TIMES OF ISRAEL
Israel providing guns to Gaza gang to bolster opposition to Hamas
Emanuel Fabian, Nurit Yohanan and Nava Freiberg
June 5, 2025

Israel has been arming a criminal gang in the Gaza Strip as part of an effort to strengthen opposition to Hamas in the enclave, defense sources confirmed on Thursday following remarks on the matter by former defense minister Avigdor Liberman. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed the report, saying the move helped save Israeli soldiers’ lives…The group in question, which is sometimes described as a militia and sometimes as a criminal gang, is led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a member of a large clan in southern Gaza. It has been linked in the past to smuggling operations with Egyptian Jihadist groups…READ MORE

JPOST Ex-top Shin Bet official to ‘Post’: Palestinian groups fighting Hamas in Israel’s interest “What are ‘criminal groups’ when it comes to Hamas-run Gaza?” the official said. Palestinian tribal gangs in Gaza fighting against Hamas is in Israel’s interest, former top Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) official Shalom Ben Hanan told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. He was responding to the controversy about the agency providing weapons to such groups under orders from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.