With Its Efforts To Divide Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia: How the UAE Plans To Divide Gaza

The UAE's role in supporting armed militias and its involvement in projects to dismantle and divide several Arab states is not limited to this. 

It extends along a path aimed at controlling resources and perpetuating internal conflicts to serve its own interests and those of “Israel”.

This role has manifested itself in interventions that began with suppressing the Arab Spring and supporting separatist movements militarily and financially, as seen in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and elsewhere. This is coupled with a concerted effort in the West to distort the image of Islam and Muslims in Europe.

This path has not stopped there. It has extended to supporting militias loyal to “Israel” within the Gaza Strip, as well as establishing a project to confine the Strip's residents to areas under Israeli control and occupation.

Partition Project

The Gaza Strip faces a real danger of partition, especially with the Israeli occupation army's move to implement a new project targeting the city of Rafah and areas east of Gaza. This project began to be promoted during the final months of the war.

This divisive approach continues despite the Trump administration's announcement on December 16, 2026, of the establishment of a peace council and the mediators' announcement of a committee to manage Gaza.

At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his objection to the committee and his intention to prevent its entry into the Gaza Strip, indicating that the Israeli approach is completely at odds with the declared course of action of the American administration.

Evidence of the approach the Israeli occupation is currently implementing on the ground, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation revealed on November 25, 2025, that “Israel” is preparing to bring heavy machinery into Rafah to begin a large-scale debris removal operation, with the aim of preparing the ground for the establishment of a new humanitarian zone free of Hamas elements.

The same report indicated that the Israeli occupation army informed armed militias operating in coordination with “Israel” of the anticipated steps, noting that the next phase, according to the American plan, involves the deployment of a foreign military force in areas partially controlled by “Israel”.

In the same context, i24NEWS reported on November 27, 2025, that the Israeli occupation army had already begun development work to build a new city for Palestinians east of Rafah, known as Green Rafah.

It explained that work in this area would be significantly expanded, including the removal of rubble and explosive remnants of war. 

The channel added that a large engineering force had already begun work in the area.

Proxy Militias

Regarding the role that proxy militias would play in the project, the Maariv newspaper reported on January 16, 2026, that Yasser Abu Shabab's militia, operating in Rafah, had begun appearing in the new city area, alongside representatives of the Israeli forces, as well as civilian representatives from the US command headquarters in Kiryat Gat, southern “Israel”.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz also reported on January 16, 2026, that the Israeli occupation was seeking to establish a city to accommodate approximately 20,000 Palestinians.

In the same context, the Hebrew-language newspaper Israel Hayom revealed that the Israeli Ministry of Finance had approved allocating a budget of approximately 7 million shekels (over $2 million) to the army for rubble removal in the city of Rafah.

Despite the UAE's previous denials of any connection to militias in Gaza, Ghassan Duhine, commander of the Abu Shabab militia, acknowledged the close ties between his group and the UAE.

In an interview with the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot on January 16, 2026, while objecting to the Gaza administration committee, he stated, “Our story with Israel, with the UAE, and with the UAE, and our position is far more important.”

He described the new committee as a coupon and container committee, deeming it a foolish body solely responsible for distributing food and water. 

He noted that discussions about civil administration, committees, and arrangements did not address the core issue.

He claimed that his militia was prepared to expand, saying, “We have the names of approximately 10,000 young men ready to join as soon as the residents of Rafah return to their homes. They shouldn't think we are without a plan or acting impulsively.”

For his part, Husam al-Astal, commander of one of the largest pro-“Israel” militias operating east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, expressed doubt about the feasibility of implementing the proposed arrangements. 

He told Yediot Aharonot, “In my opinion, everything being said and published about the committees, the civil administration, and the arrangements in Gaza is nothing but media hype and political posturing. It won't happen in reality.”

He claimed that there would be no possibility of the Israeli army withdrawing from the Green Line, and that no agreement would be signed without Hamas surrendering its weapons, which he described as impossible.

He noted that the committee's composition lacked popular legitimacy, noting that the decision ultimately rested with those on the ground, not with external parties.

