Tehran - ISNA - Israeli media reported on Wednesday that the so-called Popular Forces militia, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, has received approval from Tel Aviv to manage "reconstruction efforts" in areas under Israeli control in southern Gaza.
Reports have recently revealed that areas under the group’s control enjoy privileged access to food and supplies largely denied to the rest of the besieged Palestinian territory.
An internal 2024 UN report identified the group as “the most influential stakeholders behind the systematic and massive looting of convoys.”
Receiving logistical and operational support from Israeli forces, the gang has become a key player in the regime’s efforts to weaken Hamas’s governance in Gaza.
A report revealed this week that Abu Shabab met with US presidential adviser Jared Kushner at a US military base south of Israel to discuss the future role of his forces in Gaza.
According to Saudi news outlet al-Hadath, the meeting centered on the strategic positioning of the militia in areas vacated by Hamas under the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal.