In war-ravaged Gaza, a new power player has stepped into the void left by Hamas: the Abu Shabab clan. Accused of looting aid and working with Israel, the group’s sudden rise has sparked outrage, confusion, and more than a few conspiracy theories. Reporting for The Media Line, Giorgia Valente explores the tangled web [1] surrounding this armed clan—and why their growing influence is rattling officials in Gaza, Israel, and beyond.
Led by Yasser Abu Shabab, the group is described by experts like Michael Milstein as less an ideological force and more an opportunistic gang. With Israel’s military controlling Rafah and Hamas weakened, Abu Shabab’s armed men have reportedly seized trucks of humanitarian aid and challenged rival factions. Rumors of Israeli support—denied by Abu Shabab himself—have only fueled the chaos.
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Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman blasted the idea of arming “criminal families” tied to extremist elements. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strategy, saying it reduces Israeli troop casualties by turning clans against Hamas. Milstein warns it could all backfire, much like Israel’s past support for Islamist groups in Gaza: “We keep repeating previous mistakes,” he said.
The bigger question, Valente asks in her report, is why Israel would empower a clan rather than support emerging peaceful movements. Analyst Nidal Foqaha suggests it’s a political choice—chaos serves the current government more than peace does.
Whether or not Abu Shabab is a temporary convenience or a long-term liability, one thing is clear: for ordinary Gazans, the result is more lawlessness and less aid. As Valente reports [1], the power struggle isn’t just about politics—it’s about who gets to eat tomorrow.