Israel has begun providing firearms to the Abu Shabab gang, a group opposing Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in a controversial move confirmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This initiative, reportedly approved without the security cabinet’s backing, aims to weaken Hamas’s grip on the region, with Netanyahu claiming it helps protect Israeli soldiers.
The Abu Shabab group, which emerged in Rafah last year, has been linked to prior smuggling operations and has recently operated in areas under Israeli military control. As Hamas responds aggressively to this militia, the implications of Israel’s decision have sparked a heated debate, with former defense minister Avigdor Liberman criticizing the government’s strategy of arming groups associated with extremist factions.
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