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Spent ammunition casings bearing the markings of a United Arab Emirates arms manufacturer have reportedly been discovered in eastern Gaza following an armed operation by militias cooperating with Israeli occupation forces, raising questions about who is supplying weapons and ammunition to these groups.
The discovery, documented through eyewitness testimony obtained by Arabi21, comes alongside allegations that a militia led by Rami Helles detained approximately 20 displaced Palestinians and used them as human shields while withdrawing towards the Israeli-controlled Yellow Line in Gaza’s Shuja’iyya neighbourhood.
According to the testimony, the recovered cartridges carry the markings of LAHAB, an Emirati ammunition manufacturer belonging to EDGE Group, one of the UAE’s major defence companies.
The findings have renewed scrutiny of the networks supplying armed groups operating alongside Israeli forces in Gaza, particularly as previous reports have raised questions about possible Emirati connections to militias active in the territory.
However, while the ammunition markings identify a potential manufacturing origin, the available evidence does not establish how the cartridges reached Gaza or who arranged their supply.
The UAE Ammunition Markings Discovered in Gaza
Palestinian photojournalist Ramadan Abu Sukran told Arabi21 that spent ammunition casings recovered from the scene carried the distinctive markings of LAHAB, an Emirati company operating under EDGE Group.
Abu Sukran said the cartridges were identifiable as ammunition used in Kalashnikov rifles, a weapon commonly carried by armed militias cooperating with Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip.
He also pointed to the production information stamped on the casings, which indicated that the ammunition had been manufactured in February 2026.
According to the journalist, the identification was based on his familiarity with ammunition circulating in Gaza and the widespread use of Kalashnikov rifles throughout the territory.
Arabi21 separately confirmed that LAHAB manufactures several types of small-arms ammunition, including 7.62×39 mm cartridges designed for Kalashnikov-type rifles.
This detail is particularly relevant because the calibre is compatible with the weapons reportedly used by the militias operating in eastern Gaza.
The markings and manufacturing date have therefore become central to questions about the ammunition’s origin and the possible supply routes through which it reached armed groups collaborating with Israeli forces.
The available testimony, however, does not establish whether the ammunition was transferred directly from the UAE, obtained through intermediaries or acquired through another channel.
Where the Cartridges Were Found and What Happened During the Raid
The spent ammunition casings were reportedly discovered at the eastern end of Omar al-Mukhtar Street, near a major branch of the Bank of Palestine.
More specifically, the location was identified as being close to the Ashwaq building, near the entrance to an area known as Dahlat al-Shuja’iyya.
According to Abu Sukran, children from the Jundiya family came across the cartridges while playing in the area.
A photographer who was present subsequently documented the spent casings, capturing images that reportedly showed the markings identifying their manufacturer as the Emirati company LAHAB.
The discovery followed an operation carried out the previous Thursday by an armed militia led by Rami Helles, which Abu Sukran said resulted in the detention of approximately 20 displaced Palestinians.
The journalist alleged that the militia opened fire while withdrawing from the area and forced the detainees to accompany its members towards the Yellow Line.
He said the armed group used the detainees as human shields during the withdrawal.
According to his account, the militia took the detainees towards the Yellow Line, which at the time ran through the middle of the street vendors’ market in Shuja’iyya, only a few dozen metres from the location of the operation.
The detained Palestinians reportedly belonged to the al-Aklouk, Jundiya and al-Sarsak families.
The allegations present a disturbing account of the tactics reportedly employed by armed groups operating in areas close to Israeli military positions, where displaced civilians remain vulnerable to incursions, detention and gunfire.
Israeli Air Cover and Artillery Fire During Militia Operations
Abu Sukran described the raid as part of a wider pattern of militia activity near the Yellow Line, where armed groups cooperating with Israeli forces reportedly conduct repeated incursions into areas inhabited by displaced Palestinians.
He said the militias frequently open fire during these operations, allegedly intending to intimidate civilians who continue to shelter nearby.
According to his testimony, these movements take place under Israeli military protection.
He alleged that Israeli forces provide cover for the militias as they enter and withdraw from Palestinian areas, including through drone operations and artillery bombardment directed towards surrounding locations.
The journalist explained that displaced residents have become familiar with the pattern of Israeli artillery fire accompanying these operations.
He identified Israeli military positions in the schools area, also known as Housh Abu Hussein, and along al-Gharabli Street inside the Yellow Line as locations from which artillery shells are fired.
