Urgent questions are being raised over a patchwork of armed groups that have emerged to fight Hamas in Gaza over recent months. They include groups based around family clans, criminal gangs and new militia – some of which are backed by Israel, as its prime minister recently admitted. Elements within the Palestinian Authority - which governs parts of the occupied West Bank and is a political rival to Hamas - are also believed to be covertly sending support.
But these militia - each operating in its own local area inside the 53% of Gaza's territory currently controlled by Israeli forces - have not been officially included in the US President Donald Trump's peace plan, which calls for an International Stabilisation Force and a newly-trained Palestinian police force to secure Gaza in the next stage of the deal.
One of the largest militia is headed by Yasser Abu Shabab, whose Popular Forces operate near the southern city of Rafah. In one recent social media video, his deputy talks about working in co-ordination with the Board of Peace - the international body to be tasked with running Gaza under the plan.
Hossam al-Astal, who leads a militia called the Counter-Terrorism Strike Force near Khan Younis, told Israeli media this week that US representatives had confirmed his group would have a role in Gaza's future police force.
But many Gazans - including those disillusioned with Hamas - are unhappy with the new power given to these small and fragmented armed groups. Only a small number of men who have no religion, faith, or ethics have joined these criminals, said Saleh Sweidan, a Gaza City resident.
The question of what will happen to Gaza's new militia under a durable peace still remains unanswered, with risks that these groups could possibly turn against those who currently support them.
But these militia - each operating in its own local area inside the 53% of Gaza's territory currently controlled by Israeli forces - have not been officially included in the US President Donald Trump's peace plan, which calls for an International Stabilisation Force and a newly-trained Palestinian police force to secure Gaza in the next stage of the deal.
One of the largest militia is headed by Yasser Abu Shabab, whose Popular Forces operate near the southern city of Rafah. In one recent social media video, his deputy talks about working in co-ordination with the Board of Peace - the international body to be tasked with running Gaza under the plan.
Hossam al-Astal, who leads a militia called the Counter-Terrorism Strike Force near Khan Younis, told Israeli media this week that US representatives had confirmed his group would have a role in Gaza's future police force.
But many Gazans - including those disillusioned with Hamas - are unhappy with the new power given to these small and fragmented armed groups. Only a small number of men who have no religion, faith, or ethics have joined these criminals, said Saleh Sweidan, a Gaza City resident.
The question of what will happen to Gaza's new militia under a durable peace still remains unanswered, with risks that these groups could possibly turn against those who currently support them.
