First Direct Clashes Erupt Between Hamas, Armed Gangs in Gazahttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5226419-first-direct-clashes-erupt-between-hamas-armed-gangs-gaza
First Direct Clashes Erupt Between Hamas, Armed Gangs in Gaza
Palestinians carry the remains of a victim of a fire that broke out in displacement tents in Gaza City (AFP).
The al-Tuffah neighborhood, east of Gaza City, witnessed on Sunday morning the first direct, face-to-face clashes between fighters from Hamas and members of an armed gang operating in the area, marking a new and dangerous escalation in Gaza’s internal security landscape.
Field sources said the clashes involved a group led by Palestinian Rami Halas, which calls itself the “Popular Defense Forces.” The group is reportedly active in areas under Israel’s control and has stepped up attacks against Palestinians over the past 10 days, killing at least two people and wounding several others.
According to the sources, members of the Halas gang advanced toward al-Sanafour junction in al-Tuffah, an area west of the so-called “Yellow Line,” designated as an initial withdrawal line under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
As the gunmen entered residential neighborhoods, they were met with immediate gunfire from Hamas fighters and members of other armed factions. The exchange of fire lasted more than 20 minutes before the gang withdrew toward the Yellow Line, which remains under Israeli control.
The clashes coincided with the presence of Israeli surveillance drones overhead. Sources said that shortly after the fighting subsided, the drones carried out strikes on homes in al-Tuffah and surrounding areas. This was followed by the use of booby-trapped vehicles loaded with tons of explosives, detonated in stages to destroy what remained of houses in those zones.
The sources also revised earlier accounts of a killing on Saturday at the main junction in al-Shuja’iyya, east of Gaza City. A Palestinian initially believed to have been shot by Israeli forces was, in fact, killed by gunmen from the same armed gang, they said. He was at least the second person killed by the group in the area within roughly 10 days.
In recent weeks, the Halas gang has intensified its attacks in eastern Gaza City, allegedly operating under Israeli cover. About two weeks ago, it forced residents of a residential block in al-Tuffah to evacuate their homes.
Armed gangs in Gaza have become more active and increasingly sophisticated, carrying out assassinations — such as the killing of Internal Security officer Ahmed Zamzam —and opening fire on civilians in areas west of the Yellow Line. Sunday’s incident marked the first direct clash between such gangs and established armed factions.
Meanwhile, Hamas has expanded executions and crackdowns against armed gangs and individuals accused of collaborating with Israel since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10. Hamas sources said several alleged collaborators linked to the assassinations of senior leaders, including former Qassam Brigades commander Mohammed Deif, have been executed, while others have been arrested and remain under investigation.
Separately, Israeli fire killed three Palestinians in Khan Younis on Sunday, including a 15-year-old boy and a young man, while a fisherman was shot dead off the city’s coast. Since the ceasefire, more than 423 Palestinians have been killed in what are described as Israeli violations across Gaza.
Israeli Army Measures in South Lebanon Restrict UNIFIL Movementhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5291831-israeli-army-measures-south-lebanon-restrict-unifil-movement
Israeli Army Measures in South Lebanon Restrict UNIFIL Movement
A UNIFIL patrol in Mansouri, southern Lebanon (AFP)
Restrictions are tightening on the movement of UNIFIL peacekeepers still deployed in southern Lebanon, as their mandate is set to end at the close of this year.
Israeli military measures inside a security zone set up along the Lebanese border, stretching more than 10 km into Lebanese territory, have sharply reduced the force’s movement and left residents of three Christian villages trapped inside.
Multiple sources said Israeli forces last Wednesday moved gates that had stood at the border fence into Lebanese territory, placing them at forward points inside the security zone. It was the first practical step of its kind since 2000.
At that time, after withdrawing from southern Lebanon, the Israeli army moved the gates to the border fence and reinforced them in 2018 with concrete walls along large sections of the frontier.
The gates were later opened when Israeli forces began pushing into Lebanese territory in October 2024 during the expanded war with Hezbollah.
