Good spot. When I wrote it first I put that some captured weapons are expected but somehow cut it. Phone tricky. I never heard of the Egyptian copy. Still, had anyone else been firing that many rounds, the IDF would have been attacking that position. Fatalities fairly low vs injuries so I'd hazard longer distance.. Also the presence of 5.56 in seeming quantity implies both Hamas AND IDF needed to attack. Instructions to the locals were issued but then amended, far too late, something like an hour before with instructions to not approach until an 5am I think when the sun was fully up. So the IDF started blasting.
You really get hit in the head a lot doing your muay-boy sparring don't you... "*" asterisk is a footnote marker. Footnotes don't count.
Seems the bandit firing seen in that drone footage, might have a boss who is ISIS and they all work for Bibi? It reads like a bleak mash-up of Wag the Dog, Sicario, and Lawrence of Arabia, but without the glamour, coherence, or redemption arc. Empowering irregular forces with questionable motives and allegiances has a long and ugly history from U.S. support of Afghan mujahideen (some of whom became al-Qaeda) to the arming of militias in Iraq that eventually fed into ISIS. But hey, Shin Bet are organizing it and they are still commanded by the same guy, Ronen Bar, who did nothing useful at an emergency meeting, the night before the Oct 7th attack. What could go wrong? Israel accused of arming Palestinian gang who allegedly looted aid in Gaza Gang ‘of about 100 armed men’ operate in eastern Rafah with tacit approval of IDF in apparent attempt to counter Hamas https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...stinian-gang-who-allegedly-looted-aid-in-gaza Satellite images and videos verified by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz showed on Thursday that a new Palestinian militia has expanded its presence in southern Gaza, and is operating inside an area under the direct control of the Israel Defense Forces. The group, which has also been accused of ties to jihadist groups, is reportedly led by a man known as Yasser abu Shabab, a Rafah resident from a Bedouin family, known locally for his involvement in criminal activity and the looting of humanitarian aid. According to media reports, Abu Shabab’s group, which calls itself the “Anti-Terror Service”, consists of about 100 armed men who operate in eastern Rafah with the tacit approval of the Israeli armed forces. It has variously been described as a militia and a criminal gang. The Times of Israel cited defence sources who said that Israel provided members Abu Shabab’s faction with Kalashnikov assault rifles, including some weapons seized from Hamas. The operation was approved by Israel’s security cabinet and prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the newspaper reported, noting that its article had been approved for publication by Israel’s military censor. In a video posted on social media late on Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel had “activated” some Palestinian clans in Gaza, on the advice of “security officials,” in order to save lives of Israeli soldiers. The prime minister’s office had earlier said that “Israel is working to defeat Hamas in various ways, on the recommendation of all heads of the security establishment.” The former defence minister and opposition lawmaker Avigdor Lieberman repeated the allegations and alleged that Abu Shabab’s group was affiliated with the Islamic State terror group. “The Israeli government is giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons, identified with Islamic State, at the direction of the prime minister,” Lieberman, who heads the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party, told Kan Bet public radio. “To my knowledge, this did not go through approval by the cabinet.” The basis for Lieberman’s allegation of ties to IS was not clear. Abu Shabab’s group has previously been accused of involvement in smuggling operations linked to Egyptian jihadi groups. A security official told Israeli news outlet Ynet that the arming of Abu Shabab was approved and led by the Shin Bet internal security service, and described the operation as “planned and managed”, with the goal of “reducing Israeli military casualties while systematically undermining Hamas through targeted strikes, infrastructure destruction and the promotion of rival local forces.” The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Displaced Palestinians walk along a road to receive humanitarian aid packages from a US-backed foundation in Rafah on Thursday. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images In recent weeks, Abu Shabab has published anti-Hamas and anti-Palestinian Authority messages while promoting his militia’s efforts on Facebook. Abu Shabab’s links with Israeli forces were confirmed by his family, which issued a statement last week formally disowning him. “We, like everyone else, were surprised by video footage broadcast by the resistance showing the involvement of Yasser’s groups within a dangerous security framework, reaching the point of operating within undercover units and supporting the Zionist occupation forces, who are brutally killing our people,” the statement said. “We affirm that we will not accept Yasser’s return to the family. We have no objection to those around him liquidating him immediately, and we tell you that his blood is forfeit.” Abu Shabab has reportedly claimed his group were protecting aid convoys, while Hamas has accused him of looting the aid trucks. On 28 May, Jonathan Whittall, the head of United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in occupied Palestinian territories said: “Israel has publicly claimed that the UN and NGO aid is being diverted by Hamas. But this doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. The real theft of aid since the beginning of the war has been carried out by criminal gangs, under the watch of Israeli forces, and they were allowed to operate in proximity to the Kerem Shalom crossing point into Gaza.” When contacted by the Guardian, Whittall confirmed he was “referring to gangs such as Abu Shabab.” On Wednesday, a labour union representing truck drivers in Gaza said it was halting transport of aid deliveries within the strip after an incident in which several truckers were shot dead by gunmen. The Private Transport Association said it was calling the strike in response to an incident a day ago in which a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian aid was attacked by gunmen in the central Gaza. “This crime is not the first of its kind, but it is by far the most serious in a series of recurring assaults aimed at obstructing relief operations and preventing vital aid from reaching hundreds of thousands of civilians facing dire humanitarian conditions,” the statement said. Jihad Sleem, vice-president of the Special Transportation Association, who lost his relative, Mohammed al-Assar, in the attack, said he did not know who the gunmen were. Asked if he suspected Abu Shabab was behind the killings, he said: “It wouldn’t surprise me if he was involved in these attacks. He’s a gangster.”
