Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Thursday that Israel has been arming and supporting a Palestinian faction operating in Gaza that is opposed to Hamas.
The revelation came after opposition leader and former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman stated in an interview with Israeli media that the government had been providing arms to the Abu Shabab group in an effort to weaken Hamas. Liberman, who heads the Yisrael Beytenu party, claimed that Netanyahu approved the operation personally, without consulting his cabinet.
Following Liberman's remarks, Israeli media outlets—citing multiple defense officials—confirmed that Israel has indeed been supplying the Abu Shabab faction, a group formed in May 2024 after the Israeli ground invasion of Rafah.
The group is led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a member of a clan that has long been opposed to Hamas. Abu Shabab is reportedly known for past involvement in smuggling operations that supported jihadist groups operating in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Netanyahu later corroborated Liberman’s claims, telling reporters, “What’s wrong with that? It’s only good. It saves the lives of IDF soldiers.”
In recent days, videos have surfaced online showing members of the Abu Shabab group operating near the Karem Shalom border crossing. They were seen wearing military-style uniforms bearing the phrase “Counter-Terrorism Mechanism” alongside the Palestinian flag.
Palestinian sources have long alleged that groups such as Abu Shabab, reportedly supported by Israel, have been responsible for hijacking humanitarian aid shipments in Gaza in order to turn public sentiment against Hamas. Israel and the United States, for their part, have accused Hamas of seizing aid, citing it as a justification for ongoing restrictions on humanitarian deliveries.
Last week, Hamas released a video showing an attack on a group of armed men they claimed were working for Israel. The individuals are widely believed to have been militants from the Abu Shabab faction.
Netanyahu has previously been criticized for his handling of Palestinian political factions. After 2018, he reportedly allowed millions of dollars in Qatari funds to flow into Gaza to support Hamas. In a closed-door meeting, he was quoted as telling Likud Party members, “Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas. This is part of our strategy.”
In 2015, current Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich referred to the Palestinian Authority as a “burden” while calling Hamas an “asset,” a stance widely interpreted as part of Israel’s broader strategy to maintain political division between the West Bank and Gaza and thereby prevent the formation of a unified Palestinian state.