Restrictions squeeze UNIFIL movement
UNIFIL’s area of operations covers southern Lebanon, specifically the zone between the Litani River in the north and the Blue Line in the south along the Lebanese-Israeli border.
Dany Ghafari, UNIFIL’s spokesperson in Lebanon, said that “since March 2, 2026, the date the latest round of fighting broke out between Israel and Hezbollah, UNIFIL soldiers have often faced restrictions on their movement across large parts of their area of operations because of road closures, checkpoints and other measures, forcing some patrols to be suspended or delayed.”
“Despite these challenges, peacekeepers continue their work on the ground, monitoring the situation and reporting observed violations in line with Resolution 1701,” he said. “They also help facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to residents who need it most.”
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Ghafari said all parties must be reminded that they are required to “respect the freedom of movement of all UNIFIL patrols, logistical convoys and operational activities, because any restrictions imposed on them are a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.”
He said the parties must also “meet their obligations to ensure the safety of these forces and UN property.”
No withdrawal from positions
Ghafari said UNIFIL remains at all its positions inside its area of operations and along the Blue Line.
He said the force is “doing what it can under the current conditions, monitoring developments on the ground, reporting them to the Security Council with full impartiality, securing access for humanitarian aid convoys and facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations.”
UNIFIL currently has about 7,500 troops from 47 countries.
Ghafari said coordination with the Lebanese army is “close, continuous and round-the-clock.”
“We carry out joint activities on land and at sea. The army is our strategic partner in implementing Resolution 1701,” he said.
“Through the liaison and coordination mechanism, UNIFIL communicates with Lebanon and Israel to contain tensions, prevent misunderstandings, and exchange information.”
In early June, a Serbian UNIFIL soldier was killed after shells landed on his position near Marjayoun in southeastern Lebanon, making him the seventh member of the international force to die since March.
A replacement coalition
The force is preparing to leave Lebanon after a presence dating back to the 1970s, following a UN Security Council decision adopted on Aug. 28, 2025.
The decision called for “reducing UNIFIL’s strength and withdrawing it in an orderly and safe manner starting on that date and within one year.”
Washington and Tel Aviv pushed for the decision, arguing that the force had proved ineffective. It had not prevented renewed fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, nor had it guaranteed that the border area would become free of weapons and armed groups.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently announced during a summit in Antibes that France and Italy intend to form a multinational “coalition” after UNIFIL’s mandate ends, with the aim of strengthening “Lebanon’s sovereignty.”
France’s Foreign Ministry told Al Hadath television that the multinational force would deploy in southern Lebanon with US support and the participation of several European countries.
It said the deployment would come at the request of the Lebanese authorities and would aim to support the Lebanese army in carrying out its duties and strengthening stability.
A force outside the United Nations
Sami Nader, director of the Mashreq Center for Strategic Affairs, said there is “a European will not to leave southern Lebanon without international forces.
But at the same time, a new experience similar to UNIFIL would not be viable, because it failed to stop the war and acted more like a cover for Hezbollah to expand and build its capabilities. It also failed to deter Israeli attacks.”
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Nader said that “any international force must have new and different tasks. For that reason, we rule out it being under the UN umbrella.”
He said he expected the formation of “an international force to support the army in implementing government decisions and the framework agreement, especially since its fourth clause paved the way for that by noting Lebanon’s request for support from the international community.”
Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force Clashes with Faction in Baghdad, Oil Smugglers Arrestedhttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5291788-iraqi-counter-terrorism-force-clashes-faction-baghdad-oil-smugglers-arrested
Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Force Clashes with Faction in Baghdad, Oil Smugglers Arrested
An Iraqi security personnel stands guard along a street in Baghdad on June 28, 2026. (AFP)
An Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service force carried out a pre-dawn operation on Friday in Dora, south of Baghdad, targeting a farm believed to be under the control of an armed faction and triggering a firefight between the two sides, Iraqi security sources said.
The sources said the farm belonged to an Iraqi citizen, but preliminary information indicated that control of it had passed to one of the armed factions active in the area. The full circumstances of the operation were still unclear.
