Shafaq News – Gaza

Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of an Israel-backed “militia” in Gaza known as the “Popular Forces,” was killed in Rafah during clashes with unidentified gunmen, Israeli military radio reported on Thursday.

Initial assessments, according to the military radio, suggest that Abu Shabab’s death resulted from internal disputes. However, some Israeli media outlets have reported that Hamas fighters may have ambushed Abu Shabab and Ghassan Al-Dahini, another member of the group, leading to their deaths.

Israeli Channel 12 cited security sources saying Abu Shabab died at Soroka Hospital in Be'er Al-Saba from injuries linked to internal disagreements. Meanwhile, Channel 14 noted that the circumstances of his killing are still under investigation.

Abu Shabab had previously founded a group opposing Hamas in Gaza and was accused of seizing aid convoys during periods of conflict. In earlier footage, he claimed that his fighters controlled areas “liberated from Hamas” and coordinated with the Palestinian Authority to distribute aid and protect civilians.