Following a revelation by Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman earlier today (Thursday), that Israel has transferred weapons and ammunition to crime families in the Gaza Strip, the military censor has cleared parts of the covert operation for publication. According to journalist Doron Kadosh, the weapons were delivered to militia members in the Strip—most of them having been seized from Hamas during IDF operations in Gaza.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not deny the report, and responded:
“Israel is acting to bring about Hamas’s defeat through a range of diverse methods, in accordance with the recommendations of all heads of the security establishment.”
Who’s the new player?
That title belongs to Yasser Abu Shabab, a native of Rafah and a senior member of the Tarabin clan—the largest Bedouin clan in the Gaza Strip.
Abu Shabab, who previously played a central role in smuggling operations along the Egypt-Gaza border, has, amid the war, established a group called the ‘Counter-Terror Mechanism,’ numbering in the hundreds.
According to Palestinian sources, Hamas arrested him before the war on charges of theft and drug trafficking. He later escaped prison after Hamas’s security headquarters were bombed from the air. Under public pressure, his family in Gaza publicly disowned him last month, declaring complete excommunication after admitting he had been involved in security-related activity benefiting Israel.
The Telegram channel “Al-Mukhabarat” reported that Abu Shabab took advantage of the security chaos in Gaza to establish local control in the al-Shouka area, east of Rafah, where he set up a training camp for his men. The clan’s operatives are heavily armed and operate openly.
Abu Shabab and the ‘Counter-Terror Mechanism’ – WATCH:
At present, the group provides security for humanitarian aid convoys entering Gaza in coordination with the United Nations.
Hostile to Hamas—but no Zionist ally
Abu Shabab has openly expressed hostility toward Hamas and has even threatened publicly to reveal the locations of its operatives to hostile elements. He claims he is not affiliated with any Palestinian faction and that his only goal is “to protect the citizens.”
Despite reports of indirect cooperation, it is important to note that Abu Shabab is not an ally of Israel. He is a local actor with independent interests. His clan has often been accused of smuggling into Israel.
Hamas: A bid to sow chaos
Hamas responded to the reports by stating that Avigdor Lieberman’s comments “expose a dangerous truth.”
According to the organization, Israel is arming “criminal gangs” in the Gaza Strip to create security and social disorder, and to implement its plans to “starve and rob humanitarian aid.” Hamas further claimed these groups are operating “under direct Zionist security supervision” and called them “a true enemy of our Palestinian people” who would be held accountable “by our forces and the relevant authorities.”