A source familiar with the matter said the operation may have been limited to retaking the farm from an armed group that had refused, according to the source, to hand over its weapons to government authorities.
Other unconfirmed information suggested the raid may have targeted a leader from one of the factions operating under the Popular Mobilization Forces.
The source described the operation as the “first of its kind” since the launch on Sunday of a campaign known as “Dawn Assault.” It noted the possibility of tensions between the Counter-Terrorism Service, which has led arrests in recent days, and an armed formation.
The source explained that the operation could test the balance of power between the two sides.
Iraqi authorities have not issued an official statement clarifying the nature or outcome of the operation.
In a related development, a security source said five people were arrested in a special operation in the same area near in Dora.
The source said the detainees were accused of seizing land. Other sources said arrests linked to an oil-smuggling case targeted wanted individuals connected to people detained last Sunday.
Local reports, citing security sources, said Thursday night into Friday saw arrests in Baghdad, Maysan, and Salahuddin of suspects accused of “corruption,” as well as clashes with people accused of oil smuggling from an armed faction linked to Iran.
“A number of the detainees are relatives of people being held for questioning over corruption suspicions arising from oil smuggling,” sources said.
Anti-corruption drive expands
Meanwhile, thousands of followers of influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ralied to “support the government’s efforts to pursue the corrupt.”
In a unified address read after Friday prayers in several Iraqi provinces, Sadr said: “We have been and remain advocates of reform, and we do not gather with the corrupt.”
“You have been and remain with me in hardship and ease. Let us continue our path in support of reform and the new reform campaign whose light has begun to shine through our Iraq,” he urged.
Addressing his supporters, he said: “Rise for a peaceful stand that supports reform and the soldier of reform, our brother Ali al-Zaidi, the Iraqi prime minister, to strengthen his resolve and weaken the resolve of the corrupt, who are trying to pressure him and deter him from the brave and fruitful raids that have terrified and disturbed many inside and outside the country.”
Separately, a statement from al-Zaidi's office said he chaired a security and economic meeting attended by security and oversight chiefs.
He ordered anti-corruption measures expanded to all state institutions without exception and called for stronger coordination between law enforcement agencies and oversight bodies to track suspects and recover public funds.
The prime minister reiterated that the government would continue implementing its reform program, pursuing those involved in corruption cases and referring them to the judiciary, while adopting preventive measures to strengthen oversight bodies.
After 1,000 Days, Israel Shifts ‘Yellow Line’ to Expand Control in Gazahttps://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5291785-after-1000-days-israel-shifts-%E2%80%98yellow-line%E2%80%99-expand-control-gaza
A general view of a concrete block (back) marking the "yellow line" drawn by the Israeli military in Bureij, central Gaza Strip, on November 4, 2025. (AFP)
After 1,000 Days, Israel Shifts ‘Yellow Line’ to Expand Control in Gaza
A general view of a concrete block (back) marking the "yellow line" drawn by the Israeli military in Bureij, central Gaza Strip, on November 4, 2025. (AFP)
Recent remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his forces intended to expand their control inside Gaza to 70% of the territory, in a bid to tighten pressure on Hamas and force it to disarm, were not merely media threats.
In recent days, they have become a clear reality on the ground.
A field review by Asharq Al-Awsat of the situation before and after Netanyahu’s remarks showed that Israel has significantly expanded its control over new areas inside the enclave by pushing the “yellow line” deeper into Gaza.
As the war marked 1,000 days since Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said 83% of tunnels behind the “yellow line” had been destroyed so far. He stressed that Israeli forces would not withdraw from the security zone in Gaza.
Wide control
Four field sources, speaking separately to Asharq Al-Awsat, said Israeli ground control operations had reached almost every part of Gaza, with most extending to Salah al-Din Street, the main road running from the south to the north of the enclave.
The sources said the operations hit Khan Younis in southern Gaza from several directions, as well as Deir al-Balah, the village of al-Masdar, al-Maghazi, Wadi Gaza in central Gaza, Kuwait Roundabout, Dawla, the Shujaiyya and Tuffah neighborhoods of Gaza City, Jabalia camp, and al-Atatra in northern Gaza.
