Ghassan Al-Dahini, the newly appointed leader of the so-called Popular Forces in Gaza, has pledged to escalate operations against Hamas in southern Gaza following the targeted killing of his predecessor, Yasser Abu Shabab, in Rafah last week.
“Why should I fear Hamas when I am fighting Hamas?” Al-Dahini said in a televised interview with Israel’s Channel 12. “I fight them, arrest their people, confiscate their equipment, fight them and push them back. I am doing what they deserve, in the name of the people and the free men.”
A video released by the group showed Al-Dahini greeting fighters and affirming the group’s continuity. “The message is simple and clear—the Popular Forces are still active.”
Israeli news outlet Mako published images of Al-Dahini and his fighters standing over the bodies of four members of the Abu Sanima clan, who were allegedly involved in Abu Shabab’s killing and the attempted assassination of Al-Dahini. The report said Al-Dahini sustained light injuries in the attack and was treated at Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon before returning to Gaza.
Images circulated by the Popular Forces show the corpses bearing apparent signs of torture. Al-Dahini described Abu Shabab’s killing as “painful,” but vowed that it would not slow their campaign. “We continue with the same strength, even more determined,” he said.
He outlined the group’s stated objectives: the expulsion of Hamas from southern Gaza and the creation of a “demilitarized zone” for civilians. “We are preparing a place of safety for people who believe in peace,” he said.
Al-Dahini’s rise is marked by ideological shifts and tribal loyalties. Before joining the Popular Forces, he was reportedly affiliated with the Army of Islam, a Salafi-jihadist group in Gaza with historic ties to ISIS.
He hails from the Tarabeen tribe—the same as Abu Shabab—and previously served in the Palestinian Authority’s security forces, before joining the Army of Islam. His name later appeared on internal Hamas lists of collaborators marked for assassination.
A report by Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in June described Al-Dahini as a former PA officer involved in recruiting agents for Israeli intelligence in efforts to undermine Hamas in Gaza.
Yasser Abu Shabab, the group’s former leader, was killed on Thursday in Rafah in a Hamas ambush. His death ignited both internal tribal strife and wider media scrutiny. The Tarabeen tribe, seeking to distance itself, issued a statement calling his death the “end of a shameful chapter” and condemned his collaboration with the Israeli occupation.
According to a detailed account from the tribe, Mahmoud Abu Sanima (aka Abu Safi) and two others confronted Abu Shabab over the detention of a relative. Abu Shabab allegedly responded dismissively, prompting Abu Safi to return with a BKS automatic rifle and open fire—injuring both Abu Shabab and Al-Dahini.
In retaliation, Abu Shabab’s fighters executed the detainee and launched a counterattack that killed Abu Safi and his associate, Abu Wahid Al-Dabbari.
That evening, Channel 14 reported low-flying Israeli helicopters over Rafah amid heavy gunfire between Israeli forces and armed groups.
During the latest Israeli military offensive in Gaza, Abu Shabab emerged as the public face of the Popular Forces—a militia accused by Hamas of collaborating with the Israeli military. According to Sky News Arabia, Israeli sources confirmed that his fighters received arms and logistical support from Israeli forces.
The Times of Israel described the group as a Bedouin-led militia backed by Israel to counter Hamas. Though unnamed officially, the Popular Forces are widely believed to be that entity.
In earlier footage, Abu Shabab appeared boasting that his forces controlled areas he described as “liberated from Hamas.” He claimed his group worked with the Palestinian Authority to distribute aid and protect civilians.
Palestinian Authority spokesperson Maj. Gen. Anwar Rajab, however, denied any connection between the PA and the militia, saying the authority “has no relationship with any military formations” and operates strictly under civilian political leadership.
Rumors of Abu Shabab’s death had circulated since November during a Hamas Interior Ministry operation targeting gangs accused of hijacking aid convoys, a senior Hamas official had previously told Al Manassa. That raid, which resulted in 20 deaths, had fueled speculation about his fate—now confirmed.
Al-Dahini’s rise signals a new chapter in Gaza’s fractured political landscape — one shaped by tribal affiliations, contested resistance, and foreign alliances. His next moves could tip the balance in southern Gaza — or plunge it deeper into instability.
