Gaza: Yasser Abu Shabab Returns. This Time in Military Gear “Securing” Aid Trucks Under Israeli Protection
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Yasser Abu Shabab, a known leader of armed gangs linked to ISIS and involved in looting aid under Israeli protection, has returned. He has been sharing posts claiming his group is “securing” the delivery of the limited humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
The Role of Israel in Aid Theft
These gangs have been intercepting humanitarian aid trucks in eastern Rafah. These groups operate under the protection of Israeli forces, enabling large-scale looting and sabotage of relief efforts in the besieged Strip.
Last year, the Abu Shabab gang had seized a gas truck, setting it ablaze to block roads and prevent aid deliveries. The gang’s activities, described as coordinated with the Israeli military, have contributed to worsening humanitarian conditions, particularly in areas facing severe food shortages.
On Sunday, Israel announced it would allow a very limited amount of aid into the Palestinian enclave after a total blockade since March 2, following international pressure and widespread condemnation as the strip faces a looming famine.
Unsurprisingly, Abu Shabab reappeared on a new Facebook account created just four days ago, where he posted about his gang’s activities, referred to as “our popular forces”, claiming they were helping to “secure” the delivery of aid to the starving people in Gaza. He also shared details about the aid trucks and their routes.
Reports from international outlets, including Haaretz and The Washington Post, had corroborated reports that these criminal gangs are affiliated to ISIS and operate under the protection of Israeli forces. Witnesses and internal UN memos indicate that gangs looting aid convoys are often seen near Israeli military positions, where Israeli soldiers take no action against them. The gangs in Gaza “may be benefitting from a passive if not active benevolence” or “protection” from the Israeli army.
Haaretz reported on armed Palestinian gangs routinely raiding aid convoys entering through Karem Abu Salem, an area ostensibly under the control of the Israeli army.
“I saw one Israeli tank, and a Palestinian armed with a Kalashnikov [rifle] just 100 metres [about 328 feet] from it,” a senior official from an organisation working in Gaza told the newspaper.
“The armed men beat the drivers and take all the food if they aren’t paid [protection money].”
A History of Criminal Activity
Yasser Abu Shabab has a known history of drug smuggling and collaboration with extremist groups. His gang, consisting of over 200 armed individuals, has established a fortified base in an Israeli-controlled zone in Rafah. This area, referred to as a “death zone,” is typically inaccessible to Gaza residents, further raising suspicions of Israeli complicity in the gang’s activities.
Six Security Officers Killed: What Happened?
Israel has been systematically attacking police members securing aid delivery, creating a very unstable security environment and allowing armed gangs to take advantage of the situation.
On Tuesday, around 31 aid trucks were on the way to warehouses, passing by the main roundabout at Salah Adin Street near Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, but the looters, enabled and protected by Israel, opened fire on the convoy, attempting to seize the desperately needed supplies.
A group of security officers intervened to stop the attack, yet Israeli forces directed missiles at the group, killing six officers while trying to protect the aid.
The assault didn’t stop there. Civilians nearby rushed to rescue the bombed group only to be targeted immediately. When others hurried to rescue the wounded, they too were struck.
At least 8 Palestinians were injured last night following a terror attack by Israeli settler militias on the town of Bruqin, in the central occupied West Bank.
During the attack, the assailants set fire to homes and vehicles, according to local sources.
The attack occurred only… pic.twitter.com/Ism9xzeUOZ
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 23, 2025
Even the ambulances and vehicles sent to transport the injured and dead were not spared.
The Palestinian Civil Society Network condemned the attack, noting the trucks were carrying supplies designated for bakeries in Gaza City and northern Gaza.
It added that over the past four days, no more than 119 trucks with limited supplies have entered Gaza, “an Israeli attempt to create a false impression about the blockade.”
Gaza’s Government Media Office said Israel launched eight strikes on the security guards protecting the aid.
“It has become clear that the occupation army is operating in a systematic way to enable looting the aid and medicine trucks to ensure that they do not reach those who need them,” the Office said in a statement.
