Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had “activated” a number of Palestinian clans in the Gaza Strip to fight Hamas.
His comments on social media were the first public admission of Israel's support for armed Palestinian groups in Gaza, which are organized around influential families.
Family militias often retain some control in parts of Gaza, and some have had conflicts or tensions with Hamas in the past.
Palestinians and aid workers accuse the clans of carrying out criminal attacks and stealing humanitarian aid from trucks.
In recent weeks, several people have openly denied any ties to Israel or involvement in the looting.
Mr Netanyahu's statement came just hours after he was criticised by a political opponent for arming unofficial Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip.
In a video posted on his X account, Mr Netanyahu said the government made the decision on the advice of “security officials” in order to save the lives of Israeli soldiers.
An Israeli official clarified that one of the groups Mr. Netanyahu mentioned was the so-called Popular Forces, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, the head of a local clan in Rafah.
In recent weeks, Abu Shabaab has announced online that its fighters are helping to protect aid deliveries to new Israeli-backed distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Fund in Rafah.
The Abu Shabab family recently disowned Yasser over his ties to the Israeli military, saying he and anyone who joined his group were “no longer associated” with the family.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-affiliated militants invaded southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
Israel responded with a massive offensive that caused widespread destruction, the displacement of nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents and a humanitarian crisis that has brought the territory to the brink of famine.
Gaza's Hamas-controlled Health Ministry says more than 54,000 Palestinians have died, most of them women and children.
When counting casualties, the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Hamas still holds 56 hostages.
About a third of them are believed to be alive, although many fear that the longer the war continues, the more dangerous their situation becomes.
Thousands of Palestinians have died since Israel resumed airstrikes and ground operations after a ceasefire ended in March.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