According to Abu Sukran, the bombardment often coincides with militia movements, raids, arrests, the advance of military vehicles or changes to the position of the Yellow Line.
He said residents have become capable of recognising the nature of nearby military activity by observing the timing and pattern of the shelling.
“We have become able to distinguish the nature of the operation being carried out by the occupation through the pattern of artillery fire,” he explained.
“From this synchronised pattern of shelling, we know that militias cooperating with the occupation are advancing, carrying out raids or arrests, or that military vehicles are moving forward, along with other military activities in the area.”
His testimony suggests that artillery fire has become an indicator for civilians attempting to anticipate the movements of armed groups and Israeli forces operating near their shelters.
The Yellow Line Advances as Displaced Families Are Pushed Further West
Beyond the discovery of the ammunition, Abu Sukran described changes to the position of the Yellow Line that have further reduced the space available to displaced Palestinians in eastern Gaza.
According to the journalist, the line has advanced to the al-Gharabli building, specifically near the entrance to Shuja’iyya Pharmacy.
This movement has taken it beyond a substantial section of the street vendors’ market adjoining Salah al-Din Street, leaving the line approximately 10 metres from the main road.
The advancing boundary has directly affected displaced families who had been sheltering in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Abu Sukran said more than 200 families had previously been living around Shuja’iyya Junction, the Mercedes company block and the al-Tawabin area.
However, the movement of the Yellow Line has forced these families to relocate further west.
Only a small number reportedly remain in nearby streets and alleyways, particularly around al-Alwan Street, the Latin Convent Church area and Ibn al-Haytham School.
The displacement reflects the consequences of expanding Israeli-controlled areas for Palestinians already living in increasingly restricted spaces.
For residents who remain near the boundary, the combination of armed militia activity, artillery fire and the continuing movement of the line has created an environment of persistent insecurity.
Previous Reports Raised Questions About Emirati Links to Gaza Militias
The discovery of ammunition bearing an Emirati manufacturer’s markings is not the first development to raise questions about possible connections between the UAE and armed groups collaborating with Israeli forces in Gaza.
In the middle of last year, a photograph published by a senior member of the Abu Shabab militia attracted attention after showing a vehicle bearing Emirati registration plates.
The Abu Shabab group has been identified as one of the armed militias cooperating with Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, Ghassan al-Duhaini, the deputy commander of the group and a close associate of its leader, Yasser Abu Shabab, published a photograph of himself firing a weapon beside a vehicle registered in Sharjah, UAE.
The appearance of the Emirati-registered vehicle prompted questions about whether individuals or networks connected to the UAE had links to the militia.
However, the photograph alone did not establish that the Emirati government was supplying or directing the group.
Sky News Investigation Identified Another Possible Connection
A separate investigation by Sky News previously examined Israeli support for armed militias operating in Gaza and identified another detail that raised questions about possible Emirati connections.
The investigation highlighted the appearance of an emblem used by groups operating in Rafah under the name Counter Terrorism Service (CTS).
According to Sky News, the emblem was strikingly similar to that of a Yemeni armed group bearing the same name and receiving support from the UAE.
The resemblance added another element to questions surrounding the identities, affiliations and external connections of armed factions operating in areas under Israeli military control.
Nevertheless, the similarity between the emblems does not independently establish a direct organisational or financial relationship between the groups.
Taken together, the previously reported Emirati-registered vehicle, the resemblance between militia insignia and the newly documented ammunition markings have generated further questions about whether external networks are involved in supporting armed groups cooperating with Israeli forces in Gaza.
The UAE Maintains That Its Role in Gaza Is Humanitarian
Despite the questions raised by these reports, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly maintained that its activities in the Gaza Strip are humanitarian in nature.
Emirati authorities have stated that their involvement is limited to providing relief and assistance to displaced Palestinians through initiatives operating under the name Operation Gallant Knight.
The UAE has not, in the information presented, been shown to have acknowledged providing ammunition or military assistance to the armed groups described in the investigation.
The origin of the cartridges reportedly recovered in eastern Gaza therefore remains an unresolved issue.
Although the markings suggest the ammunition was manufactured by an Emirati company, determining who purchased it, how it entered Gaza and whether it was deliberately supplied to militias collaborating with Israeli forces would require further evidence.
For displaced Palestinians living close to the Yellow Line, however, the immediate consequences of the armed groups’ activities are already being felt through reported incursions, arrests, intimidation and repeated displacement.
The discovery of the ammunition introduces another question into that reality: who is providing the weapons and supplies enabling these militias to operate in areas under Israeli military protection?