Israel acknowledges it is backing armed alternatives to Hamas in Gaza By Julia Frankel, Samy Magdy and Sam Mednick June 6, 2025 https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle...natives-to-hamas-in-gaza-20250606-p5m5dt.html Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has “activated” some clans of Palestinians in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas, in the first public acknowledgment that Israel is backing armed Palestinian groups in Gaza. Netanyahu made the comments on social media on Friday (AEST), as the Trump administration said it was imposing sanctions on four judges from the International Criminal Court, including two who issued a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest last year. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem last month.Credit: AP It is not immediately clear what role the Palestinian groups – based around powerful clans or extended families – were playing in Gaza, but one Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu was referring to the so-called Popular Forces led by a Rafah clan leader, Yasser Abu Shabab. That group has said its fighters were helping protect aid shipments to the new Israeli-backed food distribution centres, run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), but some Palestinians say the Abu Shabab group has also been involved in attacking and looting aid convoys. Such clans often wield some control in corners of Gaza, and some have had clashes or tensions with Hamas in the past. Palestinians and aid workers have accused clans of carrying out criminal attacks and stealing aid from trucks. Several clans have issued public statements rejecting co-operation with the Israelis or denouncing looting. Israeli tanks take up position near the GHF aid hub in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.Credit: AP In recent weeks, the Abu Shabab group announced online that its fighters were helping protect shipments to the new, food distribution centres Israel set up the new aid distribution system using GHF after claiming that Hamas was seizing the aid brought into Gaza by other aid groups like the United Nations, which has denied the allegation. The UN and other aid groups are refusing to work with GHF, saying it breaches humanitarian principles. The new system has been marred by chaos, with dozens killed since its inception last week, while attempting to get aid. Witnesses say Israeli forces have fired on crowds gathered near the distribution centres, but Israel says its troops have only fired warning shots. GHF paused aid delivery earlier this week in wake of the deaths, but resumed again on Thursday. Netanyahu did not specify what support Israel was giving to the clans, or what their role would be. His announcement came hours after a political opponent criticised him for arming unofficial groups of Palestinians in Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 20 people were killed while waiting for aid. Israel’s military has denied the reports. In a video posted to his X account, Netanyahu said the government made the move on the advice of “security officials”, to save the lives of Israeli soldiers. Though it has been known in southern Gaza throughout the war, the Abu Shabab group emerged publicly in the past month, posting pictures of its armed members, with helmets, flak jackets and automatic weapons. It declared itself a “nationalist force” protecting aid. The Abu Shabab family renounced Yasser over his connections with the Israeli military in a recent statement, saying he and anyone who joined his group “are no longer linked” to the family. The group’s media office said in response to emailed questions from the Associated Press that it operated in Israeli military-controlled areas for a “purely humanitarian” reason. It described its ties with the Israel military as “humanitarian communication to facilitate the introduction of aid and ensure that it is not intercepted.” “We are not proxies for anyone,” it said. “We have not received any military or logistical support from any foreign party.” It said it had “secured the surroundings” of GHF centres in Rafah but was not involved in distribution of food. It rejected accusations the group had looted aid, calling them “exaggerations” and part of a “smear campaign”. But it also said, “our popular forces led by Yasser Abu Shabab only took the minimum amount of food and water necessary to secure their elements in the field,” without elaborating how, and from whom, they took the aid. Abu Shabab and about 100 fighters have been active in eastern parts of Rafah and Khan Younis, areas under Israeli military control, according to Nahed Sheheiber, the head of the private transportation union in Gaza that provides trucks and drivers for aid groups. He said they used to attack aid trucks driving on a military-designated route leading from the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, the main entry point for aid. “Our trucks were attacked many times by the Abu Shabab gang and the occupation forces stood idle. They did nothing,” Sheheiber said, referring to the Israeli military. “The one who has looted aid is now the one who protects aid,” he said sarcastically. An aid worker in Gaza said humanitarian groups tried last year to negotiate with Abu Shabab and other influential families to end their looting of convoys. Though they agreed, they soon reverted to hijacking trucks, the aid worker said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk the media. The aid worker said he saw Abu Shabab’s men operating in Israeli-controlled areas near the military-held Morag Corridor