Yasser Abu Shabab Calls for International Protection in Case o...
Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of a militia operating in southern Gaza, has called for international protection in the event of a ceasefire agreement in the Strip.In a phone interview with The Sunday Times, published Saturday, Abu Shabab—who heads the so-called Popular Forces militia—denied accusations of collaborating with Israel and looting UN humanitarian aid entering Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing.Abu Shabab, who had previously been accused of drug trafficking and was imprisoned until the war on Gaza broke out in October 2023, warned that Hamas would exploit any ceasefire to target its political opponents. Along with his deputy, Ghassan Al-Dahini, he urged the international community to offer protection from potential reprisals.According to The Sunday Times, Al-Dahini said their militia is currently protecting themselves and the areas they control, but admitted they lack real support to engage militarily against Hamas. He appealed to the international community to assist them in what he described as the 'liberation of Gaza' from Hamas.The report highlighted that the militia operates in areas currently occupied by the Israeli army in southern Gaza, reinforcing widespread allegations that the group is receiving direct support from Israel.The article also cited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has defended support for such militias, though Israeli politician and head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, Avigdor Lieberman, described their members as criminals.Earlier this month, the Joint Operations Room of the Palestinian Resistance Factions labeled Abu Shabab a 'traitorous mercenary', declaring that he and his followers are legitimate targets for all resistance factions.Abu Shabab's militia is reportedly stationed in eastern Rafah, under Israeli military protection, according to Al Jazeera.This development adds another layer of complexity to the volatile security and political dynamics in Gaza, as local factions, militias, and international actors maneuver amid efforts for a ceasefire and post-war arrangements.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
2 hours ago
- Roya News
'Israeli' forces expect to occupy rest of Gaza "within months"
The New York Times has revealed that Israeli Occupation officials believe their military can seize control of the remaining areas of the Gaza Strip within a matter of months. Citing high-ranking figures within the 'Israeli' government, the report says the military leadership envisions a much longer-term plan for Gaza: to impose a political and security structure similar to that in the occupied West Bank. However, they estimate that achieving this will require at least five years of ongoing military operations. Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations remain at a standstill, as 'Israel' intensifies its ground and aerial assaults across multiple areas of Gaza. Humanitarian groups and world leaders continue to warn of a worsening crisis, with growing fears of famine, disease, and mass displacement.
Roya News
5 hours ago
- Roya News
Lebanese cabinet advances plan to disarm Hezbollah
Lebanon's cabinet convened for a second time within days on Thursday to address the sensitive issue of disarming Hezbollah, just one day after the group outright rejected the government's decision to remove its weapons. The marathon meeting, lasting over four hours, focused on a US-backed proposal that outlines a framework and timetable for Hezbollah's disarmament. Washington has been urging Lebanon to take concrete steps to enforce this plan. Information Minister Paul Morcos confirmed that the cabinet agreed to introduce the US proposal but refrained from debating specific timelines. The government had previously stated that disarmament should be achieved by the end of 2025. The proposed plan includes 11 key objectives, among them the 'sustainability' of the November ceasefire agreement with 'Israel', and the 'gradual end of the armed presence of all non-governmental entities, including Hezbollah, in all Lebanese territory.' It also calls for the deployment of Lebanese army forces along the border regions and the withdrawal of 'Israeli' soldiers from five strategic positions they have occupied in southern Lebanon since last year's war with Hezbollah. The November ceasefire, which sought to halt over a year of hostilities between 'Israel' and Hezbollah, restricts weapons possession in Lebanon to six official security and military agencies. Following Tuesday's cabinet decision, Morcos indicated that the government is awaiting an 'executive plan' from the Lebanese army to outline how to enforce the restriction of weapons to government forces. This plan is expected by the end of August and will inform the government's detailed review of the US proposal, which hinges on approval from all involved countries. - Political divisions and protests - During Thursday's meeting, four Shiite ministers, including three affiliated with Hezbollah or its ally, the Amal movement, walked out in protest against the government's disarmament push, according to Hezbollah's Al Manar television. They also refused to discuss the proposal put forth by US envoy Tom Barrack. Environment Minister Tamara Elzein, closely aligned with Amal, told Al Manar that the government should first focus on consolidating the ceasefire and securing 'Israeli' withdrawal before tackling other elements of Barrack's plan, such as Hezbollah's disarmament. In a statement on X, Barrack praised Lebanon's 'historic, bold, and correct decision this week to begin fully implementing' the November ceasefire. Under the ceasefire, 'Israel' was supposed to withdraw all troops from Lebanon, but has maintained a presence in five border points considered strategically vital. - Hezbollah's strong rejection - Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc condemned the government's decision, accusing it of bowing to US demands that serve the interests of 'the Zionist enemy,' referring to 'Israel'. The group stated it would treat the government's disarmament decision 'as if it did not exist' and denounced the cabinet's move as a 'grave sin.' 'Israel', which continues to conduct airstrikes in Lebanon despite the ceasefire, has warned it would not hesitate to launch military action if Beirut fails to disarm Hezbollah.
Roya News
5 hours ago
- Roya News
Funeral held for Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen killed by settler in West Bank
Hundreds of Palestinians gathered Thursday in the village of Umm al-Khair in the occupied West Bank to bury Awdah Hathaleen, a 31-year-old activist and filmmaker who was shot and killed by an 'Israeli' settler late last month. The funeral came more than 11 days after his death, following 'Israeli' authorities' decision to withhold his body and impose restrictions on the burial. 'He was killed by a hateful settler, his body was held for 11 days, and more than 20 people from the village were arrested,' said Aziz Hathaleen, Awdah's brother, describing the events that followed the July 28 killing. According to eyewitnesses and video footage shared online, the shooter was identified as Yinon Levy, a settler who has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom. While he was briefly detained, he was released the next day. 'The settler accused of the fatal shooting was released at that very moment,' Aziz told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Awdah Hathaleen was known internationally through his involvement in No Other Land, a documentary that won Best Documentary at the 2025 Oscars. The film chronicles the daily struggles of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, a cluster of villages in the southern West Bank, including Umm al-Khair, against home demolitions and settler expansion. 'Israeli' authorities placed conditions on the funeral, according to relatives. 'The first condition was that he not be buried in the area at all, and the second was that no mourning tent be set up,' said Ibrahim Hathaleen, another relative of the deceased. He added that the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) initially blocked the family from retrieving the body. An AFP journalist at the scene reported a heavy IOF presence around the village, with checkpoints preventing some Palestinians and foreign activists from entering. Despite these measures, around 100 mourners made it to the funeral, many visibly emotional as they said their final goodbyes and performed prayers at the village mosque. The killing comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, where violence has surged since the onset of the war on Gaza in October 2023. According to Palestinian sources, at least 968 Palestinians have been killed by the IOF or settlers in the West Bank during that period.
