Clan Militia in Rafah Moves to Replace Hamas Rule with Civilian Governance

Yasser Abu Shab’s “Popular Forces” militia launched a brazen bid to seize control from Hamas’s terrorist regime in eastern Rafah, Gaza, by announcing plans to form a civilian administrative system. In a statement, Abu Shab called for volunteers to join “administrative and community committees,” recruiting professionals like doctors, physiotherapists, pharmacists, mental health experts, engineers, architects, teachers, economists, accountants, HR specialists, programmers, cybersecurity experts, journalists, photographers, lawyers, mediators, social workers, psychologists, and interpreters. “Come be part of the first true public governance that stands by its people, protects them from chaos, and builds a dignified future,” the militia proclaimed, exploiting the collapse of Hamas’s iron-fisted rule after Israel’s decisive military operations since October 2023.

Abu Shab’s clan-based militia, capitalizing on Gaza’s chaos due to the ongoing war, and aims to fill the void left by Hamas, whose brutal reign saw 26,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid hijacked at Rafah to fuel its jihadist agenda. This recruitment drive, while framed as governance, raises alarms about the militia’s legitimacy and possible alignment with foreign actors like Egypt, threatening Israel’s security as it battles Iran-backed terror groups.

Hamas’s reign of terror, marked by executing Gazan protesters demanding peace and starving civilians to arm its tunnels, has fuelled local despair, inadvertently boosting Abu Shab’s appeal. Yet, Israel’s strategic dismantling of Hamas’s 450-mile tunnel network and elimination of key commanders like Yahya Sinwar in 2024 has crippled the group, paving the way for such challenges. Abu Shab’s plan to restore services in Rafah, where 80% of infrastructure lies in ruins, lacks credibility without international oversight, and risks escalating factional violence. Israel remains vigilant, committed to ensuring no terror group Hamas or otherwise threatens its citizens again.