Gaza – The Hamas movement has issued a statement claiming responsibility, indirectly, for the death of Yasser Abu Shabab, a militia leader, asserting that he met his “inevitable fate” for allegedly collaborating with Israel. The statement, released earlier today, accuses Abu Shabab of betraying the Palestinian people and acting as a tool for the Israeli occupation.
Hamas further stated that Abu Shabab and his group engaged in criminal activities that represented a blatant departure from national and social unity. The group praised the stance of families, tribes, and clans who, they claim, have disowned Abu Shabab and anyone involved in harming Palestinians or collaborating with Israel. Hamas asserted that this action removes tribal and social protection from this isolated faction.
“The occupation, which failed to protect its agents, will not be able to protect any of its aides,” the Hamas statement declared. It emphasized that the unity of the Palestinian people, with its families, tribes, clans, and national institutions, remains the safeguard against all attempts to undermine its internal fabric.
Reports indicate that Abu Shabab was killed east of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. While details surrounding his death remain unclear, the circumstances are shrouded in ambiguity, with conflicting reports circulating in Israeli media regarding the manner and location of his killing.
Yasser Abu Shabab, born in Rafah in 1990 and belonging to the Tarabin tribe, was reportedly imprisoned before October 7, 2023, on criminal charges. He was released following Israeli strikes on security facilities. His name emerged after the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, targeted an Israeli undercover unit east of Rafah on May 30, 2025. The operation allegedly revealed a group of collaborators recruited by the Israeli occupation and directly linked to what Hamas described as the “Yasser Abu Shabab gang.”
