An Unexpected New Threat Just Opened Against Hamas in Gaza
Amid the IDF's ground operation, armed clans in Gaza are challenging Hamas authority and engaging in direct combat, acting in coordination with Israeli security forces.
A new internal front has opened in Gaza as armed local clans are reportedly rising up against Hamas, according to sources within the IDF Southern Command. These local groups are challenging Hamas's authority, deploying hundreds of armed members to the entrances of their territories to repel the militant group’s security mechanisms. In some instances, this has led to "real combat" between the armed clans and Hamas militants.
According to a military source, these groups have identified a "weakness" in Hamas as the IDF's operation intensifies. They are taking advantage of the mass movement of the population to demonstrate their own power and establish local governance. The clans have focused their efforts on pushing back against Hamas's "Arrow Unit," a group known for its violent actions against those it suspects of cooperating with Israel.
The clans are said to have an "oral agreement" with the IDF and the Shin Bet, Israel's security agency. Under this understanding, they are allowed to remain in their areas within Gaza City without being required to evacuate southward. In exchange for their cooperation, they receive a secure area and a safe route for humanitarian aid. The Abu Shabeb clan, operating between Rafah and Khan Yunis, is cited as a prime example, with reports indicating they have killed Hamas militants in firefights.
Security officials believe that as the conquest of Gaza City progresses, the number of clans resisting Hamas will grow. While there was initial criticism of Israel's strategy to work with armed groups in Gaza, officials now emphasize the positive outcome of this close coordination. In some areas, clans are even providing shelter to families who do not wish to evacuate, further solidifying their local authority in the power vacuum created by the military operation.