Telegraph: American Trend to Form Security Forces in Gaza from Militias

SadaNews - The British newspaper "The Telegraph" revealed that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to establish a Gaza police force made up of militias allied with Israel and opposed to Hamas rule in the strip.

The "Telegraph" quoted Western officials stating that Trump's administration plans to create a new security force that would include a large number of armed militia members opposed to Hamas, whom Israel has effectively armed and supported alongside some tribes since the beginning of the Gaza war following the attacks on October 7, 2023.

However, the idea of using some of their members to form part of a U.S.-backed peace force has sparked reactions from senior American leaders, according to the British newspaper's report.

Armed tribes in Gaza, formed on familial ties, have documented connections to organized crime dating back decades, and civilians in the strip do not deeply trust them, the "Telegraph" adds.

In recent months, the tribes have been accused of looting aid trucks in addition to committing murders and executing kidnappings. At least two of the main tribal groups have members who actively fought alongside ISIS or expressed loyalty to the terrorist organization.

European and American Opposition

The step taken by Trump's administration has faced opposition from senior U.S. military leaders who expressed concern that the peace process "will not succeed without reliable security partners," the "Telegraph" quoted a military source as saying.

Britain, France, and some other countries involved in attempts to turn Trump’s 20-point peace plan into a tangible reality have also expressed their concerns.

The idea of recruiting a new police force from the tribes emerged in late December 2025; this sparked a controversy within the newly established multinational civil-military coordination center in southern Israel.

According to a Western source, there was a strong reaction, indicating that a message was conveyed to the Trump administration that "this is ridiculous," especially since those militia members "are not just criminal gangs but are supported by Israel," he said.

“Public Involvement”

Israel's involvement with popular forces became public in May after a senior official, believed to oppose arming Palestinian groups, leaked the details.

Hossam al-Astel, who leads an armed group in eastern Khan Younis, admitted in October that he "coordinated" with Israel and that he would be ready to help secure Gaza post-Hamas.

Al-Astel is a former security official in the Palestinian Authority, which Hamas seized power from in Gaza in 2007. He is also a prominent figure of the "tribe" among those who were in prison in Gaza at the beginning of the war but escaped when Hamas guards abandoned their posts.

Speculation has arisen that the peace council, through its national committee in Gaza, may have chosen Jamal Abu Hassan, the former head of security for the Palestinian Authority in Khan Younis, to lead the new police force.

A Western official stated that a newer version of the American police plan suggested "non-partisan recruitment," where members could come from the tribes, the former security forces of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, or from any other source.

He considered that "the process has lost momentum at the moment," emphasizing that "it cannot be ignored that without a reliable force on the ground, the process is doomed to fail."

However, a U.S. administration official confirmed that "planning efforts are still ongoing to develop the security screening process for the police forces. We will not preempt this process," reiterating Trump's demand that Hamas "must commit to its pledge to disarm completely and immediately."

After four months of the ceasefire, plans to establish the post-Hamas police force appear to have largely stalled amid disputes over its formation and funding, as uncertainty surrounds whether the movement will voluntarily relinquish its weapons.