Emerging Armed Groups in Gaza Position for Role in Peace Plan

Sun Nov 30 2025 21:20:09 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Several militia groups in Gaza are seeking recognition in the upcoming peace framework that would reshape the region, presenting themselves as alternatives to Hamas.

Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a number of armed groups have arisen, challenging Hamas for control. These factions, some with Israeli backing, are pushing for a role in the peace process, which includes calls for an International Stabilisation Force and a reformed Palestinian police force. Leaders of these militias claim they can provide a viable alternative to Hamas, but their legitimacy and the implications of their alliances raise concerns among Gazans and political officials alike.

Urgent questions are being raised over a patchwork of armed groups that have emerged to fight Hamas in Gaza over recent months.

They 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 the US President's peace plan, which calls for an International Stabilisation Force and a newly-trained Palestinian police force.

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 coordination with the Board of Peace, the international body tasked with running Gaza under the plan.

The leader of the Counter-Terrorism Strike Force militia, Hossam al-Astal, claimed his group would play a role in Gaza's future police force.

Al-Astal, who once worked for the Palestinian Authority, indicated that he is coordinating with the Israeli side for supplies while reassuring supporters that they are not Israeli agents.

Despite some local support, many Gazans expressing dissatisfaction with these new groups, emphasizing a preference for governance over militia control.

As Israel supports these factions, concerns grow regarding the long-term impacts on stability in Gaza and potential future conflicts with these armed groups that were initially perceived as allies.