in southern Gaza in late May. They were wearing new uniforms and carried what appeared to be new weapons, he said. Jonathan Whittall, the head of the United Nations humanitarian office for the occupied Palestinian territory, said that “criminal gangs operating under the watch of Israeli forces near Kerem Shalom would systematically attack and loot aid convoys ... These gangs have by far been the biggest cause of aid loss in Gaza.” The war between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-linked militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1200 people and taking 251 others hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with an offensive that has decimated Gaza, displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million people and caused a humanitarian crisis that has left the territory on the brink of famine after an 11-week food blockade. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, more than half of them women and children. The ministry, which is led by medical professionals but reports to the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally. Hamas is still holding 56 hostages. About a third are believed to be alive, though many fear they are in grave danger the longer the war goes on. Israel said it had recovered the bodies of two Israeli-American hostages from Gaza on Thursday in a secret operation. A Palestinian woman embraces the body of her eight-year-old daughter, Mayar Abu Odeh, who was killed in an Israeli army strike on Gaza on Wednesday.Credit: AP Israeli strikes overnight and into Thursday killed at least 22 people in Gaza, including three local journalists who were in the courtyard of a hospital, according to health officials in the territory. The military said it targeted a militant in that strike. Israeli forces also bombed the southern suburbs of Beirut overnight, sending thousands of people fleeing on the eve of an Islamic feast day and prompting accusations by top Lebanese officials that Israel was violating a ceasefire deal. Israel said it was targeting sites that Hezbollah was using to make drones. The strikes were carried out about 90 minutes after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings. It was the fourth time that Dahiyeh has been bombed since the United States brokered a truce in November that ended a year-long war between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese armed movement. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday in an unprecedented retaliation over the war tribunal’s cases regarding alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan and over the court’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Flames and smoke following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh in southern Beirut.Credit: AP Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the judges – Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia – were “actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel”. The Hague-based court said it deplored the sanctions, calling them an attempt to undermine its independence. The decision to impose them follows Trump’s executive order in February authorising sanctions on ICC officials who investigate the US and its allies. The court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November over allegations of war crimes in Gaza. The Israeli government has denied the accusations, and the Biden administration rejected the court’s authority at the time. Neither the US nor Israel is a party to the court, which was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide and other atrocities. It has issued 60 arrest warrants, including for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and has detained 21 people. AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
It should not be the least bit surprising that Israel is backing other armed groups as an alternative to Hamas. A number of the clans in Gaza are in open revolt against Hamas at this point -- their inter-relationships with Hamas were always complicated over time to start with. As I have outlined in the past, there are three armed alternatives to Hamas in Gaza. The oppressed residents in Gaza can rise up and take out Hamas in a civil war - the alternative becoming more likely. The second is sending a re-armed Fatah force into Gaza who will promptly murder every member of Hamas. The third is to have a pan-Arab peace force come in & disarm Hamas while taking over (a scenario I believe is unlikely). Step 1 -- before any further progress can be made -- is eliminating Hamas as a governing and militant entity in Gaza. The scenarios involving armed members of other clans in Gaza rising against Hamas and/or Fatah making a re-appearance seem to be the most likely -- or possibly a combination of both. Note that Israel is supporting the training in recent weeks of a Fatah anti-terrorism force that has been taking out Hamas in the West Bank -- they can easily send this armed group over to Gaza next.
The Muslim candidate for NYC mayor is pressured to declare that his first official visit would be to Israel. Their shamelessness knows no bounds. It's all heads I win, tails you lose.
What the hell does being the mayor of New York City have to do with Israel. There is no need for official visits outside of the U.S. for any mayor of an American city.
I expect the plan is that when what remains of the Gaza population is displaced, ISIS will already be embedded and have a running start. To continue to exist Israeli Zionist fascism must always have a mortal enemy as an existential threat, same as Trump. But who could fear these lovable ladies?