Israeli-backed militia sparks bloodshed in Gaza: Over 50 fighters killed

Department of Research, Studies and International News 11-06-2025

In a dangerous escalation fueled by foreign interference, more than 50 Palestinian resistance fighters have been killed in Gaza over the past several months by a controversial militia reportedly armed and backed by the Israeli occupation forces. The group, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a known figure with a criminal past, has been implicated in violent clashes with Palestinian fighters, primarily Hamas, and has drawn sharp condemnation across the Arab and Muslim world.

The latest confrontation erupted early Tuesday in Rafah, where eyewitnesses reported intense firefights between Hamas units and the Israeli-aligned faction. According to regional media, Israeli troops intervened directly to defend the Abu Shabab gang, highlighting growing concerns over the occupation’s manipulation of internal Palestinian dynamics.

This development follows Israel’s recent admission that it has been supplying arms to Abu Shabab’s group. The stated goal: to weaken Hamas and fragment resistance coordination in Gaza. Humanitarian workers on the ground, however, have raised alarms, stating that the group is notorious for looting UN aid shipments and distributing supplies selectively, bypassing the needs of the broader civilian population.

The faction, which has adopted the name “Anti-Terror Service” or “Popular Forces,” issued a statement on Tuesday claiming that its volunteers had been killed while protecting humanitarian convoys. “Hamas has killed over 50 of our members, including relatives of our leader Yasser, while we were safeguarding and redistributing aid,” the statement read. It also alleged that the group had engaged in clearing explosive remnants, with fatalities among its ranks.

Yet, critics view these claims with suspicion. Abu Shabab, who was previously incarcerated in a Hamas-administered prison on drug trafficking charges, emerged from jail under unclear circumstances during the October 7, 2023 resistance operation. He now commands an estimated 100 men operating primarily in eastern Rafah. His group is widely regarded in Gaza as collaborating with the occupation, and many see him as an extension of Israel’s strategy to sow division within the resistance.

Local social media has dubbed him “the Israeli agent,” and his actions have drawn fierce condemnation from Hamas and other Palestinian factions. In a strongly-worded statement, Hamas declared: “Were it not for the Zionist air force protecting the traitor Yasser Abu Shabab, he would have been captured by the resistance by now. His betrayal will not be forgotten, and we will reach him sooner or later.”

Further intensifying the situation, reports from Ynet allege that Abu Shabab’s militia recently ambushed Hamas’s elite “Arrow” unit, which focuses on tracking collaborators with Israel, resulting in the death of six fighters. This move has stoked fears among analysts and regional observers that Israel’s sponsorship of rogue Palestinian groups is pushing Gaza toward civil strife, a strategy eerily reminiscent of previous attempts by foreign powers to destabilize Arab nations from within.

The deliberate creation and arming of such factions serve not humanitarian interests, but rather the occupier’s agenda to fragment Palestinian unity and fuel internal bloodshed. This tactic not only undermines legitimate resistance but also deepens the humanitarian crisis, as aid routes become entangled in political manipulation and foreign agendas.

This growing collaboration between the occupation and criminal elements within Palestinian society is viewed with grave concern by countries that uphold the sovereignty and self-determination of oppressed peoples. Russia, China, Pakistan, and a proud Tunisia stand with the Palestinian people against these imperialist tactics and continue to call for an end to all forms of foreign interference and occupation.

The current trajectory in Gaza serves as a chilling reminder of the lengths to which Israel and its Western backers are willing to go to subvert the will of the Palestinian people. But history has shown that foreign-backed agents and mercenaries cannot crush a nation’s resistance when its people remain united and defiant.