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Israeli Army Radio said Thursday that Yasser Abu Shabab, the commander of a militia it refers to as the "Popular Forces" in the Gaza Strip, was killed by unknown gunmen, as Israeli media offered conflicting accounts over whether the incident stemmed from internal disputes or an ambush by Hamas.
According to the Israeli army-run station, initial assessments in Israel indicate that Abu Shabab’s killing was "the result of internal disputes."
However, other Hebrew-language platforms reported that Hamas had "succeeded" in ambushing Abu Shabab and Ghassan Al-Dahini, according to their accounts.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 12 quoted a security source as saying that "Abu Shabab died at Soroka Hospital in Beersheba from injuries sustained as a result of internal disputes."
No further details have yet been disclosed regarding the circumstances of Abu Shabab’s killing. His armed groups are reported to operate in Rafah under Israeli protection, according to some accounts.
Abu Shabab’s groups have been accused of looting aid convoys inside the Gaza Strip, which continues to suffer from a severe shortage of basic supplies amid Israel’s ongoing blockade.
Abu Shabab leads armed militias operating in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. He is in his thirties, was previously imprisoned in Gaza on drug-trafficking charges, and is wanted by the Palestinian resistance.
Abu Shabab’s group consists of hundreds of armed members and is active in southeastern Rafah, near the Kerem Shalom crossing, through which most aid convoys enter.
Yasser Abu Shabab, a controversial figure, and his armed group are also accused of seizing aid shipments entering through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing.
Since then, Abu Shabab has assembled a few hundred men, controlling areas near the Kerem Shalom crossing. His group claims to protect humanitarian aid.
His military group describes itself on Facebook as "a voice of truth against terrorism for a safe homeland."
According to U.N. and diplomatic sources, his gang has looted aid shipments, sold goods on the black market, carried out reconnaissance for Israeli authorities, and acted as a proxy militia in depopulated areas.
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