Yasser abu Shabab, leader of Israel-backed militia, killed in Gaza

Israel's Attempted Proxy War in Gaza Takes a Fatal Blow as Yasser Abu Shabab is Killed in Clashes with Hamas-Backed Families.

The killing of Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of the Popular Forces militia backed by Israel, has sent shockwaves through the region. The 30-something Abu Shabab's death marks a significant setback for Israel's efforts to build a network of Palestinian proxies to counter Hamas in Gaza.

Abu Shabab's group was one of several militias that emerged during the two-year conflict in Gaza, all of which received backing from Israel as part of its strategy to arm proxy forces and weaken Hamas. However, it appears that Abu Shabab's fate was sealed in a violent clash with powerful local families in the Gaza Strip.

Eyewitnesses report that Abu Shabab intervened in a family dispute, only to be fatally wounded by his own men or rival factions. The Popular Forces militia has dismissed claims that Hamas was behind his killing as "misleading", instead attributing his death to internal clan infighting.

The news comes as no surprise to experts, who have long argued that Israel's proxy war efforts in Gaza are doomed to fail. Dr Michael Milshtein, a former Israeli military intelligence officer and expert on Hamas, told The Guardian earlier this year that the writing was already on the wall for such groups.

Abu Shabab's death is likely to fuel doubts among anti-Hamas factions about their ability to challenge Hamas in Gaza. Several other militias have emerged in areas of Gaza controlled by Israel, but it remains to be seen whether they can sustain a credible alternative to Hamas' rule.

The Israeli strategy of backing militia factions has been met with widespread criticism from experts and Palestinians alike. The tactic has been accused of perpetuating a cycle of violence and fueling further fragmentation along ethnic and tribal lines in Gaza.

As the conflict in Gaza continues, it remains to be seen how Israel's efforts to build a network of Palestinian proxies will fare without Abu Shabab at the helm. One thing is certain: the killing of this prominent figure marks a significant blow to Israel's proxy war efforts in the region.

So I think what's crazy is that people actually thought backing some random militia groups in Gaza was gonna be a good idea lol. Like, what were they thinking? It's just gonna lead to more chaos and violence. And honestly, it's not like these militias are even stable enough on their own, let alone as proxies for Israel. It's all just a mess. The fact that Yasser Abu Shabab was killed in some random family dispute is just the cherry on top of this whole disaster. I mean, can't they just leave Gaza alone?

so yeah i was just talking to a guy who's friends with some Hamas reps and they're low-key super relieved that Abu Shabab got taken out it makes sense though, all these militias were basically just cannon fodder for Israel... like what was the point of them even? and honestly, i think this is gonna be a huge blow to Israel's plans to take down Hamas... they've been relying on proxy forces for ages but it's always seemed kinda... sketchy

I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the complexities in Gaza ... it seems like Israel's plan to create proxy forces just backfired in a major way . I mean, Abu Shabab was supposed to be this big shot leader for their militia group, and now he's dead . It's crazy how that happened - from what I've read, he got into some kind of family dispute and ended up getting taken out by his own people or rivals . And the funny thing is, experts have been saying that Israel's proxy war strategy was doomed to fail all along . It just goes to show how unpredictable things can get in these conflicts... and it's always hard to say who wins or loses . One thing for sure though, Abu Shabab's death is a big blow to Israel's plans .

