Hamas in Trouble: Morning of Shock in the Gaza Strip

According to an announcement by Yasser Abu Shabab’s militia, six Hamas operatives from the “Saham” unit were eliminated overnight. This unit, according to the militia, is responsible for targeting collaborators with Israel, pointing to an escalation in intra-Palestinian conflict over control and legitimacy in the Strip. Gazans report that the Israeli Air Force actively intervened in the clashes, eliminating a Hamas force from the air.

Meanwhile, Abu Shabab (leader of the “Popular Forces” militia in eastern Rafah) has begun establishing a civilian governance alternative to Hamas. Abu Shabab issued a call for Gazan volunteers with diverse skills to fill civilian administrative roles.

Abu Shabab’s call comes amid the chaos prevailing in the Strip and includes a demand for volunteers in critical fields such as healthcare, engineering and architecture, education and teaching, management and economics, programming and technology, communication and documentation, law, community service and social development, languages and translation, and more.

The call for volunteers includes clear criteria: university graduates, students, retirees, experienced professionals, and young men and women with motivation and willingness. Volunteers will participate in “establishing administrative and community committees in eastern Rafah” to assist in managing the area and rebuilding civilian life.

The volunteer roles are varied and aim to address the population’s urgent needs, including aid and rescue committees, field emergency rooms, education and teaching units for children, communication and documentation units to expose violations, coordination of international aid, maintaining civilian order, and technical and electronic support for community infrastructure.

This initiative marks an initial and tangible attempt to establish a new civilian order in the Gaza Strip outside Hamas’s control, offering a governance alternative to the local population. In Israel and Gaza, observers are watching the move and assessing Abu Shabab’s ability to garner widespread support and fill the administrative vacuum in certain areas of the Strip.