The government of Somaliland has approved the relocation of Palestinian individuals who collaborated with the Israeli army during the recent war on Gaza, resettling them within Somaliland’s territory, Israeli media reported on Monday.
According to the reports, these individuals are now at risk following the Israeli forces’ withdrawal from several areas in Gaza, as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the region.
During the war on Gaza, the Israeli army had reportedly formed militias aimed at facilitating “Israel’s” control over Gaza City through infighting with local Palestinian factions. However, the elimination of these militia leaders, including Yasser Abu Shabab, led to the failure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan.
No official statement has yet been issued by the Somaliland authorities or the Somali federal government regarding the matter.
‘Israel’ inevitably abandons its top collaborator in Rafah
Yasser Abu Shabab emerged during the war on Gaza as the leader of a well‑armed gang known as the “Popular Forces”, operating mainly around Rafah and portrayed as against Hamas. His group was accused of intercepting and looting humanitarian aid convoys and providing security for those routes, often with weapons supplied by the Israeli occupation forces, all while accusing Hamas of looting.
Israeli officials acknowledged that parts of Abu Shabab’s militia received arms and logistical backing in 2025 as part of an effort to counter Hamas’ influence in southern Gaza. His fighters, estimated at over 100 men, often operated in areas under Israeli control, which critics said blurred the line between local militia and proxy force.
To many Palestinians, Abu Shabab was seen as a collaborator with “Israel”. His own tribe, the Tarabin Bedouin clan, publicly disowned him in May 2025 amid widespread accusations of serving Israeli interests rather than the Palestinian cause.
On December 4, 2025, Abu Shabab was killed during an internal clash in Rafah, marking a dramatic end for the controversial figure. Despite his ties to Israeli forces, there was no publicized rescue or protection effort from “Israel” once fighting erupted around him.
Analysts say Abu Shabab’s death highlights the risks for militias forged in conflict when political support evaporates and local dynamics shift, leaving such figures vulnerable to rival factions and internal disputes. “Israel’s” experiment with leveraging local armed groups has drawn criticism as short‑lived and unstable.
