Gaza militia leader Abu Shabab claims to represent the population against Hamas

Yasser Abu Shabab, who leads an anti-Hamas Gazan militia, has in recent months emerged as a powerful player in the coastal enclave. While he is currently focused on defeating Hamas, he has hinted at ambitions to play a role in Gaza’s future political landscape.

"We will be what our people want us to be. We will not impose any political system on their will," Shabab stated.

His influence in Gaza has been bolstered by the growing popularity of the Facebook page “Yasser Abu Shabab – The Popular Forces,” which has gained traction amid rising anti-Hamas sentiment following the widespread destruction in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 Israelis and the kidnapping of 251 others.

“May Allah protect you and save you from harm. All support and appreciation for Commander Yasser,” one commentator said on the Facebook page. “If there were an election for governance in the Gaza Strip, I would give you my vote, Yasser,” another online commentator wrote. 

Some online commentators openly called on Shabab’s militia to crush Hamas and its presence in Gaza. 

“Finish them off and don’t leave a single Hamas member alive,” one anti-Hamas commentator wrote. 

“Our people are under a heavy disaster because of personal interests, and we must fight this disaster to bring ourselves better lives,” another online user argued. 

In an exclusive interview with the Israeli broadcaster Kan earlier this month, the militia leader admitted that his militia is cooperating with the Israeli military. He also assessed that civil war in Gaza is unavoidable. 

“We have tasted the bitterness and injustice inflicted on us by Hamas, and we have taken it upon ourselves to confront this aggression,” Shabab said. “We will become a support for our people in order to remove this injustice,” he added. 

In an interview with the Walla news outlet, Shabab explained the broader purpose of the organization:

"The Popular Forces is a Palestinian national and independent body, established to meet the need for civilian protection, humanitarian aid distribution, and securing areas that will not fall victim to terror or local extremism."

"We are a non-political, popular movement that seeks to build a Palestinian society that is stable, free from violence, peaceful, secure, living with dignity, and believing in dialogue as a legitimate means to achieve future understandings," he further claimed. 

While cooperating with Israel, the militia leader articulated his opposition to what he terms Israeli “collective punishment.” 

"Hamas' decision on 7/10 justified the attacks on Gazans, a failed military decision that led us to hell. But 7/10 is not an excuse for Israel’s collective punishment policy against our people and the killing of innocent civilians," Shabab said.

He did not mention that Hamas systematically uses Gazan civilians as human shields and operates within hospitals, schools, and residential areas. While anti-Hamas sentiment is growing in Gaza due to widespread destruction, anti-Israel and anti-Jewish feelings remain deeply entrenched. According to an Arab poll conducted in November 2023, a staggering 85% of the Arabic-speaking population in Gaza, Judea, and Samaria (internationally known as the West Bank) supported the Hamas Oct. 7 massacre. Furthermore, former Israeli hostages have consistently testified to facing intense hostility from Gaza’s civilian population.

Yet, Shabab claims that his militia does not seek to threaten Israel or any other neighbor. 

"Our weapons are for the protection of our people from anarchy within the Gaza Strip, from oppression, corruption, and from those who exploit Gaza's population under the guise of resistance or religion," he argued. "Our weapons are not intended for anyone outside our borders."

Looking ahead, Shabab appeared to articulate support for the internationally favored two state solution. 

"Just as the Palestinian people have the right to live freely, safely, and with dignity in their country, Israelis also have the right to live in security and peace, within internationally recognized borders, based on a non-aggression pact," he stated. 

While Gaza’s future remains uncertain, a severely weakened Hamas already views Shabab as a serious threat to its rule in Gaza. In early July, Hamas gave Shabab 10 days to turn himself in or face consequences.

“If he does not comply with the demand, he will be considered a fugitive from justice and will be tried in absentia,” Hamas threatened. 

However, Shabab remains determined to defeat Hamas.