Hossam al-Attal is a Bedouin hailing from just outside Khan Younis. He used to work for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza before Hamas drove all of its operatives out of the Strip. He despises Hamas, which he accuses of having brought only misery to the people of Gaza. He has hundreds of men now in his militia, and is expecting to soon enroll another 300-400 who, like him, are prepared to beat back any challenge to his authority that Hamas, now so weakened by the IDF, might decide to mount.
More on this militia head, who is directly flouting Hamas’ authority in Khan Younis, one of Gaza’s largest cities, can be found here: “Armed group claims to set up area in Khan Younis for Gazans seeking alternative to Hamas rule,” by Nurit Yohanan, Times of Israel, September 18, 2025:
A former member of the Palestinian Authority’s security forces in Gaza says he has formed a group operating against Hamas in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, and urges Palestinians in the area to seek safety with him.
Hossam al-Astal tells The Times of Israel that his group will take in “whoever lives under Hamas’s oppression,” and that there is enough food, water and shelter for all.
“In the coming days, we will bring in another 300-400 people,” he says, adding that the group carries out security screenings to make sure those joining have no ties to Hamas.
Al-Astal’s group has established itself around the village of Kizan al-Najjar, just south of Khan Younis, which was emptied of its residents during the war. The location is about a kilometer from al-Mawasi, where Israel has directed Palestinians displaced from Gaza City.
IDF troops are right next door to al-Astal’s militia, for they are keeping order in al-Mawasi, which is the safe zone the Israelis have set up for Gazans fleeing from Gaza City. They are in close communication with al-Astal, and no doubt supplying him with weapons, and also making available to his men both water and electricity, that Hamas is now incapable of supplying to its own combatants.
“I am responsible for the (new) humanitarian zone in Khan Younis,” he explains, comparing his efforts to those of Yasser Abu Shabab, whose armed gang has set up security structures and civilian infrastructure as an alternative to Hamas rule in Israeli-controlled parts of Rafah in recent months….
Yasser Abu Shabab’s group should not be described with that loaded word “gang.” It is a militia group, and like that of al-Astal, is attempting to release the residents in part of Rafah — from the despotic rule of Hamas. So far Hamas has threatened to confront Abu Shabab’s militia, but has not dared to do so; that militia is too strong in Rafah and Hamas too weak, for not only has it been battered by the IDF, but its forces are spread out over all of Gaza while Abu Shabab is only protecting his militia’s rule in one part of one city.
Al-Astal’s militia, and the people who agree to be ruled by that militia, meanwhile, will soon have water and electricity supplied by the IDF, which understands the importance of supporting these local forces in Gaza that are enemies of Hamas. Hamas has a lot of enemies who want to see its grip on Gaza loosened, and they are funding these local militias to undermine the terror group. The US, the EU, and Arab countries —no doubt that means the UAE and Saudi Arabia — are providing money to keep al-Astal’s militia afloat by paying the salaries of its members, and the IDF, next door in the “safe zone” of al-Mawasi, is supplying them with weapons.
Fiercely anti-Hamas, Hossam al-Astal is one more leader who has created his own militia to tend to the needs of the local population, and has rejected Hamas’ rule as having brought nothing but woe to the people of Gaza. He’s the second militia leader to have stepped forward to publicly challenge Hamas — the first was Yasser al-Shabab in Rafah — and to assure those he will now be responsible for that Israel will supply his followers with electricity and water. That’s an offer that will boost his militia’s membership, and secure the loyalty of those in the territory he controls. With another half-dozen such militias coming into existence to defy the terror group and to take control of parts of Gaza, Hamas may not just loosen but lose its grip altogether, and the Strip could end up as a collection of tiny city-states which, of course, would be just fine with Israel.
Tony says
Islam and its Muslims use deceit and lies against Non-Muslims to manipulate Islam’s propaganda for ultimate power and control as taught in Islam’s Quran(Quran 3:28, 54; 7:99; 8:30; 9:29, 111, etc.). Islam is hatred and terrorism, non-stop(Quran 5:14, 9:5, etc.).
Allah’s ideology in Qur’an 8:39 commands Muslims to fight Non-Muslims until they surrender to Muslim rule and become Muslims when it says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” Muslims are encouraged to conquer and subjugate every territory for Islam using every tool available with their MONEY and with their LIVES starting with the Government or State. Hence, Islam and Muslim actions should be legally challenged with a multi-faceted force of Western Laws like Muslims wield against Westerners via Governments, Tax Exempt Organizations, the Media and Hollywood, Foreign Funding, etc. because Islam violates and is incompatible with Western Laws(Quran 8:60; 9:5,29, 111; 47:4; 49:15; 65:4 etc.). Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers[Muslims] are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed jihad with their MONEY and their LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.” Allah in Quran 4:101 says, “…Surely the infidels(Non-Muslims) were your clear enemies.”
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Main unanswered question in this story: does Hossam al-Attal accept Israel’s right to independently exist as a Jewish nation?
If the answer is no, then there is no foundational difference b/w him and Hamas
Joe1 says
There may be no difference. But having them shoot at each other seems to be a smart move.
David M says
Alien v Predator, start attacking each other then.
John Pepple says
I believe the Arabic says (if I have translated it right), “No place for the dogs of Hamas.”
abu taleb says
This time, the hate toward Hamas is more than toward the Jews, because Hamas directly inflicts the suffering on him. But, after Hams is gone, Israel, the Jews and other non muslims will be next because that is what Islam commands.
Transmaster says
Gaza is going to break down into what happened in Lebanon, clans fighting clans. But unlike Lebanon, there isn’t a Syria and Iran to destabilise the political situation. Gazans are hated on one side by the Egyptians and on the other side by Israel. Hamas’ usual backers are gone. With the rise of the clans, Israel can play one off against the other.
Winston 101 says
Here’s hoping Israel never falls back under the veil of delusion, perhaps
brought on by existential exhaustion.
Don’t ever start to believe that “these muslims” don’t want you eliminated.
Interact with these groups tactically, as you would if you had to temporarily
interact with nazis.
Regardless of who or what militia it is – it’s all islam and islam wants you dead.
Sooner or later, dead. This is commanded by their “holy” book.
I just checked, that book has not changed.
I hope you are granted the wisdom to accept what you cannot change –
and deal with islam accordingly.