Five 'Abu Shabab' Gang Members Seek Amnesty from Hamas After Leaders' Abandonment

In a dramatic turn amid fragile ceasefire talks in Gaza, five members of the "Abu Shabab Gang," a Gaza-based militia accused of collaborating with Israel, have reached out to their families, seeking mediation with Hamas' "Resistance Security" forces for amnesty in exchange for surrender.

This revelation, exclusively reported by the Hamas-affiliated Shehab News Agency, highlights growing fractures within anti-Hamas groups as a potential truce looms, leaving lower-level operatives feeling abandoned by their leaders.

According to Shehab's sources, the individuals, identified only by their initials (A.N), (M.S), (H.S), (S.K), and (N.R), made the move after receiving an official message from gang leaders Yasser Abu Shabab and Ghassan Al-Dahini, who announced their "relinquishment of responsibility" for the members in the event of any agreement or settlement. The members reportedly told their families that Abu Shabab had "abandoned them and left them to face their fate," showing a sense of betrayal as the group's operations falter.

The sources detailed a conversation where Abu Shabab explained his failed efforts to integrate the members into the Israeli Army's tracker unit, a specialized force often used for border security and intelligence. "We requested the army to integrate you into the Israeli Army's tracker unit, but the army officers explicitly informed Yasser that they would not be able to integrate them due to the army's internal regulations and that the matter requires a political decision," the message allegedly stated.

Furthermore, Abu Shabab warned that the Israeli military could no longer provide protection, as any such action would violate an existing U.S.-sponsored agreement, requiring high-level approvals.

In a blunt follow-up, Abu Shabab reportedly told his followers: "Sort yourselves out. If you want to surrender to Hamas, you are free."

When pressed on his own plans, he revealed intentions to flee Gaza alongside Ghassan Al-Dahini and Hameed Al-Soufi, with assistance from the Israeli army, citing fears of immediate liquidation by Hamas in the early hours of any truce

Abu Shabab, a 30-year-old former prisoner on narcotics charges, has been accused by Hamas of being a traitor and gangster, while his group claimed responsibility for killing five Hamas members in June 2025 ambushes. Israel has faced allegations of arming such clans, including Abu Shabab's, to secure humanitarian aid convoys and weaken Hamas' grip, though these efforts have been linked to looting incidents.

In July 2025, a Hamas-run court ordered Abu Shabab to surrender for trial, giving him 10 days, amid accusations of looting aid.