Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces

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Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces
LeadersRami Khalas
Ahmed Jundeya
Dates of operation2025 –present
Split from Fatah Flag Vector Graphic.svg Khalas clan
Jundeya clan
CountryFlag of Palestine.svg Palestine
Allegiance Flag of Palestine.svg Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces administration in the Gaza Strip
Headquarters Shuja'iyya, Gaza City
Active regionseastern Gaza City [1]
Ideology anti-Hamas
AlliesFlag of Israel.svg Israel
OpponentsFlag of al-Qassam Brigades.svg Hamas
Battles and wars Gaza war

The Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces [2] [3] [4] is an Israeli-backed anti-Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip led and founded by Rami Khalas and Ahmed Jundeya. [4] [5] Operating within the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line, the group is based in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City, [6] and is also active in the adjacent Zeitoun and Tuffah neighborhoods. [3] The group is composed of dozens of fighters primarily drawn from the Khalas clan [2] and the Jundeya clan. [4]

Contents

The Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces was erroneously initially conflated with the entire Khalas clan, [7] [8] but is now known to be a "rogue faction" that has been disavowed by clan leadership. [2] [3] [1]

According to Rami Khalas, the group provides humanitarian services in Shuja'iyya and coordinates with the Palestinian Authority (PA). [9] [6] Additionally, he has stated that around 500 people live in the area under his control. [6]

Background

During the course of the Gaza war, societal breakdown across the Gaza Strip caused by offensives launched by the Israel Defense Forces has caused: starvation, famine, lack of supplies and a weaker Hamas created by the conflict has led to the rise of anti-Hamas armed elements in the Gaza Strip. [10] [11]

Rami Khalas is a former member of the PA security services, according to pro-Hamas media, and is from the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City. [3] Like the rest of the Khalas clan, he is reportedly aligned with Fatah. [3] [12] [13]

History

By July 2025, during Israel's offensive in Shuja'iyya, a group led by Rami Khalas was active and receiving Israeli protection and operational cover, though Ynet misidentified it as the entire Khalas clan and misidentified Rami Khalas as clan leader. [8]

According to The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, citing Palestinian media, by September the Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces was conducting surveillance, attacks and abductions under the supervision of an Israeli intelligence officer. [12]

After the 10 October ceasefire, Rami Khalas approved of the associated peace plan and said he would uphold it.[ citation needed ] Clashes between Hamas and the Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces subsequently intensified. [3] Hamas forces attacked the group, which retreated eastward alongside withdrawing Israeli forces. [14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Palestinian man denies leading new Gaza gang following Israeli report". Middle East Eye. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  2. 1 2 3 Matamis, Joaquin (2025-10-27). "Gaza's Armed Fragmentation: Clans, Militias, and Rival Power Centers • Stimson Center". Stimson Center. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Profiles of anti-Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 2025-10-19. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  4. 1 2 3 "Inside post-ceasefire Gaza: Israel-backed militias, clan wars and Hamas's fight to survive". France 24. 2025-10-24. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  5. ↑ "Clans and armed groups challenging Hamas in Gaza". Reuters. 14 October 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 "Explainer: Who are the Israeli-backed armed groups challenging Hamas in Gaza?". BBC Monitoring. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  7. ↑ Easter, Reagan (2025-07-03). "Israel Reportedly Arming Additional Anti-Hamas Clans in Gaza". FDD. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  8. 1 2 Halabi, Einav (2025-07-03). "Israel arms Fatah-linked militias, combatting Hamas in Gaza". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  9. ↑ Yohanan, Nurit (2025-10-30). "Left out of Trump's technocratic vision, anti-Hamas militias seek role in rebuilt Gaza". The Times of Israel. ISSN   0040-7909 . Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  10. ↑ "UN rights office says 'anarchy' spreading in Gaza". Reuters. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Sunghay, Ajith (19 July 2024). "Observations from Gaza by Head of UN Human Rights office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory Ajith Sunghay". UN Human Rights Office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  12. 1 2 Shiri, Igal (22 October 2025). "Hamas Activity to Restore Security Governance in the Gaza Strip after the Ceasefire". The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.
  13. ↑ "Withdrawal of US forces from the region is off the table". The Jerusalem Post. 2025-08-02. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  14. ↑ "Where Are the Armed Groups That Fought Hamas in Gaza Now?". Asharq al-Awsat. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-16.

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