‘We Keep Repeating Previous Mistakes in Arming Abu Shabab,’ Israeli Analyst Tells TML
Yasser Abu Shabab. (Screenshot: X)

‘We Keep Repeating Previous Mistakes in Arming Abu Shabab,’ Israeli Analyst Tells TML

Accused of looting aid and cooperating with Israel, the Abu Shabab clan has emerged as a controversial force in Gaza’s power vacuum

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has fueled a humanitarian crisis, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians in urgent need of assistance. Amid the devastation and lawlessness, new actors have emerged—among them, the Abu Shabab clan, a group accused of exploiting the chaos to further its own interests.

Allegations of looting humanitarian aid and collaborating with Israel to undermine Hamas have drawn intense scrutiny from residents, regional experts, and political analysts.

“Yasser Abu Shabab is one of the most controversial figures since the beginning of the war,” said Muhammad, a Gaza resident, to The Media Line. “He leads armed individuals who steal humanitarian aid trucks and goods, directly hindering the delivery of essential aid at a time when we are in desperate need.

“These acts occur amid a state of chaos, where people like him exploit the disorder to carry out their plans. Their cooperation with Israel makes the people here even more suspicious of everything,” he added.

Michael Milstein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center, told The Media Line that the Abu Shabab clan is rooted in crime rather than ideology.

“It’s not a militia, not an organization—it’s a gang,” he said. “Almost all the gang, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, are criminals. He himself was imprisoned by Hamas after being involved in smuggling, drugs, and other crimes.

“When the IDF took control of Rafah, a security vacuum emerged, and the Abu Shabab clan filled that gap, clashing violently with Hamas. Hamas even killed Yasser’s brother and about 20 to 30 members of the gang,” he added.

It’s a region where chaos breeds chaos, and that’s exactly what has happened here

“It’s a region where chaos breeds chaos, and that’s exactly what has happened here.”

Claims that Israel has armed the Abu Shabab clan to fight Hamas have deepened the sense of uncertainty among residents and observers.

Nidal Foqaha, Director General of the Palestinian Peace Coalition, told The Media Line, “Israel is reportedly supporting the phenomenon of Abu Shabab in Gaza. They believe that by propping up this group, they can create an obstacle for Hamas—using them as local intermediaries and a proxy to deal with the people in the south while Israel remains in the background.”

He also added, “This is risky for regional stability, risky for Israel, and risky for Egypt, especially given the potential links some members may have with extremist groups.”

In a recent audio statement broadcast on Israeli military radio, Yasser Abu Shabab denied collaboration with Israel and asserted that his group only coordinates with the Palestinian Authority.

We don’t cooperate or take weapons from Israel

“We don’t cooperate or take weapons from Israel,” he said. “We only communicate with the PA, and our goal is to help distribute humanitarian aid in the southern part of Gaza,” he added.

Foqaha responded with caution. “We cannot verify this recording,” he said. “If Abu Shabab is truly aligned with the PA, that must be confirmed by official Palestinian security or political bodies.

“Otherwise, these statements remain just another piece of the complex puzzle in Gaza’s conflict,” he added.

Milstein provided additional context. “Of course, I spoke about the outing that Netanyahu and Lieberman did,” he explained. “They presented Abu Shabab as collaborators with Israel. That’s why the announcement by Abu Shabab—who said, ‘No, no, we do not cooperate with Israel’—was so important.

“They meant: ‘We are not collaborators.’ They do have relations with the PA and mainly with the general intelligence, but those are very general and even symbolic relations.

“Unfortunately, the whole issue of relations between Israel and this clan was very sensitive, and a lot of damage was caused by the outing.”

Public debate intensified after Israeli officials acknowledged ties with the Abu Shabab clan.

Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman criticized the policy, saying, “Israel is delivering assault rifles and light weapons to criminal families in Gaza under Netanyahu’s orders. These are ISIS-affiliated Salafist groups. There’s no guarantee those weapons won’t be used against us.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the move, stating, “What did Lieberman leak? That on the advice of security officials, we activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas. What’s wrong with that? It is only good—it saves Israeli soldiers’ lives.”

In a later statement, Netanyahu reiterated, “We activated some local clans opposed to Hamas on security advice, to reduce harm to our troops.”

Milstein voiced concern about the implications. “How can you take a gang that could easily use these weapons against the IDF, instead of taking weapons from every Palestinian in Gaza? It’s really the expression of this crazy, crazy situation,” he said.

“There are many reports in the Israeli media about cases of involvement of Abu Shabab’s members in terror attacks against Israel, and even members with ISIS affiliations. It’s not something that requires much elaboration—these are very likely scenarios, and unfortunately, this is the most reasonable threat that can happen,” he noted.

There is no strategic logic—just slogans

He further added, “Once again, there is a kind of misconception about the policy. There is no strategic logic—just slogans. Above all, this adventure reflects the fact that Israel has no strategy, and we keep repeating previous mistakes,” he said.

Expanding on that point, Milstein drew a historical comparison. “It reminds me of what Israel did in the 1970s and 1980s—helping the Muslim Brotherhood against the PLO,” he said.

“At the time, it was considered a way to weaken Arafat and the PLO’s grip on Gaza. But look what happened—Hamas was born out of that and became even stronger than the PLO. Now, arming Abu Shabab could easily backfire the same way,” he added.

Outside the armed groups, some Gazans question why Israel chose to support the Abu Shabab clan rather than engaging with peaceful protest movements that have emerged since the war began.

Foqaha reflected on this view: “Probably this doesn’t serve the agenda and politics of the current Israeli government,” he said. “If a rational and moderate voice—and it is there, actually, and with time it is emerging—were to become the mainstream voice in Gaza, it would mean there would be no reason for the war to continue.

“This current Israeli government wants this war to continue,” he added.

Milstein weighed in on the same issue. “Unfortunately, there’s nothing that can be called a unified peace movement in Gaza,” he said.

“There are no leaders except Hamas—and Islamic Jihad—to talk to from a peace movement. If there were, Israel would probably consider supporting them instead. But today, this is not the case,” he added.

The humanitarian situation remains dire.

“The most urgent issue for Gazans is aid delivery,” Foqaha emphasized. “Gaza has become a lawlessness zone. Humanitarian aid lands in the hands of clans through looting or opaque transfers. More than 500,000 Palestinians in the north of Gaza have received very little aid. There are areas that haven’t received anything for weeks. The world must address this now,” he concluded.

As the war drags on and alliances shift, civilians in Gaza remain caught between armed groups vying for control and a humanitarian system struggling to deliver even basic necessities.

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