Leaders of newly formed militias operating under Israeli control in Gaza are voicing opposition to any Turkish or Qatari involvement in the territory’s post-war reconstruction, accusing both nations of propping up Hamas and prolonging the suffering of civilians.

In interviews with Israel’s Channel 12, Hussam al-Astal, a militia commander in Khan Younis, declared that Ankara and Doha “support Hamas and protect Hamas,” labeling both governments “war criminals.”

“Anyone who helps us against Hamas will be welcomed,” al-Astal said. “Hamas brought destruction upon Israel and upon the Gaza Strip. During the war, when a gunman hid among the tents, Israel would kill him, and then people would say that Israel murdered children. The one responsible for the deaths of women and children in Gaza is Hamas, not Israel.”

Rasan al-Dahini, a senior figure in Yasser Abu Shabab’s Rafah-based militia, echoed that view, accusing Turkey of “openly and explicitly” siding with Hamas rather than pursuing peace.

Their statements underscore the emerging divide among Gazan factions in the wake of Israel’s dismantling of Hamas rule. Israel has signaled it intends to coordinate local governance through tribal leaders and militias that have turned against Hamas, while international actors — including Qatar and Turkey — have sought to position themselves as mediators in Gaza’s future administration.

Asked whether anti-Hamas fighters fear reprisal or exile once Israeli forces complete their withdrawal, al-Dahini dismissed the comparison to the South Lebanon Army, whose members fled to Israel after the IDF’s 2000 pullout from Lebanon.

“I’m from Rafah. I will not leave my home under any circumstances,” he said, adding that the weapons acquired by Abu Shabab’s clan “will not be used against Israel in the future.”

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