Israel continues to back Gazan militias over the Yellow Line to fight Hamas in areas under the terrorist group’s control, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
Prior to the ceasefire in October, it was confirmed that Israel – generally through the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), but sometimes also together with the IDF – would provide various kinds of support to such Gaza militias such as Abu Shabab.
In fact, when Abu Shabab leader Yasser Abu Shabab was mortally wounded on December 4, he was publicly brought to an Israeli hospital in an attempt to save his life.
Most of the militias are in the deep southern part of Gaza near Rafah, where Israel’s presence in Gaza is strongest.
Since the ceasefire, anti-Hamas groups have been out of the news
Since the ceasefire, however, these groups have maintained a lower profile, and Israel could be seen as undermining the ceasefire by helping them.
Earlier this month, Hussam Al Astal, the leader of one of the groups, boasted about the killing of a police official in Hamas-controlled territory and said more such attacks are being planned, the Journal reported.
“We say to Hamas and everyone affiliated with Hamas: Just as we reached him, we will come for you, too,” Astal said in a video message while brandishing an assault rifle.
Israel’s support for these pop-up militias is extensive even after the ceasefire, Israeli officials and military reservists told the Journal. It provides air support from drones and shares intelligence, weapons, cigarettes, and food, they said.
Despite IDF forces being limited by the terms of the ceasefire, the Gazan militias can still attack Hamas in portions of Gaza that are supposed to be off-limits to Israeli troops, including Al Mawasi, west of near Khan Yunis, where Hamas said Astal’s men had killed the police official, the Journal reported.
Astal’s group includes dozens of gunmen living in an Israeli-controlled part of Gaza but who move over the Yellow Line when carrying out an attack, the Journal reported.
The broader impact of the militias against Hamas has been limited. Nevertheless, it is still viewed as having some effect on undermining the terrorist group’s image of invincibility as Gaza’s rulers.