The Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces[2][3][4] is an Israeli-backedanti-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]
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]
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.[9][10]
Rami Khalas is a former member of the PA security services, and is from the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City.[3] Like the rest of the Khalas clan, he is reportedly aligned with Fatah.[3][11][12]
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][13] The clan later denied any collaboration with Israel.[14]
Clashes between Hamas and the Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces subsequently intensified.[3] Hamas forces attacked the SPDF group, which retreated eastward alongside withdrawing Israeli forces.[17]
Administration in the Gaza Strip
Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces administration in the Gaza Strip
Within the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line, the SPDF is based in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City,[19] and is also active in nearby Zeitoun and Tuffah.[20] Leader of the SPDF, Rami Khalas claims to have 500 people within his territory as of November 2025.[19]
According to Rami Khalas, the group provides humanitarian services in Shuja'iyya and allegedly coordinates with the Palestinian Authority (PA).[21][19]
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Khalas clan 
Palestine 
Israel 
