Hamas Says Dealt ‘Severe Blow’ To Group It Says Collaborated With Israel

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas said on Tuesday that the so-called Radea security force had dealt a “serious blow” to an armed group in Gaza that it accused of collaborating with Israel.

Hamas said in a statement that the Radea security force carried out “an operation targeting fugitive Yasser Abu Shabab militia in the southern Gaza Strip early on Tuesday morning.”

Hamas added that during the operation it arrested “several members” of Abu Shabaab’s Popular Forces group and seized “military equipment and vehicles used in its subversive activities.”

In the statement, it was stated that the operation was carried out “within the scope of the deterrent operation against treason nests”.

Hamas recently established the Radea unit, whose name means “deterrence” and whose purpose is said to be “enforcing order.”

At the beginning of last week, clashes broke out in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City between Radea forces and several armed groups, including Yasser Abu Shabab, whom Hamas accuses of receiving weapons and looting from Israel.

Abu Shabaab’s Popular Forces first began operating in Gaza’s southern Rafah province and were accused of aid plunder.

In July, Abu Shabaab said its group was able to move freely in areas under Israeli military control and gave advance notice of its operations.

Israeli officials acknowledged in June that they had armed Palestinian gangs opposing Hamas, but without directly naming the gang led by Abu Shabaab.

Since the ceasefire agreement signed between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on October 10, the movement has sought to reassert its presence on the ground and reaffirm its control over the devastated Palestinian territory.

Last week, Hamas’ official television channel broadcast footage of what it said was the execution of eight “collaborators” shot in front of a crowd on a street in Gaza City.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the war in Gaza will not end until Hamas is disarmed, as stipulated in the US-brokered ceasefire agreement.

Hamas has not directly addressed the issue since US President Donald Trump presented the plan two weeks ago.