On October 7, 2023, Yasser Abu Shabab found himself imprisoned by Hamas in Gaza, facing drug trafficking charges. However, following the eruption of hostilities, he mysteriously managed to escape, with details surrounding his release still unknown.
After a period of absence from the public eye, Abu Shabab resurfaced last week when Israeli defense officials announced they had begun arming a group he leads, known as the Anti-Terror Service. This faction, composed of roughly 100 armed men, operates in eastern Rafah under Abu Shabab’s command, earning him the moniker “the Israeli agent” and branding him a “traitor” on social media.
Israeli officials indicated that their strategy aims to “reduce Israeli military casualties” while gradually weakening Hamas. However, some critics warn that supporting this criminal gang could push Gaza toward a civil war.
At just 32 years old, Abu Shabab has positioned himself as a formidable presence, controlling aid routes near the pivotal Kerem Shalom crossing. His group’s members have been accused of looting aid trucks and allegedly maintaining ties with extremist factions. Last month, Jonathan Whittall, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territories, accused criminal gangs of stealing aid under the watch of Israeli forces, specifically mentioning Abu Shabab’s group.
In a written interview, Abu Shabab attributed the conflict in Gaza to Hamas and defended against allegations of looting, asserting that his clan provides essential security to aid deliveries from the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza. “My activities are humanitarian and it’s for my people only,” he stated. “We are providing security in areas controlled by our national forces and providing support to hundreds of families, with hundreds of people flocking to our areas every day.”
Videos circulating online verified by the Guardian depict members of Abu Shabab’s faction alongside Israeli soldiers in IDF-controlled territories of southern Gaza. When questioned about coordination with Israeli forces, he claimed, “We do not work directly with the Israeli army.”
Defense sources cited by The Times of Israel reported that Israeli forces supplied Abu Shabab’s faction with Kalashnikov rifles, including some taken from Hamas. Since the easing of Israel’s blockade on aid to Gaza, numerous trucks filled with food have been crossing into the region daily through Kerem Shalom, where Abu Shabab has established a network of checkpoints.
A diplomatic official informed CNN that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new U.S.-backed initiative created to distribute supplies in Gaza, has had contacts with Abu Shabab, “whether directly or indirectly.” While he declined to comment on any collaboration with the GHF, which is providing food at three locations in Rafah, the GHF’s spokesperson claimed, “We provide our own security and do not have any local security. Our trucks have never been protected by Abu Shabab or anyone else.”
Inconsistencies marked Abu Shabab’s assertions as he claimed his group does not take from aid trucks, while in an interview with the New York Times last November, he acknowledged that his men had raided several trucks since the conflict began, stating, “We are taking trucks so we can eat, not so we can sell.”
The press coverage of the ongoing war in Gaza has faced significant challenges due to Israeli restrictions on journalists, impacting the ability to report accurately on the ground. Over 180 journalists have been killed, with some targeted directly by Israeli forces. Efforts for foreign reporters to access Gaza have been largely thwarted.
As Abu Shabab’s notoriety grows, Hamas has declared its intention to eliminate him, driven by personal motives as well—Hamas killed his brother last year, and they’ve attempted to kill him on multiple occasions. “The war will not end as long as Hamas insists on its position,” he asserted.
Recent reports from the Israeli news outlet i24 indicated that Israeli troops intervened in clashes with Hamas to protect Abu Shabab, resulting in casualties on both sides. Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention Abu Shabab by name, he acknowledged activating clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas, igniting controversy among opposition leaders who accused the government of arming a criminal element affiliated with extremist groups.
In a significant move, Abu Shabab’s family publicly disowned him, stating, “We will not accept Yasser’s return to the family. We have no objection to those around him liquidating him immediately.”
Experts warn that the emergence of Abu Shabab as a collaborator with Israeli forces could signal a perilous new chapter in the conflict, raising concerns that his faction may face violent clashes with Hamas as well as rival gangs, potentially leading to a civil war scenario where civilians would suffer the most.