Anti- Hamas Armed Groups Seek Future Role Under Gaza Peace Plan

Anti- Hamas armed groups in Gaza Strip gave called for their inclusion in the strips peace plan.

One of the largest militia, the Popular Forces, operates near the Southern city of Rafah
Others include groups based around family clans, criminal gangs and new militia; some of which are backed by Israel, as its Prime Minister recently admitted.

Elements within the Palestinian Authority which governs parts of the occupied West Bank and is a political rival to Hamas, are also believed to be covertly sending support.

But these militia each operating in its own local area inside the 53% of Gaza’s territory currently controlled by Israeli forces have not been officially included in US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which calls for an International Stabilisation Force and a newly-trained Palestinian police force to secure Gaza in the next stage of the deal.

One of the largest militia is headed by Yasser Abu Shabab, whose Popular Forces operate near the Southern city of Rafah.

In one recent social media video, his deputy talks about working in co-ordination with the Board of Peace; the international body to be tasked with running Gaza under the plan.

Hossam al-Astal, who leads a militia called the Counter-Terrorism Strike Force near the Southern city of Khan Younis, told Israeli media this week that “US representatives” had confirmed his group would have a role in Gaza’s future Police Force.

One video shared by Hossam al-Astal showed fresh food delivered to the tent city his militia runs

Hossam al-Astal once worked for the Palestinian Authority. His group is small; maybe tens of fighters, but is increasingly confident, and runs a well-supplied tent city near Khan Younis.

“Let’s say it’s not the right time for me to answer this question,” Astal smiled when asked if Israel was supplying him. “But we co-ordinate with the Israeli side to bring in food, weapons, everything.”

When asked how he paid for them, he said

“People all over the world are supporting us,” he replied. “It’s not all from Israel. They claim Israel is the only one supporting us and that we are agents of Israel. We are not Israel’s agents.”

He said tens of families had come to live in his new site, just inside the Yellow Line that marks the territory currently controlled by Israel under the ceasefire deal and that more people were arriving every week.

“We are the next day for the new Gaza,” he said. “We have no problem co-operating with the Palestinian Authority, with the Americans, with anyone who aligns with us. We are the alternative to Hamas.”

But many Gazans , including those disillusioned with Hamas are unhappy with the new power given to these small and fragmented armed groups.

“Only a small number of men who have no religion, faith, or ethics have joined these criminals,” said Saleh Sweidan, who is currently living in Gaza City.

“Gaza’s government was ruling us, and although there were many burdens on civilians, any government is better than gangs.”

“These groups that co-operate with the occupation forces are the worst thing that the war has produced,” said Zaher Doulah, another Gaza City resident. “Joining them is not only dangerous, it is a great betrayal.”

Ashraf Mansi, leader of the People’s Army Northern Forces, warned Hamas in a video in October not to approach Northern areas of Gaza where his militia was operating

Thirty-one year old Montaser Masoud said he had joined al-Astal’s new tent city two months ago with his wife and four children, crossing the Yellow Line at night to avoid Hamas, and after coordination with Israeli forces.

But he said relatives who had stayed behind in Hamas-controlled areas were critical of the move.

“They’ve been harassing us, saying what we’re doing it wrong and has no future,” he told me. “I told them that they’re the ones we worry about, because they live outside the Yellow Line and anyone from Hamas could hide next to them, and they could be bombed.