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.
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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.
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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)
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