Israel’s Plan to Back Gaza Militias Proves a Risky Gamble

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Aaron BoxermanDecember 6, 2025 at 05:26 PM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

In December 2025, Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of the Israeli-backed Gazan militia Popular Forces, was killed in clashes with a Palestinian clan in southern Gaza. Israel had supported Abu Shabab and his militia as part of a strategy to combat Hamas, even allegedly providing them with weapons. Abu Shabab openly acknowledged security coordination with Israel to prevent Hamas infiltration. Hamas celebrated his death, calling him a traitor and urging other pro-Israel militias to surrender. The future of the Popular Forces remains uncertain, though Abu Shabab's deputy has assumed leadership. Since the beginning of the war, Israel has been seeking Gazan allies to weaken Hamas's control and has supported at least four small armed groups.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Keywords

gaza militias 90% israel 80% hamas 80% yasser abu shabab 70% popular forces 60% undermine hamas 50% palestinian clan 50% gazan allies 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Gaza

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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gaza militias israel hamas yasser abu shabab popular forces undermine hamas palestinian clan gazan allies

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