A cease-fire after two years of war with Israel has allowed Hamas to tighten its grip on power again. “It’s still standing,” one Israeli official said.

Abu Shabab's death would be a boost to Hamas, which branded him a collaborator and ordered its fighters to kill or capture him.

The first phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is nearly complete, after a two-month process plagued by delays and finger-pointing.

President Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan is set to enter a new phase within weeks, but crucial pieces of the agreement remain undefined as Israel tightens its military grip on the battered enclave.

Tension escalated in southern Gaza after Yasser Abu Shabab, the prominent leader of the Popular Forces militia and a known critic of Hamas, was shot dead under mysterious circumstances near Rafah. His death has sparked conflicting claims and intensified speculation about

Sisi: Israel must sign gas agreement with Egypt to meet

Asharq Al Awsat Groups operating in Israeli controlled pockets of the Gaza Strip say they will press ahead with their fight against Hamas despite the killing of their most senior commanders, insisting that they have expanded their ranks with new recruits since the October ceasefire as they seek a foothold in Gaza’s political future.