Dozens of “Israeli”-Backed Militants Turn Themselves in to Hamas After Militia Leader’s Killing

By Staff, Agencies

Dozens of armed members of gangs backed by “Israel” have surrendered to Hamas security forces across the Gaza Strip in recent days, according to Palestinian media and the “Israeli” broadcasting authority.

The wave of surrenders accelerated after the killing of Yasser Abu Shabab, the former leader of the so-called Popular Forces militia in Gaza and a long-time collaborator with the “Israeli” entity.

Reports indicate that most of the recent handovers occurred in Rafah and Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, areas that served as key operational centers for militia networks working directly with “Israeli” forces during the war.

The surge came after Hamas issued a 10-day ultimatum on Friday, urging all individuals linked to these groups to turn themselves in and surrender their weapons.

Gaza’s interior ministry said it would speed up the processing of those who came forward, emphasizing that “the occupation’s umbrella of protection for traitors will not last long.”

The ministry added that these “Israeli”-supported cells had become isolated and lacked any community backing, reflecting the failure of attempts to fracture Gaza’s internal cohesion.

Abu Shabab was shot dead in Rafah on Wednesday by unidentified gunmen. His death was seen as the most significant setback to “Israel”-linked militia networks since the war began in October 2023.

As militia leader, he had overseen operations involving aid theft, kidnappings, attacks on resistance fighters and coordination with the “Israeli” military.

“Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously acknowledged that his gang received weapons from the entity. Hamas and other Palestinian groups have also linked the militia to “Israeli” intelligence as well as to elements aligned with the Wahhabi Daesh [Arabic acronym for “ISIS” / “ISIL”] extremist organization.

 A Palestinian source told the entity’s Kan News last month that members of Abu Shabab’s network had even taken part in meetings with senior US officials.

Following his death, Abu Shabab’s tribe—the Tarabin—publicly renounced him, calling it the end of a “page of shame” and describing his killing as the “inevitable” fate of anyone who collaborates with an occupying power.

In a statement on Thursday, Hamas said Abu Shabab’s death demonstrated the inability of Tel Aviv to protect its collaborators, warning that anyone who undermines the security of the Palestinian people and serves their enemy forfeits “any respect or status.”

Hamas also praised local families and clans for distancing themselves from him, noting that his actions represented a clear breach of Palestinian national and social identity.

According to Hamas, “Israel’s” reliance on such militias reflects the entity’s weakness in confronting Palestinian resistance during a war that has martyred more than 70,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.