| Counter-Terrorism Strike Force | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Husam al-Astal |
| Dates of operation | 21 August 2025 – Present |
| Headquarters | Kizan al-Najjar, Khan Yunis |
| Ideology | Anti-Hamas |
| Allies | |
| Opponents | |
| Battles and wars | |
| Website | |
The Counter-Terrorism Strike Force (CSF) also known as the Strike Force Against Terror [1] is an Israeli-backed Palestinian militant organization. It is based in Kizan al-Najjar, Khan Yunis.
The CSF was founded on 21 August 2025 during the societal breakdown within Gaza, stating to combat the "repression and terrorism practiced by Hamas". It is based in the village of Kizan al-Najjar, south of Khan Yunis. [2]
The CSF is reportedly backed by Israel's Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces. [3] The CSF and the Popular Forces are reportedly in contact with one another but work independently. [2]
The group is led by Husam al-Astal, a Palestinian Bedouin who worked in Israel and then worked for the Palestinian Authority security forces when they still controlled Gaza. He has spoken favorably about the era of direct Israeli military rule in Gaza prior to the 2005 disengagement. Astal was previously imprisoned and given a death sentence by Hamas for his involvement with Israel, and was accused of involvement in the 2018 assassination of a Hamas-associated engineer in Malaysia. [2]
Hamas’s Arrow Unit, published a warning against the CSF on September 17. The post accused Astal of working for the Palestinian Authority’s preventative security service and linked him to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. [3]
in Kizan al-Najjar, a depopulated village near Khan Yunis. the al-Astal invited displaced Gazans to live under his protection. He offers food, water, shelter, and "freedom from Hamas", which has ruled the enclave for nearly two decades. [1]
al-Astal says dozens of families are already living at his encampment, and plans are underway to build more tents to house the hundreds he says will soon arrive, claiming that dozens of families contact him daily. While many of Gaza’s nearly 2 million displaced residents are dealing with shortages of food, shelter, and other supplies, he says his group is receiving all of that from Israel, along with military equipment. They also conduct security checks to make sure nobody has ties to Hamas. [1]
