Israel-Backed Gaza Militia Leader Killed in Rafah

Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of an Israel-backed militia in southern Gaza, was killed on December 4 in Rafah amid ongoing conflict in the territory, according to multiple reports from the region. The incident has prompted the group, known as the Popular Forces, to name Ghassan al-Dahini as its new chief, who vowed to continue operations against Hamas.

Abu Shabab, a Bedouin tribal leader from the al-Tarabin tribe, commanded the Popular Forces, the largest of several armed groups operating in Gaza that received support from Israel during the war. The militia emerged toward the end of the two-year conflict and numbered around 2,000 fighters based in Rafah, an area heavily impacted by military operations. Witnesses and local accounts described Abu Shabab being shot by unidentified gunmen in a clash, with conflicting reports on the circumstances. Some sources indicated involvement by Hamas fighters, while others pointed to internal tribal disputes. He succumbed to his wounds shortly after the attack, though accounts differ on the exact location: some said it occurred en route to a hospital in Israel, while others reported his death in Gaza. Neither Hamas nor Israeli officials have...