Displaced Palestinian people walk near the area marked as "yellow line" by the Israeli military, in east of Gaza City, January 16, 2026. (Reuters)
The operations have centered on expanding the “yellow line,” which was set as the first withdrawal line under the maps agreed in the October 2025 ceasefire agreement.
They have been carried out amid artillery shelling and fire from military vehicles and drones, intended to keep any threat away from advancing forces as they widen Israel’s security control.
With this advance, Israel has effectively secured full control from Salah al-Din Street to the border areas it held before October 7, 2023, covering at least 4 to 6 kilometers, depending on the area.
Palestinian movement along Salah al-Din Street has stopped completely, especially near areas where the “yellow line” has been pushed forward. The same applies to other areas where new military positions have been established.
Their number has reached 40, leaving the coastal al-Rashid Street as the only road linking northern Gaza with the center and south of the enclave.
Central Gaza
The latest Israeli ground control operation came on Monday in central Gaza, where the “yellow line” was expanded again. Yellow blocks marking the line were moved to just 3 meters east of Salah al-Din Street, at the entrance to Gaza’s only power plant, which has been out of service since the start of the war, one field source said.
The operation was carried out amid artillery shelling and major demolitions throughout the night and into early Monday. Drone fire continued without pause, providing cover for ground forces by widening the range of fire to areas on the outskirts of Bureij and Nuseirat camps.
A yellow block demarcating the "yellow line," which has separated the Gaza Strip's Israeli-held and Palestinian zones since the October ceasefire, is visible in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip. where Hamas militants are searching for the remains of hostages, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. (AP)
Days earlier, Israeli forces expanded security control east of Deir al-Balah and the village of al-Masdar. Israeli vehicles advanced into an area known as the factories zone, about 400 meters from the main Salah al-Din Street, carrying out wide-scale bulldozing and demolitions in several areas.
A field source said Israeli forces carried out major demolitions because they believed tunnels were located in the area.
In recent days, Israel flooded tunnels in al-Masdar and around al-Maghazi camp with cement, it added
“There are fears this could extend to entire residential areas, raising concerns that these areas may later be destroyed all the way to Salah al-Din Street, as Israeli forces have done in other parts of Gaza, such as Khan Younis, Gaza City and elsewhere.”
Northern Gaza
The operations in central Gaza coincided with those in the neighboring towns of al-Atatra and al-Salatin in northwestern Gaza.
In recent days, Israeli forces intensified their targeting of the two towns with artillery shelling and, at times, airstrikes, as well as fire from drones and military vehicles, causing deaths and injuries.
Several Israeli vehicles advanced into al-Atatra and bulldozed open areas before moving the yellow blocks forward to expand control over the area.
Families fled from the vicinity to areas south of the new “yellow line,” but artillery shells followed them in what a second field source described as another attempt to force residents deeper into areas south of northern Gaza, specifically toward al-Saftawi and al-Sudaniya.
Days earlier, the “yellow line” had been advanced inside Jabalia camp, specifically in the al-Trans area and near al-Awda Mosque. That allowed Israeli forces to control about half of the camp, which has been almost completely destroyed. Hundreds of families live in displacement camps there.
An Israeli soldier occupies a military position overlooking the so-called yellow line in the central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP)
Gaza City
Before that, the “yellow line” had been pushed forward and Israeli forces had expanded control over new areas in the Zeitoun, Shujaiyya and Tuffah neighborhoods in eastern Gaza City.
Israeli forces took control of areas on Salah al-Din Street, making life harder for displaced people living nearby.
Demolitions, artillery shelling and drone fire have continued, while drones also drop explosives almost every night in areas where residents remain, in an attempt to force them to leave, according to a third source from the city.
Khan Younis
The movements in Gaza City coincided with similar advances in Khan Younis from several directions: east, south and northeast.
Israel has maintained remote security control by using drones and artillery shelling to target areas around its positions. The attacks have repeatedly caused deaths and injuries, including in tents housing displaced people in al-Mawasi and central Khan Younis.
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