His militia, which calls itself the Popular Forces, said in a Facebook post on Thursday evening that Abu Shabab was shot “as he tried to resolve a dispute” among members of the Abu Suneima family.
The group added that he was not killed by Hamas.
Israel’s channel 12 had reported earlier that Abu Shabab was killed in clashes with “Gaza clans” and later pronounced dead at the Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel.
Abu Shabab became an infamous figure during Israel’s genocidal war on Palestinians in Gaza, as his group was accused of stealing the little humanitarian assistance that the Israeli authorities allowed into the coastal enclave.
The looting of aid in the Gaza Strip came as Israel imposed a blockade on the territory, fuelling a humanitarian crisis and famine in several areas.
Israeli officials later announced that they were cooperating with armed groups in Gaza, including the one led by Abu Shabab, in order to establish a local anti-Hamas force.
On Thursday, a Hamas-affiliated security force in Gaza, Radaa, posted a photo of Abu Shabab on Telegram, captioned: “As we told you, ‘Israel won’t protect you.’”
