This group, led by a local named Yasser Abu Shabab and identifying as the “Popular Forces,” has built tent encampments, distributed food and medicine without Hamas interference, and declared an intent to protect civilians rather than control them.

The group claims to be coordinating with international aid agencies to secure safe corridors and distribute supplies fairly. Video footage from the area showed orderly lines of residents receiving flour and other necessities, without the looting or chaos that has become common under Hamas’s manipulation of aid distribution.

While the group stresses that it does not seek to replace any government, its actions say otherwise. Its leaders have openly accused Hamas of turning humanitarian aid into a tool for power—stealing, reselling on the black market, and using it to recruit loyalists.

Hamas, increasingly rattled, responded with violence. In late May, it released footage of an explosive attack on members of the Popular Forces, portraying them as “collaborators with Israel” and “traitors.” However, Israeli sources confirmed that several new militias unaffiliated with Hamas have begun informal cooperation with Israel, especially in securing humanitarian convoys.

Hamas’s standing in Gaza has been deteriorating. Most of its senior military leaders have been killed or are in hiding. Its authority has shifted to mid-level operatives like Az al-Din al-Haddad, who is reportedly evading Israeli targeting and now holds veto power over any hostage deal. Internal opposition has intensified, with southern tribes publicly condemning Hamas’s leadership for rejecting the latest U.S.-brokered deal.

Meanwhile, large-scale food aid from the U.S. is being distributed across the Strip through a new system that bypasses Hamas altogether. The Biden administration's aid program has already delivered millions of meals. Footage from Gaza shows grateful civilians thanking America while angrily denouncing Hamas.

This direct line of aid threatens Hamas’s survival strategy. Sources inside Gaza report that Hamas attempted to sabotage distribution centers—sending gunmen to fire at civilians in hopes of either scaring them away or blaming Israel. In one incident, Hamas operatives were accused of opening fire on Gazans waiting for aid, while other locals were seen waving white flags, pleading for peace.

Yet, even Hamas operatives have been spotted accepting aid from the same centers they publicly condemn—further exposing the organization's hypocrisy.

The Popular Forces, though small—estimated at around 300 men—represent a symbol of a deeper problem for Hamas: loss of legitimacy. Even in central Gaza camps, once staunch Hamas strongholds, locals now speak openly of preferring PA rule or direct international oversight. Some residents have appealed to Abu Shabab’s forces to expand their presence westward, expressing hope that this new order could replace the terror regime that has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades.

Still, caution is warranted. As history shows, terror groups rarely collapse quickly. Thousands of armed Hamas fighters remain loyal to commanders like al-Haddad. Local militias, even with outside support, may lack the strength to hold territory long-term.

And yet, for the first time in years, Hamas looks shaken. Its monopoly over force, aid, and fear is eroding. An alternative is rising—not imposed by Israel, but from within.