• Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms support for an armed group in Gaza against Hamas.
• The group, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, is associated with criminal activities and looting aid.
• Critics argue this policy aims to create chaos and justify Israel's colonial actions in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly confirmed that Israel is backing an armed group in Gaza, which is in opposition to Hamas. This comes after comments by former Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman indicated that weapons were being transferred to this group. Reports state that this group is linked to a local Bedouin tribe under the leadership of Yasser Abu Shabab, whom the European Council on Foreign Relations (EFCR) describes as the head of a "criminal gang" active in looting aid trucks in the region, according to Dawn, South China Morning Post, Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.

Netanyahu stated, "What did Lieberman leak?... activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas. What is bad about that?" defending the decision as a move to protect Israeli soldiers. Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin confirmed that various operational strategies against Hamas involve empowering local militias, although he did not provide specific details regarding this military support, as reported by Dawn, South China Morning Post, Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.

Experts, including Michael Milshtein from the Moshe Dayan Center, highlighted the troubling implications of arming groups like Abu Shabab, noting the clan's involvement in various illicit activities and their classification as “criminals.” Moreover, he stated that recent actions have included Hamas executing four members of this militia, illustrating the violent and unstable environment that characterizes the region's political landscape, according to Dawn, South China Morning Post, Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.

Hamas has responded to these developments by accusing the armed group of betrayal, asserting that there is clear evidence of coordination between these militias and the Israeli military. They label actions by the Popular Forces, led by Abu Shabab, as indicative of a betrayal of the Palatine people, revealing the depth of animosity and the complex interplay between these factions, according to Dawn, South China Morning Post, Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.

The broader implications of Israel's partnerships with such militias are highlighted in critical assessments, suggesting that this tactic of creating chaos is aimed at undermining Palestinian governance and self-determination. Critics argue this is a deliberate strategy to weaken Palestinian unity and obstruct their aspirations for statehood, a viewpoint repeatedly supported across various analyses, including insights from Dawn, South China Morning Post, Le Monde, Channel News Asia, and Al Jazeera.