Popular Forces administration in the Gaza Strip

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Popular Forces administration in the Gaza Strip
Emblem of Popular Forces.svg
Emblem
October 2023 Gaza-Israel conflict.svg
Headquarters of the Popular Forces shown in Al-Bayuk
StatusUnrecognized self-proclaimed rival administration under Israeli military occupation
Capital Al-Bayuk, Rafah Governorate [2]
Demonym Palestinian
Government
• Leader
Yasser Abu Shabab
Establishment Gaza war
• June 2025
Claim of territory in eastern Rafah [3] [4]
Population
• 2025 estimate
~2000 [5]
Website
Yasser Abu Shabab - Popular Forces

During the Gaza war, the Popular Forces, an anti-Hamas, Israeli-backed, and allegedly Islamic State-linked armed group, reportedly seized control of large amounts of the eastern Rafah Governorate in the Gaza Strip under the auspices[ clarify ] of the Israeli military occupation in the area. [6] [5]

Contents

The Popular Forces' territory, where more than 2,000 Palestinian civilians live, [5] is said to be the first area in Gaza not administrated by Hamas since 2007. [7]

Background

Before the war, the land presently administrated by the Popular Forces belonged to the Tarabin Bedouin tribe, of which Yasser Abu Shabab is a member. [3]

The last attempt by a rival Palestinian group to rebel against Hamas also happened to take place in the Rafah Governorate. In 2009, Jund Ansar Allah, a Gazan Salafi jihadist group, engaged in clashes with Hamas forces after declaring the establishment of an Islamic emirate in Gaza.

Establishment of a new administration

In late May 2025, the Rafah Governorate came under full Israeli operational control following its successful Rafah offensive against Hamas, in which the Popular Forces participated. [8] [9] As of 27 June, the group was reportedly in control of eastern Rafah, enjoyed freedom of movement in the wider Rafah area, and was working on building an independent administration. [4]

After consolidation of Popular Forces control, Abu Shabab began launching a recruitment drive to staff “administrative and community committees,” including doctors and nurses, engineers, primary schoolteachers and public relations experts. The Popular Forces began setting up checkpoints on their territory to screen convoys of international aid workers entering Gaza, and reportedly are providing security to aid trucks. Abu Shabab also said that they have built schools, health centers and other civilian infrastructure. [5]

On 24 July, The Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece written by Abu Shabab, where he called on the United States and Arab countries to recognize the Popular Forces' administration. He also claimed armed patrols were providing security and that civilians in the area were enjoying a better quality of life, untouched by the humanitarian crisis elsewhere in Gaza. [3] [6] [10]

According to Mondoweiss , the Popular Forces' territory could be used to concentrate 600,000 displaced Palestinians, and the United Arab Emirates and Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) may be involved in this project. [11]

October 2025 ceasefire

Following the implementation of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on 10 October, the Popular Forces said that they welcomed the agreement, but would "continue to defend their lands" and had no intention of leaving the Gaza Strip. [12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Facebook Photo". Facebook. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  2. ↑ Macales, Ben Tzion (June 3, 2025). "מפת שליטה עדכנית של כוחות צה"ל ברצועת עזה - 09.06.2025" [Current control map of IDF forces in the Gaza Strip - 09.06.2025.]. X (in Hebrew). Ben Tzion Macales.
  3. 1 2 3 "Yasser Abu Shabab claims captured Gazan land from Hamas | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2025-07-26. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  4. 1 2 "Battling to survive, Hamas faces defiant clans and doubts over Iran". Reuters. 2025-06-27. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Israel's support for clans in Gaza puts tribal strongman in spotlight". The Washington Post. 2025-08-03. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  6. 1 2 Ynetnews (2025-07-27). "In Gaza's Rafah, rebel commander claims war already over—and offers alternative to Hamas". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  7. ↑ "Yasser Abu Shabab claims captured Gazan land from Hamas". The Jerusalem Post. 2025-07-26.
  8. ↑ Eichner, Itamar; Halabi, Einav (2025-06-05). "Liberman accuses Netanyahu of arming ISIS-linked militias in Gaza; PM's office offers no denial". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
  9. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel; Yohanan, Nurit; Freiberg, Nava (June 5, 2025). "Israel providing guns to Gaza gang to bolster opposition to Hamas". The Times of Israel .
  10. ↑ Abu Shabab, Yasser (24 July 2025). "Opinion | Gazans Are Finished With Hamas". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  11. ↑ "Is the UAE involved in Israel's Gaza 'concentration camp' scheme? Here's what we know". Mondoweiss. 2025-07-31. Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  12. ↑ "Anti-Hamas militia vows to stay in Rafah after ceasefire". The Jerusalem Post. 2025-10-10. Retrieved 2025-10-10.

Notes

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