Yasser Abu Shabab, the Bedouin commander who heads the Gaza-based Popular Forces armed group, said in an interview published 7 July by Israel’s Ynet news site that “the end of Hamas is near” and described the Islamist movement as “vile and despicable.” Abu Shabab, whose clan straddles Gaza, Egypt’s Sinai and Israel’s Negev, said his fighters emerged after the Oct. 7 2023 attacks and now coordinate with the Palestinian Authority to secure and distribute humanitarian aid. He denied direct cooperation with Israel, although Israeli-supplied weapons have reached his ranks, and said Hamas has branded him a traitor and seeks his arrest. The militia leader claimed his forces have gained ground as Hamas struggles with depleted ranks and declining public support. He urged the return of Israeli hostages and an end to the war, insisting his group will continue operations in Gaza until Hamas is dismantled.