Hamas battles Israeli-backed militias following Gaza ceasefire

Fighting has broken out between Hamas and other armed factions across Gaza following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas which came into effect on October 10th.

The truce, intended to halt two years of genocidal conflict, has instead been followed by violent clashes between rival armed groups, some backed by Israel and others backed by Hamas, AFP reported on October 26th.

The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s main military wing, has redeployed alongside two auxiliary units, the Sahm (“Arrow”) and Radea (“Deterrence”) forces, to areas vacated by Israeli soldiers. Their return underscores Hamas’s push to restore control amid deep uncertainty over Gaza’s post-war governance.

Among the most prominent of the active factions is the Popular Force, led by Yasser Abu Shabab and based in Rafah near the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing. The group, which has urged for the overthrow of Hamas, allegedly operates under the protection of Israel. Nasser Khdour, who is a Palestinian researcher with the war-monitoring organisation ACLED, has said that at least three similar gangs have emerged, led by Rami Heles in eastern Gaza City, Ashraf al-Mansi in the north, and Hossam al-Astal in Khan Yunis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed that Israel has been arming clans in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas.

Analysts describe these armed groups as opportunistic and largely self-serving. Tahani Mustafa, who is a researcher from the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the gangs ae regarded to be “looters.” Reportedly, Hamas views them as groups that work together with Israel. Both Mustafa and Khdour argue that these groups lack legitimacy or the capacity to seriously challenge Hamas’s power. “Hamas is still the most capable and strongest armed group in Gaza,” Khdour asserted.

Despite its losses, Hamas retains far greater organisational discipline and popular legitimacy than the gangs or clans now vying for local influence. Its forces have moved swiftly to suppress rivals it labels “outlaws,” accused of undermining the fragile truce.

In Rafah, Hamas’s Radea Force reportedly raided Abu Shabab’s stronghold while staying behind the “yellow line,” the boundary separating Hamas fighters from Israeli troops under the ceasefire terms. Around the same time, two Israeli soldiers were killed nearby, leading Israel to accuse Hamas of breaching the truce and to respond with air strikes that killed dozens of Palestinians. The ceasefire was later brought back into affect.

According to ACLED, Radea has been involved in 15 violent incidents since June this year, while the Sahm Force, formed last year, has participated in around 130 operations, often targeting looters and suspected collaborators. Sahm’s actions are frequently brutal, involving public beatings and executions.

Beyond the gangs, powerful Gazan families and Bedouin clans have also taken up arms. A recent Hamas raid on members of the Doghmush family in Gaza City’s Sabra neighbourhood resulted in multiple arrests and public executions.

Israel previously suggested that clan leaders could set up a governing council to replace Hamas, but the proposal was rejected. “Not only could they not, but they did not want to,” said Mustafa, reflecting Hamas’s continued dominance in Gaza’s unstable post-war political landscape.

AFP, BBC, Maghrebi.org