GAZA (Reuters) -As the Gaza war dragged on, a diminished Hamas faced growing internal challenges to its control of Gaza from long-standing rivals, many of them affiliated with powerful local clans.
Since Friday’s ceasefire took hold, Hamas has sought to reassert itself, killing dozens of opponents in a crackdown after appearing to get a U.S. nod to temporarily police the shattered enclave.
The following are some of the key clans and figures whose members have clashed with Hamas forces over the past two years.
ABU SHABAB CLAN
Yasser Abu Shabab, based in the Rafah area, is the most prominent anti-Hamas clan leader. He operates in a part of southern Gaza still occupied by Israeli forces.
According to a source close to Abu Shabab, his group has recruited hundreds of fighters by offering attractive salaries. Hamas accuses him of collaborating with Israel, a charge he denies.
His clan is a Bedouin group centered in the eastern area of Rafah. It is unclear if the entire clan supports Abu Shabab’s actions. His personal force is estimated to be around 400 men.
DOGHMOSH CLAN
The Doghmosh clan is one of the largest and most powerful in the Gaza Strip and has historically been well-armed. Clan leaders view weapons as a cultural necessity to defend their land. Its members have affiliations with various Palestinian militant groups, including both Fatah and Hamas.
Mumtaz Doghmosh, a key clan leader, previously led the Popular Resistance Committees’ armed wing in Gaza City. He later formed the “Army of Islam,” which declared allegiance to Islamic State. The Army of Islam was one of the factions, alongside Hamas, involved in the 2006 cross-border attack that led to the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He was later released in a prisoner swap.
Mumtaz Doghmosh’s whereabouts have been unknown since before the war erupted on October 7, 2023. Hamas has clashed with the clan in the past over its refusal to disarm and the Army of Islam’s abduction of a British reporter.
Hamas fighters clashed with members of Doghmosh on Sunday and Monday. Many of the clan’s members were killed along with some Hamas fighters, according to security sources. There is no evidence Mumtaz Doghmosh was part of the recent clashes, as he hasn’t been seen in public or heard of for a few years.
AL-MAJAYDA CLAN
This large and powerful clan is centered in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Its members have clashed with Hamas fighters in recent months.
Earlier this month, Hamas raided the clan’s area to arrest men it said were wanted for killing Hamas members. A shootout ensued, resulting in several deaths on both sides, Hamas and clan members said.
Sources close to the clan deny Hamas’ accusations that its members have links with Abu Shabab. They accuse Hamas of using the raid as a pretext for targeted killings, citing a document they claim to have recovered from the bodies of Hamas fighters killed during the raid.
However, on Monday, the head of the clan issued a statement on social media affirming support for the security campaign launched by Hamas to maintain law and order in Gaza, urging clan members to cooperate. The clan has members with different affiliations including Fatah and Hamas.
RAMI HELLIS
The Hellis clan is a large clan in Gaza City, centered in the Shejaia suburb. A few months ago a senior member of the clan, Rami Hellis and Ahmed Jundeya, a member of another large Shejaia clan, formed a group that operates in defiance of Hamas within parts of Shejaia that are still under Israeli army control.
(Reporting by Nidal al-MughrabiEditing by Ros Russell)
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