The leader of an anti-Hamas militia armed and supported by Israel has been killed in Gaza, the group confirmed, marking a significant setback to Israel’s developing post-war strategy for the territory.

Yasser Abu Shabab, who headed a militia operating in a section of Rafah in southern Gaza, was killed while attempting to break up a dispute between members of a local family, according to his organization. An Israeli source had earlier suggested the death stemmed from “internal clashes.” Israeli officials said attempts were made to evacuate him for medical treatment in southern Israel before he was pronounced dead.

Abu Shabab’s militia, known as the “Popular Forces,” was the most prominent of several armed groups Israel has supported in Gaza. His death could complicate Israel’s efforts to reshape the region’s political landscape. 

In his early 30s, Abu Shabab was gradually expanding his influence, attempting to establish pockets of territory free from Hamas control. Israel saw his group as a tool to weaken Hamas and as a potential alternative to Islamist governance in Gaza.