Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of an armed Palestinian faction opposing Hamas in Gaza, died from a gunshot wound while mediating a family dispute. Gaza's Popular Forces dismissed reports of Hamas involvement as misleading, marking a setback for Israel's policy of supporting anti-Hamas clans. The incident occurs amid the war that began with attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
Yasser Abu Shabab, a Bedouin tribal leader from the Tarabin tribe based in Israeli-held Rafah in southern Gaza, led Gaza's Popular Forces, the most prominent of several small anti-Hamas groups that emerged during the war starting more than two years ago. The group stated on Thursday that he died from a gunshot wound while intervening in a family quarrel, dismissing reports of Hamas involvement as "misleading."
Hamas had branded Abu Shabab a collaborator and ordered its fighters to kill or capture him, making his death a boost for the group and a setback for Israel's efforts to arm anti-Hamas clans. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged in June that Israel had provided such support, crediting it with saving Israeli soldiers' lives, though the group denies any backing from Israel.
Since the U.S.-backed ceasefire in October, the Popular Forces has operated in Israeli-controlled areas of Gaza. Rafah saw intense violence, with gunbattles reported on Wednesday wounding four Israeli soldiers, and on Thursday, Israeli forces killed about 40 Hamas militants in tunnels below the city. On November 18, the group posted a video of fighters launching a security sweep to "clear Rafah of terror," referring to Hamas holdouts. The Popular Forces vowed to continue Abu Shabab's path and "fight terrorism."
The death was first reported by Israeli media, including Kan and Army Radio, citing security sources. Army Radio claimed he died of unspecified wounds at Soroka hospital in southern Israel, but the hospital denied admitting him. An Israeli government spokesperson and Hamas declined to comment. Michael Milshtein, a former Israeli military intelligence officer, said, "The writing was on the wall. Whether he was killed by Hamas or in some clan infighting, it was obvious that it would end this way." Palestinian political analyst Reham Owda noted that the death would fuel doubts among other anti-Hamas groups about their ability to challenge Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007.
In a July Wall Street Journal article, Abu Shabab said his group had established its own administration in Rafah and urged U.S. and Arab nations to recognize and support it. Hamas accused him of looting U.N. aid trucks during the war, which the group denied, claiming it protected and escorted aid. U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza plan envisions Hamas disarming and a transitional authority backed by a multinational force, but progress is slow, with no disarmament and no agreement on the force.