With ammunition and vehicles from Israel: A leader of one of the militias in the Gaza Strip told Sky News about their joint project, using the same name as Kushner. According to the British website, he receives cars through an Israeli car dealer, and ammunition from Kerem Shalom."Inshallah, we will become the new government of Gaza. No war, no Hamas, no terror."
Ynet
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Israeli support for the "New Gaza" project of the militias fighting Hamas is revealed: Sky News revealed that Israel is providing support to four militias fighting the terrorist organization that controls the Gaza Strip, and that they are part of a joint project to oust Hamas from power in Gaza. These organizations operate in territories controlled by Israel, beyond the"Yellow Line."
"We have an official project - I, (Yasser)
Abu Shabaab
, (Rami)
Khalis
"And (Ashraf) al-Mansi," said the leader of one of the militias, Hussam al-Astal, in an interview with Sky News from his residence in the southern Gaza Strip."We are all in favor of the 'new Gaza.' Soon we will gain full control of the Gaza Strip and gather under one umbrella."
6 Viewing the gallery
Hussam al-Astal and his militiamen
Map of militia bases, according to Sky News: Al-Mansi and Halas in the northern Gaza Strip, Al-Astal and Abu Shabab in the south
On Tuesday - two days after the conversation between the British website and the militia leader - the US President's advisor and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, said that the goal is
Begin the reconstruction of Gaza only in the part controlled by Israel
- and used the same phrase."Reconstruction funds will not be poured into areas still controlled by Hamas," Kushner said."If security can be ensured in the areas under IDF control, it will be possible to begin building a 'new Gaza' there, to provide the Palestinians living in Gaza with a place to go, a place to work."
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Americans are considering
A plan that will divide the Strip into two zones
- one under Israeli control and the other under Hamas control - with reconstruction only beginning on the Israeli side for the time being. Kushner is leading that initiative, and the Arab mediators are opposed.
IDF posts and the Al-Astal militia base on the Yellow Line, according to the agreement (Photo: from Sky News)
Al-Astal militia base, in the southern Gaza Strip (Photo: Planet Labs PBC, Sky News)
Meanwhile, the British website claims that Israel is already providing support to those militias. Forces from the Al-Astal militia were filmed marching near their base, and Sky News said that the analysis of the footage shows that the base is on a military road near the military line, less than 700 meters from an IDF post."I hear the sounds of the tanks when I speak, but I'm not afraid," said Al-Astal."They are not fighting against us, and we are not fighting against them. We have reached a conclusion, through the coordinator, that this is a green zone, no shooting."
This area, now a mix of rubble and military embankments, was once a suburb of Gaza’s second-largest city, Khan Yunis. Al-Astal said he grew up here but was forced to flee in 2010 after being persecuted by Hamas for his involvement in armed groups affiliated with the Palestinian Authority. For the next 11 years, he was abroad, serving in the PA’s security services in Egypt and Malaysia. Two years after returning to Gaza, he was charged with involvement in the 2018 murder of a Hamas man in Malaysia and sentenced to death.
"When the war started, they left us in prison, hoping that the Israelis would attack the prison and free them from us. Two months later, we broke down the doors and escaped," he said. According to him, their weapons - mainly Kalashnikov rifles - were previously bought from Hamas militants on the black market. Ammunition and vehicles, on the other hand, are delivered to them through the Kerem Shalom crossing in coordination with the IDF. This is the same border crossing that is also used by the leader of the militia considered the largest, Yasser Abu Shabaab.
Hussam al-Astal. Escaped from Gaza prison at the beginning of the war
It has previously been reported that the Abu Shabaab militia smuggles vehicles into Gaza, with the help of the IDF and an Arab-Israeli car dealer. Al-Astal said that he also uses the same dealer. One of his vehicles has Hebrew inscriptions on it, which have been partially erased. He said that his militia also receives weekly deliveries of groceries for civilians in the camp.
"Right now we are providing basic medical and educational assistance to about 30 families," he said."The children can receive apples and bananas, food and drinks, chips. In contrast, in the other area, in tents, you will find children aged five, ten or even 15 who live almost only on lentils and pasta." According to Sky News, the other two militias operating in the northern Gaza Strip also receive supplies from Israel.
A member of another militia operating in the northern Gaza Strip, led by Rami Khalas, told the British website that coordination with the IDF is carried out indirectly, through the District Coordination Office (DCO). This is a body belonging to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, but also includes representatives of the Palestinian Authority. According to Sky News, an IDF soldier stationed in Kerem Shalom and a senior commander in the Abu Shabaab militia also said similar things, according to which coordination with the IDF is carried out indirectly, and that the Palestinian Authority plays a central role in this.
Abu Shabaab. Vehicles are also smuggled to it from Israel
"There are people in my group who are still employed by the Palestinian Authority," said Al-Aster. The Authority has previously denied any connection to these militias, but Al-Aster made it clear:"You can't expect the Authority to admit that it has direct contact with us. They have enough problems as it is. If it turns out that they have connections with militias or with the occupation forces, you can imagine what it will look like."
Although he admitted that he worked with Israel to obtain equipment, al-Astal denied that he ever coordinated military operations with the IDF. In the past, it was reported that the Air Force planes intervened on behalf of the Abu Shabaab militia in two battles it fought. When Abu Shabaab was asked whether the intervention was due to coordination, he did not respond. Hamas accused al-Astal's militia of direct military coordination with Israel after several of its men were killed in a battle between the militants earlier this month."I do not control Israel's airstrikes," al-Astal said."The Israelis simply saw armed Hamas groups and attacked them."
In April, about two months before he formed the militia, an Israeli bomb hit Al-Astal's tent. The attack killed his 22-year-old daughter, Nahad, who was seven months pregnant."People accuse me of collaboration," he said."How could anyone even say such a thing? Were the Israelis 'laughing with me' when they fired a missile at me?"
Sources told Sky News that the militias also receive support from foreign countries. The deputy leader of the Abu Shabaab militia, Rasan al-Duhain, was photographed standing next to a car with a license plate registered in the United Arab Emirates. The organization's symbol is almost identical to that used by an Emirati-backed militia operating in Yemen. The Al-Astal militia also uses an illustration used by an Emirati-backed militia, also operating in Yemen.
When asked if he enjoyed the support of the Emirates, Al-Astal said:"Inshallah, in time everything will become clear. But yes - there are Arab countries that support our project." He confirmed that the name they gave to their project is "New Gaza": "Soon, Inshallah, you will see it for yourself. We will become the new government of Gaza. Without war, in peace with everyone - without Hamas, without terrorism."
