New Abu Shabab militia head says he’s not scared of Hamas, vows to intensify fighting

Ghassan al-Dahini, the newly appointed head of the Israeli-backed “Popular Forces” militia in southern Gaza, tells Channel 12 in an interview that he will continue to strengthen the group’s campaign against Hamas following the killing of its previous leader, Yasser Abu Shabab.

Al-Dahini, 39, hails from the Bedouin al-Tarabin tribe — the same tribe as Abu Shabab — and previously commanded the militia’s armed wing under him. Before joining the group, he served as an officer in the Palestinian Authority’s security apparatus until Hamas’s 2007 takeover of Gaza, according to Channel 12.

Later, he reportedly became a commander in Jaish al-Islam, closely tied to the Islamic State, and was at one point arrested by Hamas and listed among the group’s most-wanted individuals.

In the interview, al-Dahini declares he is not afraid of Hamas, saying, “How could I fear Hamas when I am fighting Hamas?”

“I fight them, arrest their people, confiscate their equipment, fight them and push them back. I am doing what they deserve, in the name of the people and the free men.”

Yesterday, the militia published a show-of-force video on a Facebook page affiliated with it, showing al-Dahini in military fatigues inspecting a formation of fighters. Another video showed troops praying in memory of Abu Shabab alongside a call for new recruits to join the fight “until you’re freed from Hamas.”

He says yesterday’s videos were intended to demonstrate that the militia “continues to operate” despite the loss of its commander.

“His absence is painful, but it does not stop the fight against terror,” he says.

Al-Dahini also outlines plans to establish a demilitarized zone in the area under the militia’s control, which he says would serve as a safe zone for civilians who “believe in peace.”