For years, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tacitly supported Hamas to serve two main objectives—upend the popularity of the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in Gaza, and keep Palestinians divided on the issue of statehood.
Israel even allowed Qatar to funnel millions of dollars to Hamas during the late 2010s and early 2020s.
Though the money was transferred under the pretext of humanitarian aid, it helped Hamas overthrow the Palestine Authority and solidify its takeover of Gaza in 2007.
Netanyahu continued to engage with Hamas in the hopes of preventing a unified Palestinian leadership from taking shape in Gaza and the West Bank.
But, Netanyahu’s gamble backfired when Hamas launched a surprise assault on October 7, 2023, and triggered a 20-month-long war, with no end in sight.
Israeli intelligence officials later admitted that Qatari money contributed to the success of the October 7 attack.
But, Netanyahu hasn't learn't from his mistakes.
In a similar tactic, Israeli security forces are now propping up a rival Palestinian faction in Gaza to undercut the Hamas' influence.
Several Israeli and Palestinian media reports have accused the Netanyahu government of working with a militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab. The IDF is reportedly arming Shabab's Popular Forces of Palestine, that allegedly has ties with terrorist groups like ISIS.
Shabab is part of a local tribe called the Bedouin, which is based across the border between Gaza and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
Some of the tribe's members are said to be involved in criminal activities, including drug smuggling.
The European Council on Foreign Relations describes Abu Shabab as the leader of a "criminal gang operating in the Rafah area that is widely accused of looting aid trucks."
According to the think tank, Abu Shabab was reported to have been previously jailed by Hamas for drug smuggling.
His brother is said to have been killed by Hamas during a crackdown against the gang's attacks on UN aid convoys.
Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades, claimed to have clear evidence of collaboration between these criminal gangs and the Israeli army in the looting of aid and the fabrication of humanitarian crises that deepen the suffering of Palestinians.
But in a sharp rebuttal, the Popular Forces said on its Facebook handle it had "never been, and will never be, a tool of the occupation".
Once a trusted ally, now a terrorist. Netanyahu’s Hamas gamble has left a deep scar on Israel’s security fabric. Now, the prime minister is again engaging with a fringe element, sparking fears that history might repeat itself, possibly with deadlier consequences.)
But Netanyahu himself confirmed that Israel ‘activated’ local clans in Gaza to fight against Hamas. Though he did not name Shadab, Netanyahu confirmed that Israel was in touch with several armed groups.
The Prime Minister justified his move, claiming he acted on the advice of security officials, in order to save lives of Israeli soldiers.
Despite Netanyahu’s assurances, several opposition lawmakers have raised alarm over Shadab’s criminal history and his ties to various jihadist groups.
Israel’s former defence minister Avigdor Liberman criticised Netanyahu’s support for Shabab, saying that weapons were being sent to the local militia without the Cabinet’s approval.
Recalling Netanyahu’s failed to attempt to court Hamas, Liberman warned that continuous support to Popular Forces could one day prove fatal to Israel.
Lieberman said, “We are talking about what is equivalent to ISIS (Daesh) in Gaza. No one guarantees that these weapons will not be directed at Israel. We have no means of monitoring or tracking these weapons."
