Sunday, July 27, 2025

A Gaza Clan Leader Plans for Peace

 Yasser Abu Shabab, a clan leader who has taken it upon himself to take over from Hamas in eastern Rafah writes: For thousands of Gazans in eastern Rafah, the war is already over. This is how all of Gaza should be.

As head of the armed militia fighting Hamas and based in Rafah, he writes in an article for the American Wall Street Journal:

While most Gazans are still suffering as the war between Israel and Hamas continues, the situation is different for thousands of people in eastern Rafah - for them, the war is already over.

In this area, there are no casualties from airstrikes. There is no overcrowding at aid distribution points. There is no fear that Hamas will plant explosives in homes. People can sleep peacefully without fearing they won’t survive another day.

This should not be the exception - it can be the reality for all of Gaza’s residents. Most Gazans do not want Hamas rule, but despite their hatred for Hamas, they still fear it. Following protests earlier this year, some demonstrators were killed, tortured, and disappeared.

We have received requests from many families who want to move to eastern Rafah. We are ready to take responsibility for all of Rafah. Within a few short months, about 600,000 people - roughly a third of Gaza’s population - could be living outside the conflict zone.

Following the success in Rafah, independent zones could be established in other places as well.

We need three things:

1. Financial support

2. Humanitarian aid and infrastructure for the population

3. Safe corridors to these areas

In a short time, most of Gaza could transform from a battlefield into communities that can recover and move forward.

This is the only path to ending this conflict.

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