Armed clans are reasserting themselves in the Gaza Strip, challenging Hamas’s authority, particularly in areas where the IDF is conducting operations and Hamas has lost control, senior IDF officials told Walla.
Sources told Saudi-owned site Al Hadath on Sunday that Hamas has lost security control over the Gaza Strip, adding that thieves and gangs seize aid, loot homes, and terrorize residents.
According to a senior IDF officer, these clans act like armed militias, forcibly seizing food, looting warehouses, and shooting to protect their members from Hamas security forces.
The influence of these clans predates the current conflict, rooted in longstanding smuggling networks trafficking weapons, drugs, cigarettes, and electronic goods from Egypt and Israel. Over the years, Hamas reached understandings with some of these clans, occasionally even cooperating with them, particularly during the massacre and looting on October 7.
Hamas’s hold weakened further as the IDF carried out ground operations and divided Gaza. Following the ceasefire announcement, Hamas forces deployed convoys to both the north and south, aiming to reassert control. These forces responded harshly to defiant clans, employing arrests, torture, knee shootings, and even killings to quell opposition.
The Abu Shabab clan, led by Yasser Abu Shabab of the Tarabin family, has emerged as a leading force. After being expelled from Rafah, the clan has operated aggressively in the north and south. Palestinian reports indicate that the group both secures humanitarian aid convoys and loots them. Hamas has accused the clan of collaborating with Israel.
What are the other groups challenging Hamas's monopoly on power?
Another significant group is the Dughmush clan - also known as Dajmash - which hails from Tel al-Hawa and al-Sabra in Gaza City. This clan was previously involved in the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit and has a history of violent confrontations with Hamas. Its leader was killed last year amid allegations of ties to Israel.
Security sources say most of these clans are motivated by a desire for power and wealth rather than ideology. They are exploiting Hamas’s weakened position to expand their influence, sometimes proving to be as effective as Hamas itself.
Other active clans include the Abu Tir clan, which operated in Khan Yunis and specialized in smuggling from Sinai; the Al Kashk clan, based in Gaza City and closely linked to local centers of authority; the Abu Risha clan, which was active in Rafah and maintained ties with Salafi groups; the Shawish clan, a relatively small but active group in Gaza; and the Baraka clan, which is affiliated with Fatah and operates primarily in Gaza City.
Former security officials caution that as long as these clans remain armed, they will pose a threat to Hamas’s authority. “There is no vacuum in Gaza,” said one official. “If Hamas gunmen are not present, clan members will try to impose their own order. Should a ceasefire hold, Hamas will have to confront this entrenched problem. If not, the clans will only grow stronger. They are not waiting for anyone.”