Exclusive: UAE, Israel, and ISIS Ties in Gaza to Create Chaos

Multiple diplomatic sources have revealed the covert ties between the UAE and ISIS loyalists in Gaza, describing how they have fueled chaos and undermined civil order in the region, including their involvement in looting humanitarian aid trucks.

Sources have informed “Emirates Leaks” that the UAE has sought assistance from ISIS loyalists, both ideologically and through communication channels led by “Yasser Abu Shabab,” to compete with Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv in shaping post-war arrangements.

Abu Shabab’s name has emerged repeatedly in reports of looting humanitarian aid convoys, which include famine relief supplies. This comes as Israel continues to impose tight restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian services.

It is reported that Abu Shabab has engaged in multiple phone conversations with UAE officials and operatives from Israel’s General Security Service (Shabak) to direct his criminal actions and secure financial and military support from Abu Dhabi.

Yasser Abu Shabab, a staunch ISIS loyalist in Gaza, had been involved in criminal activities for years. His actions eventually led to his arrest by Hamas security services, though he was later released. In recent weeks, Abu Shabab has emerged as the primary gang leader behind the widespread looting of humanitarian aid convoys into Gaza.

An internal UN memo published by the Washington Post identified Abu Shabab as the key figure orchestrating these thefts, particularly from a group of around 100 individuals he leads. His operations are concentrated in the eastern part of Rafah, where his gang targets trucks carrying food and other critical supplies to the besieged Gaza Strip.

Abu Shabab’s gang has been actively blocking aid convoys along the Israeli-controlled road from the Kerem Shalom crossing, using earthen berms and armed with Kalashnikovs and other weapons to carry out attacks. In early October, around 80 out of 100 aid trucks were targeted, with the gang stealing their cargo.

According to the UN, the violence has escalated, with truck drivers employed by international aid agencies being beaten, maimed, and even killed. As Gaza’s hunger crisis intensifies, Abu Shabab’s gang, reportedly operating under the joint influence of the UAE and Israel, has been hijacking most of the aid that Israel permits into the region, often operating freely in areas controlled by Israeli military forces.

UN officials have identified the widespread criminal looting as the primary barrier to aid distribution in southern Gaza, where most displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Local residents suggest that the thieves, previously involved in cigarette smuggling operations, are now part of a larger network of crime families targeting essential supplies.

An internal UN memo from last month suggested that criminal gangs in Gaza, including Abu Shabab’s group, may be benefiting from “passive if not active benevolence” or even “protection” from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The memo pointed out that Abu Shabab had set up a “military compound” in a region “restricted and patrolled by Israeli forces.” Despite this, aid organizations report that Israeli authorities have largely rejected requests for better protection of humanitarian convoys, including calls for safer routes, the opening of crossings, and the authorization of Gaza’s civilian police to secure the trucks.

Aid workers, UN officials, and truck drivers have testified that Israeli forces, who were within view of the looting incidents, have failed to intervene while the thefts occurred. The growing allegations raise concerns over the IDF’s apparent inaction during the attacks.

Israeli media has repeatedly covered the UAE’s involvement in Gaza, alleging that the country is using its humanitarian efforts as a means to gain influence in the region post-war. The Jewish Press reported that despite the ongoing war and global condemnation of the mounting civilian casualties, the UAE has vowed to maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. The UAE’s stance, despite the atrocities in Gaza, is seen as an attempt to exert a “moderating influence” on Israel’s military actions, while safeguarding its own political and economic interests.