Israeli bombs are still falling on Gaza and the humanitarian crisis remains. But the main change to the security landscape in 2026 has been the emergence of local militias with Israeli support, who are fighting a bloody war against the Hamas government for control of the Strip.
The groups largely operate from the 60 per cent of territory still controlled by the Israeli army behind the “Yellow Line” that was established after the ceasefire agreement last year. Their work includes assassinations, abductions, and gaining control of territory and resources.
They count hundreds of members, including men who were previously in Hamas jails for crimes including theft, trafficking, and even murder.
The Popular Forces, based in eastern Rafah on Gaza’s southern border, is the most powerful despite the killing of its leader, former smuggler Yasser Abu Shabab, in a shooting last December.
The Strike Force Against Terror is based in Israel-occupied parts of Khan Yunis under Husam al-Astal, a former security official of the Palestinian Authority that has limited governing powers in the occupied West Bank.
