Al Jazeera will air an investigation by Tamer Almisshal alleging that armed Palestinian groups in Gaza collaborated with Israeli forces, operating behind a so-called 'yellow line' buffer and at certain aid sites. The episode presents audio and video recordings and cites Israeli maps, a Reuters witness account at Rafah, and a public admission by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about 'activating' local clans. The report names groups including the Popular Forces and the Strike Force Against Terror, while some accused groups deny the allegations.
Al Jazeera Investigation Alleges Armed Gaza Militias Collaborated With Israeli Forces
The late Popular Forces group leader Yasser Abu Shabab [Screen grab/Al Jazeera]
Al Jazeera will broadcast a new investigation by reporter Tamer Almisshal alleging that several armed Palestinian groups in Gaza collaborated with Israeli forces, moving through restricted areas, manning checkpoints and assisting at certain aid distribution sites. The programme, part of the series What Is Hidden Is Greater, includes audio and video material the network says documents recruitment, movements and operations inside Gaza.
What the Investigation Alleges
The film alleges that some armed factions travelled freely from northern to southern Gaza behind a self-declared demarcation known locally as the 'yellow line' — effectively a buffer zone where Israeli forces are positioned under the first phase of the October ceasefire. According to the investigation, Israeli military maps shown in the report place that buffer between 1.5 km and 6.5 km (0.9–4 miles) inside Gaza and cover roughly 58 percent of the territory.
Evidence Presented
Al Jazeera says its episode includes video and audio recordings that document how individuals were recruited and operated. The network also cites maps and other material that it says show members of named groups operating in areas that ordinary civilians are prohibited from entering under the ceasefire terms.
Public Statements And Witness Accounts
The investigation recalls a public statement last June by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he said Israel had 'activated' powerful local clans on the advice of security officials. A Reuters witness account included in the report describes a recent checkpoint at the partially reopened Rafah crossing allegedly staffed by gunmen identifying themselves as the Popular Forces (commonly known as the Abu Shabab militia). The witness said women were stopped, had their family names called aloud, were escorted to a security point where Israeli forces awaited, and were then searched and interrogated about the October 7 attack.
Humanitarian Impact And Aid Distribution
The investigation links some of the named groups to operations at aid distribution centres run by the Gaza 'Humanitarian' Foundation (GHF), which the report says were established with US and Israeli backing. The GHF has been widely criticised, the programme notes, for bypassing established UN humanitarian channels and for violent incidents at crowded distribution sites that resulted in deaths and injuries. The report also alleges instances in which fighters from the Popular Forces looted aid and sought to resell it — claims the group has denied and which have contributed to reported clashes between Hamas and the Popular Forces since September 2024.
Named Groups
Among the groups highlighted are the Popular Forces, founded by Yasser Abu Shabab (killed in December and succeeded by Ghassan al-Dahini), and a group calling itself the Strike Force Against Terror, led by Hussam al-Astal. Video material presented in the investigation reportedly places members of the Strike Force operating in southern areas such as Khan Younis that are off-limits to ordinary residents. Al-Astal is described in the report as a former Palestinian Authority security officer who was accused in the 1990s by both the PA and Hamas of collaborating with Israel.
Casualty Figures And Context
Al Jazeera's episode cites casualty figures for the wider offensive, stating that the offensive on Gaza has killed at least 71,851 people and wounded 171,626 since October 2023. The network attributes casualty and other operational claims to its reporting and to named sources where relevant.
Responses And Caveats
The allegations in the programme have been denied by some of the groups named, and key claims remain disputed. The investigation relies on material that Al Jazeera says corroborates its findings, while other actors—including Israeli and Palestinian officials—have offered different accounts. Independent verification of every claim in the film is not presented in the public summary.
Broadcast details: The episode will air at 21:00 Doha time (18:00 GMT) on Friday as part of the programme What Is Hidden Is Greater.
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