Popular Forces administration in the Gaza Strip | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Areas of influence of thePopular Forces (including claimed territories of thePopular Army – Northern Forces and thePopular Army in Rafah) | |
| Status | Unrecognizedrival administration underIsraeli military occupation |
| Capital | Al-Bayuk,Rafah Governorate |
| Demonym | Gazans[2] |
| Government | |
• Leader | Ghassan Duhine |
| Establishment | Gaza war |
• 26 June 2025 | Claim of territory in eastern Rafah[3] |
• October 2025 | Claim of territory in northern Gaza |
• November 2025 | Spread into Khan Yunis[4] |
• December 2025 | Spread into Western Rafah[5] |
| Population | |
• 2025 estimate | ~2,000[6] |
|
Foreign relations |
During theGaza war, thePopular Forces, an anti-Hamas,Israeli-backed, and allegedlyIslamic State-linked armed group, has claimed control over large amounts of theGaza Strip that are currently underIsraeli military occupation.[6][7] This was the first area in Gaza not administrated by Hamassince 2007.[8]
More than 2,000Palestinian civilians live in the Popular Forces' territory, according to the group's then-leaderYasser Abu Shabab.[6]
The group claims control ofAl-Bayuk as its headquarters,[9][10] easternRafah,[6][8][3]Khan Yunis,[11] western Rafah,[12] andhumanitarian aid routes near theKerem Shalom border crossing.[13][14] It says it has freedom of movement in the wider Rafah area.[3] Furthermore, thePopular Army – Northern Forces, which reportedly operates as part of the Popular Forces,[15][16] has claimed control over several areas in northern Gaza.[17]
Before the war, the land presently administrated by the Popular Forces belonged to theTarabin Bedouin tribe, of which Yasser Abu Shabab was a member.[8]
The last attempt at a large-scale armed revolt againstthe Hamas government in Gaza was in 2009, whenJund Ansar Allah, aGazan Salafi jihadist group, engaged inclashes with Hamas forces after declaring the establishment of an Islamic emirate in Gaza.
In late May 2025, the Rafah Governorate came under full Israeli operational control following its successfulRafah offensive against Hamas, in which the Popular Forces participated.[18][19] As of 27 June, the group was reportedly in control of eastern Rafah, enjoyed freedom of movement in the wider Rafah area, and was working on building an independent administration.[3] By August,The Washington Post was describing the Popular Forces as "the de facto authority in southeastern Gaza".[6]
On 24 July,The Wall Street Journal published an opinion piece written by Abu Shabab, where he called on theUnited States andArab countries to recognize the Popular Forces' administration. He also claimed armed patrols were providing security and that civilians in the area were enjoying a better quality of life, untouched by thehumanitarian crisis elsewhere in Gaza.[8][7][20]
+972 Magazine claimed that shortly beforehis death, Abu Shabab was discussing a plan with current leaderGhassan Duhine to form a "transitional government of East Gaza", modeled loosely onSudan’sRapid Support Forces.[21]
On 20 December 2025, the Popular Forces' armed wing,Counter-Terrorism Service, announced a military exercise called “Ensuring the Commander-1” which was aimed to test the CTS' readiness in emergency situations and review coordination among its ranks. During the exercise, the Popular Forces' leader,Ghassan Duhine, revealed the existence of another militia operating in western Rafah, known as thePopular Defense Forces – Khalil al-Wazir Battalion.[12]
Shawqi Abu Nasira's group, theFree Homeland Forces, which reportedly operates as part of thePopular Forces,[22] is headquartered in EasternKhan Yunis, though it operates in bothRafah andKhan Yunis.[23][24]
After consolidation of Popular Forces control, Abu Shabab began launching a recruitment drive to staff “administrative and community committees,” includingdoctors andnurses,engineers,primary schoolteachers andpublic relations experts. The Popular Forces began setting upcheckpoints in Israeli occupied territory to screen convoys of international aid workers entering Gaza, and claimed they were providing security to aid trucks. Abu Shabab also said that they have builtschools,health centers and other civilian infrastructure,Sky News similarly reported that medical facilities, a school, and a mosque have been built by the Popular Forces.[9][6]
On 14 October, thePopular Army – Northern Forces claimed it had taken control of several areas in northern Gaza, and warned Hamas forces against approaching their territories.[17][25] Its flag featuring the logo of PANF, is displayed on its vehicles and facilities within its territory.[26]
| Name | Role | Status | references |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yasser Abu Shabab | Leader, until 4 December 2025 | Fugitive, killed on 4 December 2025 | [27][28][29][30][31] |
| Ghassan Duhine | Commander of the Popular Forces' armed wing theCounter-Terrorism Service, new leader of the Popular Forces after Yasser Abu Shabab's death. | Wounded on 4 December 2025 | [32][33][34] |
| Abu Awad | Spokesperson | [35] | |
| Issam Nabahin | Senior commander | Fugitive | [32][36] |
| Ashraf al-Mansi | Leader of thePopular Army – Northern Forces | [37] | |
| Ahmad Zidan al-Tarabin | Responsible for recruiting militants | Executed by Hamas | [38] |
| Hassan Abu Shabab | Commander and relative of Yasser Abu Shabab | [32] | |
| Shawqi Abu Nasira | Leader of theFree Homeland Forces | [39][40] | |
| Abu Anas Zeidan | Lieutenant in thePopular Army – Northern Forces | [41] | |
| Khaled Abu Sanida | Chief of staff of theCounter-Terrorism Service | [42] |
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