Quds News Network

Gaza (Quds News Network)- A new investigation by open-source intelligence platform Ekad has exposed the internal structure of the “Popular Forces” militia, led by Yasser Abu Shabab in Gaza. The group operates with direct Israeli military coordination and is accused of looting aid meant for starved civilians. The findings come as The Wall Street Journal published an op-ed under Abu Shabab’s name, despite him being illiterate and has a history of drug trafficking and links to ISIS. The decision drew backlash, with critics accusing the paper of legitimizing a criminal figure and enabling the Israeli military to use its platform amid an Israeli-made famine that has killed more than 120 Palestinians, most of them infants. Abu Shabab rose to public attention after a July 6 interview with Israel’s KAN News. In the interview, he openly declared “war on Hamas” and expressed readiness to govern Gaza after Hamas’s fall. He admitted full coordination with the Israeli army in aid distribution and confirmed receiving administrative support from the Palestinian Authority. Gaza’s Ministry of Interior has recently given him and his group ten days to surrender. The Joint Room of Palestinian Factions followed with a statement labeling him a traitor. That warning pushed Ekad to launch an in-depth investigation into the group’s formation, actions, and goals.

A Three-Tier Militia Network

The investigation analyzed Facebook accounts belonging to Abu Shabab and his deputy, Ghassan Al-Dhahini. It also tracked their supporters on TikTok. The team mapped out a 12-member network, split into three levels: top leadership, inner circle, and field operatives involved in so-called “aid security.” Researchers tracked the group’s locations using videos and images they posted online. They identified patterns of violations documented by the members themselves. Abu Shabab is from the Tarabin tribe and lives in Rafah, southern Gaza. He was previously jailed in Gaza for drug and arms trafficking but escaped when Israeli airstrikes hit police stations early in the war. In May 2024, he emerged as the head of a 100–300-member armed group that has been looting aid trucks. Israeli officials confirmed arming him under a plan to support local militias against Hamas. According to The Washington Post, Abu Shabab’s men seized 80 of the 100 aid trucks that entered Gaza in early October. Between May and October, they also killed four truck drivers.

Israeli Support and the Displacement Project

Ekad found that the militia set up armed checkpoints near the Kerem Shalom crossing to intercept aid. Satellite imagery from November 2024 showed fortified earth barriers in the area. Abu Shabab’s group also pitched tents east of Rafah to distribute aid. These tents were close to the Morag axis, an area Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich previously called suitable as a concentration camp for Palestinians. The site lies within a narrow zone in southern Gaza linked to Israel’s so-called “humanitarian resettlement” project.

Leadership Links to ISIS and PA Security

Abu Shabab’s deputy, Ghassan Al-Dhahini, is a fugitive from Gaza prisons with a past in Palestinian Authority security forces. He also had ties to the “Army of Islam”, an ISIS- affiliated group in and smuggling networks in Sinai. Videos show him firing weapons near Rafah’s Al-Da’wah Mosque, close to aid distribution points. Another key figure, Issam Al-Nabbahin, fought with ISIS in Sinai before returning to Gaza. He escaped prison at the war’s start and was reportedly later arrested by Gaza authorities, though his fate remains unclear.

Field Coordination and Armed Looting

Second-tier members include Bakr Al-Wakeely, who appeared armed in aid camps, and associates like Youssef Abu Nasser and Saddam Abu Zakar. They wore matching tactical vests and rifles, indicating direct operational links to the leaders. Others, such as Tarek Abu Hassan and Abu Hassan Al-Tarabini, were seen riding aid trucks with weapons. Abu Hassan documented his proximity to top leadership in videos.

Third-Tier Members: Enforcers and Looters

Lower-ranking members like Nimer, Kareem, and Aboud Abu Al-Hussain filmed themselves “securing” aid trucks, but videos show them opening boxes and looting supplies. They were stationed in areas under Israeli military control, including the Philadelphia Axis and southern Rafah. One of them, known as Abu Anis, posted videos showing his group violently seizing aid trucks and forcing drivers out; clear acts of organized theft.

Serving the Occupation Under Humanitarian Cover

Through geolocation and video analysis, Ekad created a field map of militia activity focused on Al-Shawka, Al-Bayouk, and northern Rafah; zones under Israeli army dominance. The militia’s role aligns with Israel’s displacement policy. UNRWA official Sam Rose called these areas “the valley of thieves,” where aid is stolen, not delivered. The investigation concludes that the Popular Forces militia is not a rogue group. Its members include escaped convicts, some linked to ISIS, and all receive direct Israeli support. The militia operates in areas Israel wants to empty of civilians. Under the cover of “humanitarian aid,” it redirects people toward Israeli-controlled zones while controlling movement and looting supplies. Members filmed and shared their own crimes, exposing the group’s structure and operations. This confirms their role as a disciplined proxy force working to enforce Israel’s plans in Gaza during a vacuum of law and aid.