Rising Anti-Terror Sentiment
Gaza Militia Leader Issues Stark Warning to Hamas: "The Next Bullet is For You" | WATCH
In a defiant Gaza showdown, militia leader Hussam Al-Astal unleashes a fiery threat against Hamas as his anti-terror force collaborates with Israel, forging safe zones and eyeing a post-Hamas future.
In a bold escalation against Hamas, Hussam Al-Astal, founder and leader of the "Strike Force Against Terror" militia in Khan Younis, released a video message threatening the group with imminent action.
"We carry our message, Hamas, the next bullet on you, the next bullet on Hamas, Allahu Akbar," Al-Astal declared, dismissing Hamas threats as "nonsense" and asserting that his forces remain active in the field while Hamas is "finished."
Al-Astal, approximately 50 years old and a former member of the Palestinian Authority's preventive security forces in Gaza, established his anti-Hamas militia on August 21, 2025, during the Swords of Iron War. Operating from the village of Kizan an-Najar east of Khan Younis, the group aims to combat what it describes as Hamas's "oppression and terror."
He has been a vocal critic of Hamas, which sentenced him to death in a 2022 military court for alleged collaboration with Israel since the 1990s, including involvement in the 2018 assassination of Palestinian scientist Fadi Al-Batsh in Malaysia.
Despite repeated imprisonments by Hamas, Al-Astal now views the organization as weakened and lacking popular support among Gaza residents. His militia openly cooperates with Israel, with Al-Astal stating, "Without connection with the Israelis, I cannot work and no one can work."
He claims they receive power, security, equipment, food, and support from Israeli sources, with reports suggesting backing from the Shin Bet and IDF.
Al-Astal portrays his operational base as a "new state" or "safe zone," providing essentials like food, water, electricity, and shelter to fleeing families. He reports receiving numerous appeals from locals disillusioned with Hamas rule and aspires to integrate his group into a future civil administration.
According to Al-Astal, "American representatives" have indicated his organization could form part of a forthcoming Palestinian police force under "Trump's plan for the day after."In a direct appeal to Israelis, Al-Astal emphasized shared humanity: "There are people in Gaza who are not Hamas—they don't want war and want to live together... We and the Israelis are cousins."