Key facts
- Israeli army is using armed collaborator militias, including drug dealers and criminal gangs, in Gaza.
- These militias are reportedly involved in expelling Palestinians, looting homes, and burning houses.
- Israel provides weapons, artillery, and drone support to these groups.
- Soldiers describe these militias as an 'operational arm' of the Israeli army and Shin Bet.
- The activities are described as 'war crimes' and are compared to the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
An investigation by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz alleges that the Israeli army is increasingly employing mercenaries, criminal gangs, and drug dealers to carry out operations in Gaza, which are described as "war crimes."
Based on testimonies from Israeli soldiers, UN reports, and satellite imagery, the investigation found that these collaborator militias, armed and trained by Israel, have expelled Palestinians from their homes, looted their belongings, and burned down houses. At least five militia groups, potentially six, are operating from fortified bases within Israeli-occupied areas of Gaza.
One Israeli soldier reportedly stated that the state, army, and Shin Bet intelligence service arm and train militias to commit war crimes, with soldiers tasked to protect them. The report highlights that Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The investigation details the activities of specific militia leaders, including Yasser Abu Shabab, who had links to the Islamic State group and was killed by Hamas in December 2025. Another leader, Shawqi Abu Nasira, openly admitted to collaborating with Israel to liberate the land from Hamas.
Israel has reportedly built infrastructure for these gangs, including a training ground over a leveled Palestinian cemetery. The militias are supplied with weapons and receive artillery and drone support from the Israeli military. Soldiers described the mercenaries entering structures, looting extensively, and then burning the houses. These actions are seen as part of an effort to make life in Gaza unbearable, potentially for ethnic cleansing.
The report suggests these mercenaries now function as an "operational arm" of the Israeli army and Shin Bet. Haaretz expressed concern that Israel's continued arming of these gangs while demanding Hamas disarm could lead to atrocities reminiscent of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre.