A Hamas-run military court in the Gaza Strip has issued a 10-day ultimatum for Yasser Abu Shabab, a notorious gang leader accused of collaborating with Israel and looting humanitarian aid, to surrender himself or face trial in absentia.
The Revolutionary Court of the Military Judiciary Authority in Gaza announced that Abu Shabab, 35, head of the Popular Forces, must turn himself in to face charges of treason, armed rebellion, collaboration with hostile entities, and forming an illegal armed group.
The Popular Forces, a heavily armed faction of about 100 men, are believed to operate in southern Gaza and are allegedly backed by Israel. Reports from Israeli and Palestinian media claim the group is comprised largely of Bedouin fighters loyal to Abu Shabab.
Background of the Case
The group rose to public attention last month after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed Israel had “activated powerful local clans” in Gaza based on intelligence advice. The Popular Forces were identified as one of those groups.
According to Israeli claims, the group has been helping guard aid shipments coordinated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a controversial body contracted by Israel to replace traditional UN-led aid distribution networks. Mass casualties near GHF centres have sparked global outcry amid accusations of mismanagement and politicization of aid.
The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) has described Abu Shabab as the leader of a Rafah-based criminal gang, widely blamed for stealing aid and previously arrested by Hamas for drug trafficking.
Gang Response and Public Reaction
In a defiant post on a Facebook page affiliated with the Popular Forces, the group dismissed the court’s ruling as a “sitcom that doesn’t frighten us,” framing the charges as politically motivated and unjust.
Despite the rhetoric, the court urged all residents of Gaza, particularly in the Rafah region still under Israeli military presence, to report any knowledge of Abu Shabab’s location. Failure to do so, it warned, would be treated as harboring a fugitive.
Wider Implications
The case underscores the growing tension and lawlessness in southern Gaza amid ongoing conflict, Israeli incursions, and shifting control of aid distribution. Hamas’s attempt to reassert judicial authority over rogue militias may signal internal cracks within Gaza’s power structure.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, the rivalry between international aid bodies, Israeli-backed actors, and Hamas governance structures continues to complicate relief efforts and accountability.
