Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces

Not to be confused with Popular Forces.
Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces
LeadersRami Hilles
Ahmed Jundeya
Dates of operation2025 – present
Split from Hilles clan
Jundeya clan
Country Palestine
HeadquartersShuja'iyya, Gaza City
Active regionsEastern Gaza City (including Shuja'iyya, Zaytun, and Tuffah neighbourhoods)[1]
IdeologyAnti-Hamas
Allies Israel
Palestinian Authority (allegedly)
Opponents
Battles and wars

[2]

The Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces (Arabic: قوات الدفاع الشعبي للشجاعية, romanized: Quwwat al-Diffa al-Sha'bi lil-Shuja'yia)[3][4][5] is an Israeli-backed anti-Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip led and founded by Rami Hilles and Ahmed Jundeya.[5][6] Operating within the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line, the group is based in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City,[7] and is also active in the adjacent Zeitoun and Tuffah neighborhoods.[4] The group is composed of dozens of fighters primarily drawn from the Hilles clan[3] and the Jundeya clan.[5]

The Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces was erroneously initially conflated with the entire Hilles clan,[8][9] but is now known to be a "rogue faction" that has been disavowed by clan leadership.[3][4][1]

Background

Main article: Societal breakdown in the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war

During the course of the Gaza war, societal breakdown across the Gaza Strip caused by offensives launched by the Israel Defense Forces has caused: starvation, famine, lack of supplies and a weaker Hamas created by the conflict has led to the rise of anti-Hamas armed elements in the Gaza Strip.[10][11]

Rami Hilles is a former member of the Palestinian Authority's Security Services, and is from the Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City.[4] Like the rest of the Hilles clan, he is reportedly aligned with Fatah.[4][12][13]

History

By July 2025, during Israel's offensive in Shuja'iyya, a group led by Rami Hilles was active and receiving Israeli protection and operational cover, though Ynet misidentified it as the entire Hilles clan and misidentified Rami Hilles as clan leader.[9][14] The clan later denied any collaboration with Israel.[15]

According to the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, citing Palestinian media, by September, the Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces was conducting surveillance, attacks, and abductions under the supervision of an Israeli intelligence officer.[12][16][17]

Clashes between Hamas and the Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces subsequently intensified.[4] Hamas forces attacked the SPDF group, which retreated eastward alongside withdrawing Israeli forces.[18]

On 4 January 2026, gunmen affiliated with the Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces moved into the Sanafour Junction in Al-Tuffah. As the gunmen entered Al-Tuffah, they were met with gunfire from Hamas and allied gunmen. The shootout lasted around 20 minutes and left 2 Hamas militants, before the SPDF retreated into the Israeli-controlled side of the "Yellow Line".[19]

Administration in the Gaza Strip

Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces administration in the Gaza Strip
  Shuja'iyya Popular Defense Forces
Statusself-proclaimed rival administration under Israeli occupation[20]
CapitalShuja'iyya, Gaza City
Government
• Leader
Rami Hilles and Ahmed Jundeya[20]
EstablishmentGaza war
History 
• Established
2025
Population
• 2025 estimate
~500

Within the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow Line, the SPDF is based in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City,[21] and is also active in nearby Zeitoun and Tuffah.[22] Leader of the SPDF, Rami Hilles claims to have 500 people within his territory as of November 2025.[21]

According to Rami Hilles, the group provides humanitarian services in Shuja'iyya and allegedly coordinates with the Palestinian Authority (PA).[23][21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Palestinian man denies leading new Gaza gang following Israeli report". Middle East Eye. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  2. ^ a b Halabi, Einav; Halabi, Einav (2026-01-04). "Two Hamas terrorists killed in clashes with militias in Gaza City". Ynetglobal. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  3. ^ a b c Matamis, Joaquin (2025-10-27). "Gaza's Armed Fragmentation: Clans, Militias, and Rival Power Centers • Stimson Center". Stimson Center. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Profiles of anti-Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 2025-10-19. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  5. ^ a b c "Inside post-ceasefire Gaza: Israel-backed militias, clan wars and Hamas's fight to survive". France 24. 2025-10-24. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  6. ^ "Clans and armed groups challenging Hamas in Gaza". Reuters. 14 October 2025.
  7. ^ "Explainer: Who are the Israeli-backed armed groups challenging Hamas in Gaza?". BBC Monitoring. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  8. ^ Easter, Reagan (2025-07-03). "Israel Reportedly Arming Additional Anti-Hamas Clans in Gaza". FDD. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  9. ^ a b Halabi, Einav (2025-07-03). "Israel arms Fatah-linked militias, combatting Hamas in Gaza". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  10. ^ "UN rights office says 'anarchy' spreading in Gaza". Reuters. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  11. ^ Sunghay, Ajith (19 July 2024). "Observations from Gaza by Head of UN Human Rights office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory Ajith Sunghay". UN Human Rights Office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  12. ^ a b Shiri, Igal (22 October 2025). "Hamas Activity to Restore Security Governance in the Gaza Strip after the Ceasefire". The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.
  13. ^ "Withdrawal of US forces from the region is off the table". The Jerusalem Post. 2025-08-02. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  14. ^ Easter, Reagan (2025-07-03). "Israel Reportedly Arming Additional Anti-Hamas Clans in Gaza". FDD. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  15. ^ "Palestinian man denies leading new Gaza gang following Israeli report". Middle East Eye. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  16. ^ Matamis, Joaquin (2025-10-27). "Gaza's Armed Fragmentation: Clans, Militias, and Rival Power Centers • Stimson Center". Stimson Center. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  17. ^ "Inside post-ceasefire Gaza: Israel-backed militias, clan wars and Hamas's fight to survive". France 24. 2025-10-24. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  18. ^ "Where Are the Armed Groups That Fought Hamas in Gaza Now?". Asharq al-Awsat. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  19. ^ "First Direct Clashes Erupt Between Hamas, Armed Gangs in Gaza". english.aawsat.com. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
  20. ^ a b "Clans and armed groups challenging Hamas in Gaza". Reuters. 14 October 2025. Archived from the original on 4 December 2025.
  21. ^ a b c "Explainer: Who are the Israeli-backed armed groups challenging Hamas in Gaza?". BBC Monitoring. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  22. ^ "Profiles of anti-Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 2025-10-19. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
  23. ^ Yohanan, Nurit (2025-10-30). "Left out of Trump's technocratic vision, anti-Hamas militias seek role in rebuilt Gaza". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2025-11-26.

Notes

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