Gaza militia confirms killing of its chief Yasser Abu Shabab

The controversial Popular Forces militia in Gaza confirmed on Thursday the death of its commander, Yasser Abu Shabab, saying he had succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained while "performing his duty in the field" and attempting to calm a dispute between members of the Abu Suneimah family.

The group denied reports that he had been killed by Hamas, saying such claims were false and that Hamas was "too weak to target the general commander and his comrades".

Abu Shabab had become one of the most prominent figures associated with collaboration during Israel's ground invasion of Rafah in 2024.

His militia operated in areas under full Israeli control in eastern Rafah and was repeatedly accused by Palestinians of working alongside Israeli forces, including in the looting of humanitarian aid entering the south and in security missions that facilitated Israeli assaults in the area.

In a statement mourning his death, the Popular Forces described Abu Shabab as its "general commander" in the Gaza Strip. The group accused those spreading reports of Hamas involvement of "circulating untrue news", insisting he died from injuries suffered during the local dispute.

Hamas issued its own statement on Thursday, welcoming Abu Shabab's death and describing him as a "collaborator with the occupation".

The movement said his fate "is the inevitable fate of anyone who betrays his people and his homeland, and consents to be a tool in the hands of the occupation". Hamas added that the "criminal acts" carried out by Abu Shabab and his group represented "a blatant departure from the national and social ranks".

The movement praised the families, tribes and clans that had earlier disowned Abu Shabab and "anyone involved in attacking their own people or collaborating with the occupation", saying they had "withdrawn tribal and social protection from this isolated group which represents no one but itself".

Hamas said Israel's reliance on "gangs that are socially and morally fallen, and outside the law" reflected the "state of impotence" it had reached in the face of Palestinian resistance.

"The occupation, which was unable to protect its collaborators, will not be able to protect any of its other agents", the group said, adding that the fate of anyone who "tampers with the security of his people and serves their enemy is to fall into the rubbish heap of history".

The statements come amid conflicting accounts of how Abu Shabab died. Israeli media previously reported that he had been killed in unclear circumstances in an area north of Rafah, with some outlets linking the shooting to an internal dispute between local families.

Israel's Army Radio described the incident as an assassination carried out by armed men, while Channel 14 reported that one of his own group’s members, who had joined days earlier, opened fire on him during a confrontation.

Israeli outlets also reported that he was transferred to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, which confirmed he had arrived dead.

His militia, known as the Popular Forces, operated under full Israeli control in eastern Rafah and was accused by Palestinians of looting humanitarian aid entering the south.

Reports said his group had carried out these activities under direct Israeli protection, and that Israeli forces on several occasions attempted to extract gunmen working with him during clashes with Palestinian resistance factions.

Local accounts described him as having a criminal record that included drug trafficking and theft. He was imprisoned by Gaza's authorities before escaping during Israeli strikes on detention facilities.

Following his escape, Abu Shabab reorganised his network in Rafah and sought to recruit dozens of Palestinians into his ranks as an alternative to Hamas. Resistance factions repeatedly accused him of providing intelligence and operational support to Israel, including in security operations that led to arrests and targeted killings.

His family publicly disowned him in May 2025, declaring full repudiation after his involvement in aid theft and operations carried out on behalf of Israel in Rafah and Khan Younis.