Israel accused of arming Palestinian gang who allegedly looted aid in Gaza

[groundloop]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Lasher (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Guardian


Israel accused of arming Palestinian gang who allegedly looted aid in Gaza
Gang ‘of about 100 armed men’ operate in eastern Rafah with tacit approval of IDF in apparent attempt to counter Hamas

Lorenzo Tondo in Jerusalem
Thu 5 Jun 2025 15.39 EDT
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Israel’s government has been accused of arming a Palestinian criminal gang whose members have allegedly looted humanitarian aid, in an apparent attempt to counter Hamas in Gaza.

Satellite images and videos verified by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz showed on Thursday that a new Palestinian militia has expanded its presence in southern Gaza, and is operating inside an area under the direct control of the Israel Defense Forces.

The group, which has also been accused of ties to jihadist groups, is reportedly led by a man known as Yasser abu Shabab, a Rafah resident from a Bedouin family, known locally for his involvement in criminal activity and the looting of humanitarian aid.

According to media reports, Abu Shabab’s group, which calls itself the “Anti-Terror Service”, consists of about 100 armed men who operate in eastern Rafah with the tacit approval of the Israeli armed forces. It has variously been described as a militia and a criminal gang.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/05/israel-accused-of-arming-palestinian-gang-who-allegedly-looted-aid-in-gaza

[Archae]

1. Just the usual, something goes wrong, "BLAME THE JEWS!"

"Hamas can do no wrong!"

[ck4829]

2. And if the IDF actually is arming this gang? Will it be time to cut them loose and denounce them?

[Archae]

4. I want to see some actual EVIDENCE of that.

Not just accusations, from people who won't be satisfied until all the Jews in the Middle East are dead.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. It's Israel that says it's arming the gang; the question is whether the gang is still stealing aid

The Times of Israel cited defence sources who said that Israel provided members of Abu Shabab’s faction with Kalashnikov assault rifles, including some weapons seized from Hamas. The operation was approved by Israel’s security cabinet and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the newspaper reported, noting that its article had been approved for publication by Israel’s military censor.

In a video posted on social media late on Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel had “activated” some Palestinian clans in Gaza, on the advice of “security officials,” in order to save lives of Israeli soldiers.
...
A security official told Israeli news outlet Ynet that the arming of Abu Shabab was approved and led by the Shin Bet internal security service, and described the operation as “planned and managed”, with the goal of “reducing Israeli military casualties while systematically undermining Hamas through targeted strikes, infrastructure destruction and the promotion of rival local forces.”

At the end of last year, amid a surge in looting of humanitarian aid in southern Gaza, Abu Shabab and his men were widely accused of being behind the theft. In a November 2024 phone interview with The Washington Post, Abu Shabab did not fully deny the allegations, saying that his group avoided taking food, tents or supplies intended for children.

Abu Shabab told the Post that his group's operation was born out of desperation, adding, "Hamas has left us with nothing."
In a video posted over the past week, one of Abu Shabab's armed men is seen stopping a Red Cross vehicle for inspection.
...
In November, Haaretz published testimonies from sources in international aid agencies operating in Gaza, claiming that the IDF has allowed armed Palestinians to loot and extort aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip.

According to the sources, gunmen linked to two prominent gangs in the Rafah area have systematically blocked a significant number of aid convoys at the Kerem Shalom crossing, with the IDF allegedly turning a blind eye. Some aid agencies have refused to pay protection fees, resulting in supplies being left in warehouses under military control.

https://archive.ph/FYUa3 (Haaretz archive link)

[Jit423]

3. I think Hamas is bad but I do not believe they are behind these incidents surrounding food aid to Gaza. nr

[moniss]

5. It would not be a surprise because in the entire Middle East the

Western powers have done the same kinds of "group versus group" arming and supporting and then when it suits them reversing it all for their own interests. So the idea that Netanyahu and the IDF are doing it is more of the same.

[Beastly Boy]

6. Yawn. I am getting tired of the amateurish writings by aspiring school of journalism freshmen

full of "accused", "allegedly", "tacit approval", "apparent attempt", "reportedly", all in rapid succession in a short article that has no references to anything resembling solid evidence. Nothing but clumsy conjecture and innuendo.

Are there no professional standards in journalism anymore?

[AloeVera]

8. I do believe the looting of aid by these thugs was encouraged by Israel.

And the turning of a blind eye...

Been arguing this for months as it was the position of aid agencies that the looting was done by criminal gangs, not Hamas. I believe them.

As long as there was looting and theft and chaos then Hamas could be blamed. That was necessary in order to sideline the humanitarian agencies and set up the tragi-farce of the mercenary non-humanitarian GHF that is barely reducing the starvation. As well as provide cover and a rationale for the continued starvation caused by the blocking and limiting of aid.

All part of the ethnic cleansing operation disguised as a "war".

[EX500rider]

9. And how does one distinguish between a criminal gang and Hamas

Sounds like the same thing to me

[AloeVera]

10. How does the IDF?

Unlike the aid agencies, they would not be in the vicinity of the looting, would they? You mean they don't stop it if they see it? They just watch "Hamas"- that they otherwise kill on sight - loot aid?

[Lasher]

11. Locking.

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