ALWAGHT- Hamas is stepping up its security operations against armed groups and militias in Gaza that cooperate with the Israeli military, officials say, as it seeks to reassert full control and stability across the enclave.
A senior Gaza Interior Ministry security source said Hamas is preparing its largest operation yet to root out armed gangs that collaborated with Israeli forces. Since the October 10 ceasefire Hamas has disarmed several factions — notably the Doghmush clan — but some groups remain active in areas still under Israeli control, especially the Abu Shabab militia in eastern Rafah (estimated ~2,000 members) and Ashraf al-Mansi’s “Popular Army” in northern Gaza.
The source accused these militias of receiving arms, funding and logistical support from the Israeli military and of participating in kidnappings, assassinations, sabotage and security sweeps against resistance fighters. Hamas security forces say they have seized large quantities of weapons and routinely confront militia raids near Israeli positions. Intelligence from interrogations reportedly documents coordination between the groups and the Israeli army.
Hamas offered an amnesty window for fighters willing to disarm (excluding those implicated in killings or torture), which the Interior Ministry says has now closed; operations continue. While Western critics have condemned the crackdown, many local tribal leaders and communities reportedly back Hamas’s effort as necessary to stop collaboration and restore Gaza’s sovereignty and stability.
Gaza security sources also claim Israeli military elements — and parts of the US policy apparatus — sought to use these militias as proxies to weaken Hamas after the ceasefire. In parallel, a social-media post by US President Donald Trump warned he would endorse attacks on Hamas if it continued killing collaborators, a statement Hamas and its supporters say signals pressure against their security campaign.
