Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reports that the Shin Bet approached representatives of two large Gaza City clans that remained in the city about implementing a plan to divide the city into zones controlled by armed groups supported by Israel.
According to the report, citing security sources and contacts on the ground in Gaza, the Durmush and Bakr families rejected the offer, which would have required them to fight Hamas and pass intelligence to Israel.
The proposed scheme appears to be similar to a model implemented with armed groups carving out anti-Hamas enclaves in Gaza’s south that claim support from Israel.
A member of the Bakr family, who asked not to be named, confirmed the details to the paper.
According to the sources, the families rejected the offer on Friday; yesterday Israel struck several houses belonging to members of the families in Gaza City, killing about 36 people, it claims.
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