The Abu Shabab militia will oversee the reconstruction security in Rafah with Israeli approval
The Netanyahu government seeks to grant a degree of legitimacy to members of the militia that supported the Israeli army during the war in Gaza.
According to Israel’s public broadcaster, the “Abu Shabab” militia will be responsible for securing reconstruction projects in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, with Israeli approval. This comes after reports of a meeting between the militia leader, Yasser Abu Shabab, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and former advisor of former U.S. President Donald Trump, which were swiftly denied by the American side.
In its Tuesday evening report, the broadcaster stated that “the Abu Shabab militia, which has cooperated with Israel in the war on Gaza, will be responsible for securing reconstruction projects in Rafah, in areas jointly controlled with Israel.”
For over a month, the first phase of a ceasefire has been in place in Gaza. It included a prisoner exchange between Tel Aviv and Hamas and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces. The second phase foresees a broader withdrawal, the establishment of a transitional authority, and the start of reconstruction projects.
The Israeli broadcaster reported that several militias cooperating with Israel are active in the Gaza Strip, spreading across pockets under Israeli control. Meanwhile, Hamas units such as the “Sahm” Unit and the “Radea” Force have executed several people accused of collaborating with the occupation.
It added that “Israel has not yet made a decision regarding the fate of these militias once its forces withdraw from the Strip.”
It is believed that the Israeli side aims to grant some legitimacy to members of the militia who supported its army during the war, either by pursuing Hamas members or by providing valuable intelligence information.
Arab media outlets had reported a meeting between Kushner and Yasser Abu Shabab to discuss the militia’s role in facilitating the exit of about 200 Hamas fighters from a tunnel in Rafah, but this claim was promptly denied by U.S. officials.
Last June, the Hebrew newspaper Maariv revealed that the “Abu Shabab” militia, which receives Israeli arms support, is composed of “criminals involved in drug trafficking, property crimes, and theft.”
In July, the militia leader said in an interview with the public broadcaster that his group “receives logistical and financial support from multiple sources,” without naming them. He explained that the militia operates mainly in southern Gaza, particularly Rafah, in an area fully controlled by the Israeli army.
“We move with great ease in Rafah,” he added, “but in other southern areas, we move more cautiously, as we do not feel as safe as in zones under Israeli control.”
For the past two years, since October 8, 2023, Israel—with U.S. backing—has waged a bloody war on the Gaza Strip, home to about 2.4 million Palestinians.
The war has resulted in 69,182 Palestinian deaths and 170,694 injuries, most of them women and children, along with massive destruction. The United Nations has estimated the cost of reconstruction at around 70 billion dollars.
