December 7, 2025: Israel Strikes Camp in Khan Younis; US Seeks to Initiate Phase Two of Gaza Ceasefire; Anti-Hamas Militia Leader Abu Shabab Killed

This week, Israeli strikes in Gaza continued to test the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, negotiated by Trump in October of this year — a deal that the US is now looking to extend into phase two. Also in Gaza, the head of the Popular Forces — a prominent Gazan militia vehemently opposed to Hamas — was killed, dealing a major blow to Israel’s efforts to promote anti-Hamas groups in the enclave.

On Wednesday, an Israeli aircraft struck tents for displaced Gazans west of Khan Younis, in the Strip’s coastal al-Mawasi area. The attack killed five Palestinians, including two boys aged eight and ten, and left 32 others injured. Israel said that it had “struck a Hamas terrorist” in response to an attack wounding five IDF soldiers in Rafah, which Israel accused Hamas of perpetuating. While the ceasefire still technically holds between Israel and Hamas, Gazans are accustomed to the presence of ongoing Israeli strikes.

Israeli strikes are not the only source of violence in Gaza. On Thursday, Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of an anti-Hamas Gazan armed group, the Popular Forces, was killed in Rafah. According to the Popular Forces, Shabab was killed amid a violent clash between influential and armed local families, not by Hamas. The Popular Forces is the most prominent of multiple anti-Hamas militias that have emerged during the war. Israel has militarily supported these groups in an effort to weaken Hamas’ grip on the Strip. Hamas had previously labeled Abu Shabab as a “collaborator” and sought to capture and assassinate him. The Popular Forces have denied receiving Israeli assistance. Abu Shabab’s killing will likely demoralize smaller anti-Hamas groups in Gaza and hinder Israel’s attempts to effectively prop up alternatives to Hamas that it considers acceptable, which does not include the Palestinian Authority.

Despite the ongoing violence, the Trump administration has become increasingly focused on moving the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas into its second phase. A US official says that the administration is aiming to announce the initiation of the second phase in approximately two weeks. Trump is expected to name members of the entities to oversee postwar Gaza, as well as the countries that will staff the security force. Phase two of the deal concerns the establishment of governance and security frameworks for a postwar Gaza in which Hamas has no political power. According to the official, the administration is still engaging in final conversations with potential participants. The transition to phase two may not be announced by the end of the year as Trump wants it to, as the announcement relies on Hamas agreeing to disarm, one of the agreement’s most difficult issues

While Hamas’ recent rhetoric and actions suggest that it is unwilling to disarm, on Sunday, a senior Hamas official, Bassem Naim, indicated that the organization is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its weapons. While maintaining Hamas’ “right to resist” and omitting specific details, Naim said that Hamas would accept disarmament as part of a larger process directed towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. “We are open to have a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or in order to avoid any further clashes or explosions,” Naim said.

While efforts to advance the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas are increasing, a lot remains unclear around Hamas’ disarmament. Meanwhile, on-the-ground violence in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon continues to weaken the already fragile state of the situation. Much will be seen in the coming weeks as negotiations between major parties continue.