US EditionIsrael Backs Gaza Militias Fighting Hamas Post-Ceasefire over Yellow Line
Israel supports dozens of Gaza militias with drones, intelligence, and supplies to counter Hamas amid cease-fire restrictions, according to the Wall Street Journal.
- Reported overnight into Sunday, The Wall Street Journal said Israel is backing dozens of militias based east of the Yellow Line that fight Hamas inside Gaza.
- Shared animosity toward Hamas and cease-fire limits pushed Israel and the militias into cooperation, as regular Israeli forces are constrained and deploy irregular proxies in restricted areas.
- The IDF and security agencies say they provided aerial drone assistance, intelligence, weapons, food, cigarettes, and aid convoys including a sealed box by Shin Bet; some wounded fighters were evacuated to Israeli hospitals.
- Footage and social-media posts show Hussam al-Astal, militia leader, boasting of killing a Khan Yunis police officer while Hamas called them 'agents of the Israeli occupation' and warned the 'price of betrayal is high'.
- The report says the arrangement is not temporary, portraying an alternative security architecture managed behind the scenes, yet the militias remain unpopular and lack legitimacy among Gaza residents.
14 Articles
14 Articles
26 January 2026: 'Israel quietly backs Gaza militias against Hamas' and other world headlines
Here are the stories that made headlines on the front pages of newspapers worldwide on Monday, 26 January 2026. The Jerusalem Post’s front page reported that Israel is quietly backing Gaza militias against Hamas. The Daily Mail’s front page reported that lame-duck Starmer has only hastened his demise. The New York Times’ front page reported that Minnesota and federal officials are clashing again over the facts of a fatal shooting. The Guardian’…
Israel has intensified its cooperation with anti-Hamas armed militias in the Gaza Strip, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. Israel’s Defense Forces and security apparatus are providing the militias with broad support, including air assistance through drones, intelligence exchange, arms, food and cigarettes, according to the report. Read more
Report: Israel Backs New Gaza Militias to Fight Hamas
The head of an anti-Hamas faction, Hussam Al-astal, fires a weapon in the air as he is surrounded by masked gunmen, in an Israeli-held area in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, in this screenshot taken from a video released Nov. 21, 2025. Photo: Hussam Alastal/via REUTERS i24 News – Israel is quietly supporting new Palestinian militias in Gaza that are fighting against Hamas in order to harm the terrorist organization, The Wall Street Jou…
Gaza — How does Israel manage local militias from the shadows?
The Wall Street Journal has revealed what appears to be a hidden layer of Israel’s war on Gaza: an undeclared reliance on local armed militias acting as “field agents” to carry out tasks the Israeli army cannot openly perform under the ceasefire. According to the newspaper, this is not a temporary arrangement. It is an alternative security architecture, managed from behind the scenes and implemented through Palestinian proxies rejected by their …
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
