Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed rumors that his country “activated” some clans of Palestinians in Gaza that he says are opposed to Hamas’s terrorist reign over the region.
Former Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman, a political opponent of Netanyahu who now heads the Yisrael Beiteinu party, broke initial reports that the prime minister is arming the groups in Gaza. Lieberman and other Israeli political figures have condemned the plan. They say it endangers Israeli security, characterizing the armed group in Gaza as a “gang” of “criminals and felons” who are affiliated with the Islamic State.
Netanyahu defended the plan Thursday as he argued it was developed upon the advice of “security” officials and intended to outsource warfighting in a bid to save the lives of Israeli soldiers fighting against Hamas. The prime minister also condemned Lieberman for “leaking” the plan, which he suggested would help Hamas gain momentum.
“What did Lieberman leak?” the prime minister questioned in a video posted to X. “That security sources activated a clan in Gaza that opposes Hamas? What is bad about that? It is only good, saving the lives of Israeli soldiers. And publicizing it only helps Hamas.”
Popular Forces is the entity spearheading resistance to Hamas that received weapons shipments from Netanyahu, unnamed Israeli officials told multiple outlets, including the Wall Street Journal. The group is led by Yasser Abu Shabab and operates in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.
The Abu Shabab clan renounced Yasser Abu Shabab over his connections with the Israeli military in a recent statement, saying he and anyone who joined his group “are no longer linked” to the group, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Abu Shabab group calls itself the “Anti-Terror Service,” branding itself as an entity seeking to challenge the terrorism of Hamas, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The outlet reported that Popular Forces consists of roughly 100 armed men operating with the tacit approval of the Israeli military, citing sources in Gaza.
Popular Forces has been accused by Hamas and other critics of looting and stealing humanitarian aid.
The Abu Shabab group says it is protecting aid from Hamas, particularly trucks of vital supply shipments to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the new U.S. and Israeli-backed humanitarian group that distributes aid to Palestinians. Four Popular Forces members were killed by Hamas in April, according to Haaretz.
During an interview with public broadcaster Kan on Wednesday, Lieberman said Netanyahu had approved the transfer of weapons to the Abu Shabab clan.
“The Israeli government is giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons, identified with the Islamic State group,” Lieberman said. “Israel gave assault rifles and small arms to crime families in Gaza on Netanyahu’s orders. I doubt it went through the Security Cabinet. No one can guarantee these weapons won’t eventually be turned against Israel.”
Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats in the Israeli parliament, condemned Netanyahu after Lieberman’s comments in a post to X.
“Netanyahu is a threat to Israel’s national security. Instead of bringing about a deal … bringing the hostages home and providing security for Israeli citizens, he is creating a new ticking time-bomb in Gaza,” Golan said.
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Popular Forces has denied collaborating with Israel or receiving weapons shipments from the country.
“Our weapons are simple, outdated and came through the support of our own people,” it claimed in a statement.
