In a stunning and unprecedented move, Yasser Abu Shabab — the elusive commander of the emerging "Popular Forces" militia now controlling parts of eastern Rafah — has broken his silence, granting his first-ever interview to an Israeli media outlet. The exclusive written exchange with Doron Kadosh, military correspondent for Ga'ley Tzahal (IDF Radio), offers a rare glimpse into the unfolding civil war within Gaza and suggests the seeds of a radically different post-Hamas future.
Abu Shabab's group, long shrouded in mystery and regional whispers, has now emerged as a formidable third force — one that challenges Hamas’s brutal reign and operates independently of the battered and discredited Palestinian Authority. Once considered a marginal tribal defense force, the Popular Forces are now receiving hundreds of displaced Palestinians daily, many fleeing Hamas reprisals or seeking refuge from the chaos engulfing the Strip.
“Hundreds of families seek refuge with us, and we admit dozens each day,” Abu Shabab revealed. “Our presence here is essential to protect families in IDF-controlled areas. They enter via a humanitarian corridor. We demand the safe passage of tens of thousands under international supervision.”
Gaza’s Emirate Model? A New Political Reality Emerging
Abu Shabab is increasingly viewed — even within Israeli security circles — as a potential prototype for a localized “emirate” governance model conceived by Israeli professor Dr. Mordechai Kedar over a decade ago: a future where strong clan-based leadership replaces the centralized and largely dysfunctional Palestinian Authority. According to several Israeli analysts, this vision of decentralized Palestinian rule could offer the only viable alternative to both Hamas and the PA, whose legitimacy is crumbling.
Though Abu Shabab firmly denied receiving any funding or arms from Israel, he confirmed coordination with Palestinian Authority intelligence agents who are reportedly manning security screening checkpoints in the areas his militia controls. The aim: preventing Hamas terrorists from infiltrating and hijacking humanitarian operations.
Former #IDF colonel Prof. Mordechai Kedar talks #ISIS, #Iran and ‘Palestinian emirates’ https://t.co/D3KW8zCBdT pic.twitter.com/lYLsYpf57i
— The Canadian Jewish News (@TheCJN) February 17, 2016
“Our relationship is based on the Palestinian people’s highest national interest,” he said. “We work with the Authority’s legal framework to ensure security, but we are an independent force. We don’t work with Israel, and our weapons are not Israeli-made. They are locally sourced and inherited from our tribal ancestors — specifically the Tarabin (bedouin tribe).”
Confrontation With Hamas: Bloody Clashes and a Bid for Liberation
In what may be the most significant revelation, Abu Shabab openly accused Hamas of carrying out lethal attacks on his forces. “They attacked our positions multiple times and killed approximately 25 of our men,” he declared. The clashes reportedly erupted over control of humanitarian aid distribution, a growing flashpoint in war-ravaged Gaza. Abu Shabab further alleged that “hundreds of demonstrations” have erupted across the Strip, calling for Hamas’s removal — a rebellion echoing louder with each passing day.
His remarks were echoed in an audio recording released Sunday by the Center for Peace Relations, marking the first time his voice has been publicly heard since his group seized territory in eastern Rafah. In the recording, Abu Shabab underscores his vision: liberating Gaza from Hamas oppression and protecting civilians at any cost.
EXCLUSIVE: Gazan militia leader Yasir Abu Shabab issues first public statement.
— Center for Peace Communications (@PeaceComCenter) June 8, 2025
“We aim to protect Palestinians from Hamas's terrorism … and expand into other areas controlled by Hamas.”
Watch: pic.twitter.com/yQCzQ2pQ5o
Propaganda or Truth? Lieberman, ISIS, and the Battle of Perception
The interview has already stirred political controversy in Israel. MK Avigdor Lieberman, known for his hawkish stance, accused the Popular Forces of being linked to ISIS — a claim Abu Shabab dismissed as “nonsense propaganda.”
“These accusations are smear tactics designed to tarnish our image and ignite unnecessary conflict between us and the wider region,” he said. “We are not aligned with any foreign government or intelligence service. We answer only to our people.”
The Popular Forces further released a written statement on Friday “completely rejecting” what they called Israel’s false claim that they had received weapons from the IDF or any foreign military supplier.
בלעדי: שיחה עם מנהיג המיליציה שישראל מחמשת בעזה, יאסר אבו שבאב - על שיתוף הפעולה עם הרשות הפלסטינית ומאות המשפחות שלטענתו כבר עברו לשטח שבשליטתו
— דורון קדוש | Doron Kadosh (@Doron_Kadosh) June 8, 2025
בשיחה בלעדית וכתובה עם מנהיג מיליציית ״הכוחות העממיים״ ברצועת עזה, יאסר אבו שבאב, שפועל בשיתוף פעולה עם ישראל, עונים אבו שבאב ו״מנהל…
A Third Path Forward: Popular Forces Threaten Hamas's Monopoly on Power
Whether or not Abu Shabab’s group becomes a long-term player in Gaza’s fractured political landscape remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the Popular Forces represent a growing grassroots insurgency against Hamas’s theocratic tyranny — one that could, under the right circumstances, be molded into a stabilizing counterweight to Gaza’s cycle of violence and foreign manipulation.
As Abu Shabab’s voice reverberates across the Strip — both through radio waves and on-the-ground action — one reality emerges: the battle for Gaza's soul is no longer just between Hamas and Israel. A third force has arrived.
