Occupation agents are without a popular support and their fate is either death or imprisonment – Al-Shorouk Online

Despite the atrocities committed by the occupation since October 7th against civilians in Gaza, some of its people preferred to join armed entities, operating under the command of the occupation in abnormal and rare behavior.
Palestinian investigative journalist and resident of Gaza City, Muhammad Othman, speaks in this interview with Al-Shorouk about the backgrounds of the formation of these militias, the method of their work, and the entities that support them.

How were the militias associated with the occupation formed?
At the beginning of the war, the occupation was looking for a body in the Gaza Strip to control security matters, in an Israeli security sense, meaning, “Let us say Israeli security as it wants it.” He discussed the issue of clans, but the Palestinian clans categorically refused.
But the occupation, at the beginning of the war, was monitoring groups and individuals, and the groups at first were individuals, then they became small groups, some of which were families, “conducting road blockades, and even entering the places where resistance operations were taking place and stealing from the homes there, and under the cover of Israeli aircraft, and he knew that they were stealing.”
Little by little, at the highest level in the Gaza Strip, the first militia was founded by Yasser Abu Shabab in the south of the Gaza Strip, and it was the mother of the previous militias, to the point that all the militias, and even the leaders of the second militia, were present in this militia, and they were displaced in the city of Rafah, and it was formed, and then all the militias were formed.
Of course, at first they were as bandits, then the occupation supported them, and they were present in the eastern regions of the Gaza Strip, supporting them with weapons, etc., and even supporting them with Israeli aircraft. This means that now every killing, and every treacherous operation, is covered by Israeli aviation. This is the first question.
Of course, the date of the formation of this group, or the first group that is the nucleus of all groups, or the first group for the rest of the groups, was approximately the end of November 2024.

Are there any links between these militias and parties outside the occupation circle?
Yes, it has connections. I mean, for example, with regard to foreign countries, I spotted cars and published about them a year ago. Maybe the car number is in Sharjah, and how it got to this place, God knows. Regarding Palestinian figures, I am of course reticent to publish them at the present time. They were supported by the Authority and Fatah, but I am reticent to publish the matter until the time comes. Therefore, there were local Palestinian people, and countries like the Emirates, and we saw the number of the Sharjah car, and it was driven by people from the militia, the Yasser Abu Shabab militia, and it was known at the time.

What are the social, religious and cognitive backgrounds of this militia?
They were Palestinians, they were present among us, from different families, the majority of whom were prison graduates, drug dealers, thieves, and so on. The vast majority, of course, even those with ISIS backgrounds, are also, “Let me say, they were not morally sound either.” So, of course, two or three of the ISIS members I know are even morally abnormal as well.
Cognitively, the vast majority are very low educated, and a portion of them do not know how to read and write. Religiously, they are originally Muslims, meaning by inheritance, and their number is of course small.

How do the societal components in Gaza view it? More precisely, do they have a popular support, even those close to their families and clans?
Now they have people from the clan, from family, from friends, but how many are these people? They are only in the hundreds, meaning out of two and a half million people in Gaza, only hundreds of them joined the militias. Therefore, they do not have a popular support, and they are rejected by families, clans, tribes, friends, and all Palestinian components.

What role has it played since its formation until now?
Before the ceasefire, they were stealing aid, blocking roads, and looting property. Currently, they are carrying out some dirty tasks, such as assassinating some figures, kidnapping citizens, and so on, and entering areas to set a trap for the occupation for the resistance fighters, until they come to them, while the occupation watches them through air coverage and bombs, and this happened several times.

How does the resistance deal with them, given the danger they pose?
They would enter some areas and set a trap for the resistance fighters until the occupation aircraft came and bombed. Recently, the resistance has understood this equation, and more than one ambush has occurred by the resistance against them, of course in areas far from the occupation, or on the outskirts, areas where the occupation is present. Therefore, in order not to become, in parentheses, a violation of the truce, as happens daily with the Israeli occupation, people stay away from these areas, and wait for the spies, agents, or militias to approach them and not appear directly.
East of the city of Rafah, a few days ago, an agent was killed so that he would not appear to Israeli aircraft, and thus the Palestinian resistance deals with the militias with caution.

How do you envision the end of these militias? Eliminate it, surrender, flee to the occupying state?
In 1936, the Great Palestinian Revolt began, which lasted for three years until 1939. At that time, the British occupation established militias called the Peace Factions, and the people called them the Jahsh militias to destroy their morale. With the end of the revolution, of course, part of the individuals were killed at that time, and the members or leaders of the families remained, and after three or four years, I mean, I read about this topic, in 1942 and 1943, leaders of them were killed.
Therefore, their end was immediately after the end of the 1936 revolution by the British occupation. Therefore, this is on the part of the occupation, as it disbands these militias, and the people later pursue them and kill their members.
For example, the Lahad militia or Lahad Army ended in 2000 in southern Lebanon with the Israeli withdrawal. The fate of these people was as follows: part of them fled to the occupied Palestinian territories, part of them remained in Lebanon and surrendered themselves, and the third part were people who escaped and then returned to Lebanon and surrendered themselves, and some received an exemption and were pardoned.
Therefore, this is their fate: either death, imprisonment, or pardon if they have not committed any murders, and as a result these militias are completely eliminated.