An Israeli-backed Palestinian militia said on Wednesday it killed two Hamas operatives in a raid in southern Gaza, in what it described as a renewed push against Hamas in areas under Israeli military control.
The group, known as the Popular Forces, said it carried out an operation in Rafah in which two Hamas members were killed after refusing to surrender, while a third was detained. The militia said it had shared a photo it claimed showed one of the dead men.
Hamas, which labels such armed groups “collaborators,” declined to comment on the claim, which Reuters said it could not independently verify. Rafah is located in territory under Israeli control under the terms of an October Israel–Hamas deal, according to the report.
The Popular Forces was founded by Yasser Abu Shabab, an anti-Hamas Bedouin leader whom the group says was killed in December in what it described as a family feud. He was succeeded by his deputy, Ghassan Duhine, who has vowed to continue the fight against Hamas. The group has also reported increased recruitment since the October deal took effect.
Analysts say the emergence of such groups, while still small and localized, adds pressure on Hamas and could complicate efforts to stabilize Gaza after two years of war. The militias remain unpopular among many residents, in part because they operate under Israeli control. Reuters reported that Hamas continues to command thousands of fighters and has been reasserting its grip in areas it holds, where most of Gaza’s roughly two million people live.
Israel still controls well over half of Gaza, Reuters said, giving Hamas opponents room to operate beyond its reach. With US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza moving slowly, the report said there is no immediate prospect of further Israeli withdrawals.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged in June that Israel had backed anti-Hamas groups, saying Israel had “activated” clans, though Israeli officials have offered few further details since then. The Popular Forces deny receiving Israeli support.