Popular Forces administration in the Gaza Strip | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Unrecognizedrival administration underIsraeli military occupation |
| Capital | Al-Bayuk,Rafah Governorate |
| Government | |
• Leader | Yasser Abu Shabab |
| Establishment | Gaza war |
• 26 June 2025 | Claim of territory in eastern Rafah[2] |
• October 2025 | Claim of territory in northern Gaza |
| Population | |
• 2025 estimate | ~2,000[3] |
 |
|---|
Administrative divisions |
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 the southeasternGaza Strip that are currently underIsraeli military occupation.[3][4]
The Popular Forces' claimed territory, where more than 2,000Palestinian civilians live according to Shabab,[3] is the first area in Gaza not administrated by Hamassince 2007.[5]
The group claims control ofAl-Bayuk (its headquarters),[6] easternRafah,[3][5][2] easternKhan Yunis,[7] andhumanitarian aid routes near theKerem Shalom border crossing.[8][9] It has freedom of movement in the wider Rafah area.[2] Furthermore, thePeopleʻs Army Northern Forces, which reportedly operates as part of the Popular Forces,[10] has claimed control over several areas in northern Gaza.[11]
Before the war, the land presently administrated by the Popular Forces belonged to theTarabin Bedouin tribe, of whichYasser Abu Shabab is a member.[5]
The last attempt by a rival Palestinian group to rebel against Hamas also happened to take place in the Rafah Governorate. In 2009,Jund 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.[12][13] 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.[2] By August,The Washington Post was describing the Popular Forces as "the de facto authority in southeastern Gaza".[3]
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.[3]
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.[5][4][14]
According toMondoweiss, the territory claimed by the Popular Forces could be used to concentrate 600,000 displaced Palestinians, and theUnited Arab Emirates andGaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) may be involved in this project.[15]
Following the implementation ofa ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on 10 October, the Popular Forces said that they welcomed the agreement, but would "continue to defend their lands" and had no intention of leaving the Gaza Strip.[16]
On 14 October, the al-Mansi group claimed it had taken control of several areas in northern Gaza, and warned Hamas forces against approaching their territories.[11][17]
