During the two-year Gaza War, an embattled Hamas has encountered a host of long-standing rivals, many of whom are affiliated with powerful local clans and armed groups.
Since the onset of the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 10, the terrorist group has attempted to reassert itself in the Gaza Strip, killing opponents in an enforcement clampdown after getting what appeared to be U.S. approval to act as temporary police in the war-torn enclave.
While speaking to reporters en route to the Middle East on Air Force One on Oct. 13, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had given Hamas approval to police the Gaza Strip “for a period of time.”
“We are having them watch that there’s not going to be big crime, or some of the problems that you have when you have areas like this that have been literally demolished,” Trump said.
“You have close to 2 million people going back to buildings that have been demolished, and a lot of bad things can happen. So we want it to be safe. I think it’s going to be fine.”
Abu Shabab Clan
Based in the Rafah area of Gaza, Yasser Abu Shabab is the most prominent of the anti-Hamas clan leaders. His forces operate in a portion of southern Gaza that is still occupied by the Israeli military.
Those close to Abu Shabab say his group has drawn in hundreds of fighters by providing lucrative salaries.
Hamas has accused him of collaborating with Israel, which he denies.
Doghmosh Clan
One of the largest and most powerful groups in the Gaza Strip, the Doghmosh clan has historically been well-armed, with clan leaders seeing weapons as a cultural need to defend their lands.Members of this clan are aligned with various Palestinian militant and terrorist groups, including both Hamas and Fatah.
Mumtaz Doghmosh, one of the clan’s key leaders, formerly led the Popular Resistance Committees’ armed wing in Gaza City.
Later on, he created the “Army of Islam” that aligned itself with ISIS.
In 2006, the Army of Islam was among the factions, including Hamas, that engaged in the cross-border assault that resulted in the capture of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was later released in a prisoner swap.
Since the Gaza War broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, Mumtaz Doghmosh’s whereabouts have been unknown.
The clan has clashed with Hamas in the past over refusing to disarm itself, and when the Army of Islam abducted a British reporter.
There were also clashes between Hamas terrorists and members of Doghmosh on Oct. 12 and 13 while the cease-fire was holding firm.
Al-Majayda Clan
Centered in the southern portion of the Gaza Strip in Khan Younis, this large and powerful clan’s members have fought with Hamas in recent months.In early October, Hamas raided the clan’s domain to detain men it claimed were wanted for killing members of Hamas.
An ensuing shootout resulted in multiple men dying on both sides, according to both Hamas and clan members.
The clan has denied Hamas’s accusations that its members have ties with Abu Shabab, and has pushed back by accusing the terrorist group of using the raid as an excuse for targeted killings.
The clan has cited a document they claimed to have recovered from the bodies of Hamas members killed during the shootout.
Rami Hellis
The Hellis clan is a large group based in Gaza City, focused on the Shejaia suburb.Several months ago, Rami Hellis, a senior member of the clan, and Ahmed Jundeya, a member of a different Shejaia-based clan, created a group that defies Hamas inside portions of Shejaia that are still under the control of Israeli forces.
