Proxy militias: Israel’s hidden war inside Gaza

Since 7 October 2023, reports indicate a dangerous shift in Israel’s tactics in Gaza. Rather than relying solely on direct military force, Israel has increasingly used local collaborating militias.

These groups operate covertly within Palestinian society. Their roles include intelligence gathering, luring resistance members, and carrying out targeted assassinations under direct Israeli intelligence supervision.

The starting point: filmed confessions

An Al Jazeera investigation, broadcast on What Lies Beneath, marked a turning point. It featured filmed confessions from an agent arrested after an assassination operation in Gaza. The agent said he received direct orders from an Israeli intelligence officer. He was instructed to wear a hidden camera to document the killing.

The operation took place on 14 December 2025. The victim was an internal security officer reportedly responsible for monitoring collaborators.

Footage showed real-time communication between the agent and his handler. Instructions continued until the moment of execution, involving silenced weapons and electric bicycles.

Gaza — why militias instead of soldiers

Experts say Israel’s reliance on militias reflects operational difficulty inside Gaza. Dense population and social cohesion make undercover Israeli units costly and risky.

Using local agents allows Israel to minimise losses. These agents are expendable if exposed, unlike regular soldiers.

Security data suggest many militia members were recruited from individuals with criminal backgrounds. During the war, they engaged in looting before being absorbed into intelligence operations.

In exchange, they were granted freedom of movement, protection, and tolerance for aid theft. Their personal interests were deliberately tied to organised violence.

“Yellow zones” and calculated chaos

Militia activity increasingly centres on so-called “yellow zones.” There, they intimidate civilians and disrupt internal security.

Sources describe this as a strategy to exhaust Gaza’s social fabric without direct military presence. Some groups now function as a de facto “shadow authority” for the occupation. These developments indicate a broader strategy of proxy warfare. Israel is shifting toward covert control, infiltration, and internal destabilisation.

This approach aims to fracture society itself, transforming daily life into a battleground of suspicion and fear.

Evidence shows these militias are now central to Israel’s strategy in Gaza. Their continued use increases risks to civilian safety and social cohesion. Exposing and dismantling this system is urgent. It represents one of the most destructive aspects of the hidden war unfolding inside the Strip.

Featured image via WSJ