Abdel Qader Sabbah and Sharif Abdel Kouddous, dropsitenews.com
Over the past year, since a “ceasefire” agreement went into effect, attacks by Israel-backed Palestinian militias have become increasingly frequent in Gaza, particularly targeting Palestinians living close to the “yellow line”—the demarcation of Israel’s line of control that runs north to south along the Gaza Strip roughly parallel to the coastline. Israel has also imposed another boundary called the orange line, which in some places encroaches more than 1 kilometer beyond the yellow line, taking over even more Palestinian land.
On the western side of these lines, virtually the entire Palestinian population of Gaza has been corralled into an ever shrinking space. On the eastern side, the Israeli military has violently reconfigured the landscape, razing the area to the ground and building dozens of fortified bases and roads—establishing a permanent presence instead of preparing for a phased withdrawal as outlined in the ceasefire agreement.
Many of the militia leaders in Gaza who rose to power in collaboration with Israel during the genocide are former gang leaders with a history of criminal activity, were associated with jihadi groups, or are former Palestinian Authority security forces that were all sidelined after Hamas gained control of the enclave in 2007.
At least five of these militias are operating out of compounds in areas under Israeli military control across the Gaza Strip, according to satellite imagery and videos published online.
While Drop Site could not confirm which militia raided Al-Sheikh’s house last month, the location of the building in the Jabaliya refugee camp is geographically closest to the northernmost militia compound in Gaza, located in Beit Hanoun, that is run by the Northern Forces, also known or the Popular Army. According to a report by Al-Zaytouna Center for Consultations & Studies, the Northern Forces Forces/Popular Army was established in September 2025 and is led by Ashraf al-Mansi, who was previously accused of drug smuggling and other charges. The militia is made up of several dozen armed members and claims control over Jabaliya.