Another "hero" bites the dust . I'm not surprised really, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Those proxy wars are just gonna keep on causing more chaos and bloodshed... and Israel's gonna get what they've been trying to avoid all along: a united and angry Palestinian population . And let's be real, who needs militias when you've got powerful local families taking care of "disputes" for them?

idk what's more pathetic, israel's attempt to create proxy forces or how failed they are . it's like trying to build a skyscraper on shaky ground and expecting it not to fall over. newsflash: proxy wars r not gonna cut it in gaza. the cycle of violence just keeps going round and round, and israel's attempt to control the narrative is just getting old. Abu shabab's death might be a blow, but let's be real, his group was already toast . now we're just waiting for the next proxy force to emerge from the ashes... only to fail miserably

omg u gotta wonder wut happnd 2 ppl like abu shabab who try 2 challenge Hamas... i mean, u can't blame him 4 tryin', but at the end of the day, he got caught up in his own fam's drama & ended up dyin

i think israel's proxy war tactics r more problematic than ppl give 'em credit 4. it's like, u're creatin these militias 2 fight each other, while Israel's just sittin' back enjoyin the chaos

anywayz, i dunno wut's gonna happen next in Gaza... but i do know that this guy's death won't be remembered as a hero, but more like a cautionary tale

so what's up with israel trying to create these militias in gaza? it just seems like they're playing with fire and hoping that one group will take out another, but ultimately hurting themselves. and now abu shabab's gone - good riddance . i mean, experts have been saying for ages that this proxy war thingy is gonna be a disaster, and now it's just becoming more apparent .

i think the real winners here are the local families in gaza who were caught up in abu shabab's little conflict . they're probably the ones who got to deal with all the drama behind closed doors . anyway, i'm not surprised that israel's efforts have tanked - it's just more proof that their strategy of backing proxy groups was never gonna work out .

anyway, what do you guys think? should israel be trying to arm these militias or not?

I think its all over for Israel's proxy war plan , they kept trying to build an army of Palestinian proxies but it was like playing with fire , Abu Shabab's death is just the beginning , what else can go wrong? , and honestly who benefits from this mess? just more chaos for Gaza .

This is actually kinda good news for Gazans, and not just because it took out some proxy fighter for Israel . The idea that these militia groups were unstable and prone to infighting was always a bit far-fetched. And what's sad is that Abu Shabab was trying to do the right thing by defending his family, but ended up getting caught in the crossfire instead . It just goes to show how complex and messy this conflict really is .

man... this just goes to show how volatile things can get in gaza . i mean, who knew abu shabab's death would be such a big deal? it's like, he was supposed to be some kinda game-changer for israel's proxy war efforts, but now that he's gone... i don't know, man. maybe this is just a sign that things won't work out as planned .

i've been saying it for ages, the more israel tries to intervene in gaza, the more it's gonna fuel the fire . they're just trying to create a new enemy, but really, they're just gonna end up hurting themselves in the process . we'll see how this all plays out, but one thing's for sure... it won't be pretty .

idk what's going on with israel's proxy wars ... they think building militias is gonna help em, but it just ends up causing more problems. like, who wants to back these groups that are already prone to infighting and clan rivalries? it's all just a recipe for disaster. and now yasser abu shabab is dead ... i mean, what did he even do wrong? just showing up at the wrong time in the middle of a family dispute . anyhoo, this just proves that israel's strategy ain't gonna work out . they gotta think about somethin else

I mean, can you imagine having like a whole team of people, all loyal to one guy? If that guy gets whacked, it's gonna be tough for them to keep going. I think Israel's trying to play this game where they're backing these proxy groups, but at the end of the day, it's just gonna lead to more chaos. It's like, what's the point of having all these different groups fighting each other? And now that Abu Shabab is gone, I don't think any of these groups are gonna be able to fill his shoes... I mean, he was a pretty key figure in this whole thing.

Ugh, I'm so done with these proxy wars . It's like Israel just keeps throwing money and guns at different militias thinking they'll magically become a stronger alternative to Hamas... meanwhile, Gaza is still getting bombed out of existence . And now this guy Abu Shabab gets killed in some clan dispute? Like, what even is the point of all these militias?! It's just gonna lead to more infighting and less stability. Can't they see that backing proxy groups is basically just fueling more violence and division? The fact that experts have been saying this for years and Israel still doesn't listen is really frustrating... not to mention the civilians who are getting caught in the crossfire .