the US-funded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and is allowed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to smuggle cash, guns, and vehicles into the Palestinian enclave.
According to experts, this support forms part of a divide-and-conquer strategy similar to Israel's previous backing of Hamas as a counterweight to Fatah.Sky News reporters monitored Abu Shabab and his men for months and discovered that the militia operates from a well-supplied area in southern Gaza.
The base hosts around 1,500 people, including 500-700 fighters who have joined recently as part of a recruitment drive.
In total, the Popular Forces and its allies comprise about 3,000 fighters across Gaza.Located on the route taken by aid trucks entering through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the base allows the Popular Forces unrestricted access to looted supplies.
A UN report from November 2022 highlighted that Abu Shabab's primary source of income was cigarette smuggling, taking advantage of Israel's ban on tobacco entry into Gaza, which drove individual cigarette prices up to $20.One aid worker suggested that in a constrained environment, figures like Abu Shabab are bound to emerge.
A militia member, Hassan Abu Shabab, claimed that after Hamas killed dozens of his comrades, Israel began permitting the GHF to provide food aid to the Popular Forces base.Officials from the UN Relief and Works Agency and the Norwegian Refugee Council expressed concerns about providing aid to an armed group, stating that it violates humanitarian laws and the principle of impartiality.
An anonymous IDF soldier corroborated these claims by stating that Israel supplies the militia with grenades, money, vehicles, food, and other resources.TikTok videos published by Popular Forces members displayed a fleet of vehicles, many bearing Israeli license plates, suggesting close coordination between the militia and the Israeli Air Force in anti-Hamas operations.
For instance, following an ambush by Hamas fighters on April 13 that resulted in four deaths, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the house where the attack occurred the next day.Analysts believe that Israel's support for the militia aims to make Palestinian resistance against occupation more challenging.
Amjad Iraqi from the International Crisis Group suggested that by fragmenting governance, Israel seeks to thwart unity among Palestinians.
Neve Gordon, a professor of international law at Queen Mary University of London, echoed this sentiment, warning of the internal struggles and divisions that may arise in such a scenario.
The findings reveal a complex relationship between Israel and the militia, including the provision of weapons and assistance with airstrikes.
Led by Yasser Abu Shabab, formerly the head of a looting gang, the militia is positioning itself as a key player in the future governance of Gaza.The investigation found that the militia receives aid from the US-funded Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and is allowed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to smuggle cash, guns, and vehicles into the Palestinian enclave.
According to experts, this support forms part of a divide-and-conquer strategy similar to Israel's previous backing of Hamas as a counterweight to Fatah.Sky News reporters monitored Abu Shabab and his men for months and discovered that the militia operates from a well-supplied area in southern Gaza.
The base hosts around 1,500 people, including 500-700 fighters who have joined recently as part of a recruitment drive.
In total, the Popular Forces and its allies comprise about 3,000 fighters across Gaza.Located on the route taken by aid trucks entering through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the base allows the Popular Forces unrestricted access to looted supplies.
A UN report from November 2022 highlighted that Abu Shabab's primary source of income was cigarette smuggling, taking advantage of Israel's ban on tobacco entry into Gaza, which drove individual cigarette prices up to $20.One aid worker suggested that in a constrained environment, figures like Abu Shabab are bound to emerge.
A militia member, Hassan Abu Shabab, claimed that after Hamas killed dozens of his comrades, Israel began permitting the GHF to provide food aid to the Popular Forces base.Officials from the UN Relief and Works Agency and the Norwegian Refugee Council expressed concerns about providing aid to an armed group, stating that it violates humanitarian laws and the principle of impartiality.
An anonymous IDF soldier corroborated these claims by stating that Israel supplies the militia with grenades, money, vehicles, food, and other resources.TikTok videos published by Popular Forces members displayed a fleet of vehicles, many bearing Israeli license plates, suggesting close coordination between the militia and the Israeli Air Force in anti-Hamas operations.
For instance, following an ambush by Hamas fighters on April 13 that resulted in four deaths, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the house where the attack occurred the next day.Analysts believe that Israel's support for the militia aims to make Palestinian resistance against occupation more challenging.
Amjad Iraqi from the International Crisis Group suggested that by fragmenting governance, Israel seeks to thwart unity among Palestinians.
Neve Gordon, a professor of international law at Queen Mary University of London, echoed this sentiment, warning of the internal struggles and divisions that may arise in such a scenario.