The New Gaza

The UAE's role in this project goes back a long way. An investigation published by Al-Monitor on July 31, 2025, concluded that the UAE was a partner in establishing the plan for cities under Israeli control.

This role is linked to an ongoing operation codenamed ‘Al-Fares Al-Shahm 3’. The investigation indicated that, as part of this operation, the UAE had established six desalination plants in the Egyptian city of El-Arish, on the border with Gaza.

According to reports in official Emirati media, these desalination plants have a production capacity of approximately 1.2 million gallons per day, enough to meet the needs of more than 600,000 people, with the water to be pumped to the Gaza Strip.

Al-Monitor noted that the recurring figure of 600,000 people in reports by The Wall Street Journal, statements by the Israeli Army Minister, and projections by the Emirati service does not appear to be random or coincidental.

The investigation revealed that the recent plan to supply southern Gaza with desalinated water demonstrates a clear level of coordination with Israeli military objectives, especially since the UAE chose areas controlled by the Abu Shabab militia and its armed group.

The investigation revealed that the recent plan to supply southern Gaza with desalinated water demonstrates a clear level of coordination with Israeli military objectives, especially since the UAE chose areas controlled by the Abu Shabab militia and its armed group.

The UAE's connection is not limited to the Abu Shabab militia. A Sky News investigation on October 26, 2025, revealed that the logo of the armed wing of a group known as the Counter-Terrorism Apparatus is almost identical to the logo of a UAE-backed militia of the same name in Yemen.

The channel also revealed that the armed faction led by Hussam al-Astal, known as the Counter-Terrorism Strike Force, uses similar graphics and logos to those adopted by other UAE-backed militias operating in Yemen.

When asked if he receives support from the UAE, al-Astal simply replied with a smile, “God willing, everything will become clear with time. Yes, there are Arab countries supporting our project.”

He added that the project he is working on is called New Gaza, saying, “Very soon you will see this for yourselves. We will become the new administration of Gaza. Our project is New Gaza: no war, peace with everyone, no Hamas, no terrorism.”

On October 28, 2025, Jared Kushner, son-in-law and senior advisor to US President Donald Trump, used the same term when discussing the possibility of permanently dividing Gaza along the yellow line.

In a short video released by the Al-Astal militia, the UAE flag appeared on aid distributed to Gazan citizens east of Khan Younis.

The appearance of the flag sparked widespread anger among Gazans, confirming that these groups receive direct support from the UAE.

Dangerous Project

Political analyst Abdullah al-Kassab stated that the project of militias linked to the Israeli entity, supported and funded by the UAE, is nearing its goals from an Israeli perspective, through what is known as the Green Rafah Project.

In an interview with Al-Estiklal, he explained that “the project is based on establishing an area, in its first phase, under the control of militias loyal to the occupation, including the Abu Shabab and al-Astal militias. These groups will receive direct funding from the UAE, paving the way for the imposition of a new security and political model within the Gaza Strip.”

He indicated that the plan relies on the gradual expansion of this model to later include the rest of the Gaza Strip, within a broader project to reshape the security and political landscape.

Mr. al-Kassab pointed out that the city of Rafah remains excluded from this announced plan, given Israel's clear rejection of the committee, which suggests its failure or a deliberate attempt to undermine it.

He pointed out that Rafah is simultaneously witnessing intensive field movements and rapid construction by the Israeli occupation army to transform it into a Palestinian city in name only, but effectively under Israeli control, considering this a highly dangerous project for the future of the Gaza Strip.

He affirmed that Abu Dhabi has always been the primary sponsor of these militias since their inception and now sees them as a potential future governing body in Gaza, granting it direct influence over the Strip.

He indicated that Rafah will be the starting point before the project extends to eastern Gaza, areas that constitute more than half the Strip's total area and are experiencing expansion due to Israeli incursions and the widening of the Green Line.

He explained that this expansion could force residents to move towards these areas, coinciding with the potential resumption of military operations, as part of a plan to annex the rest of the Strip within this scheme.

He emphasized that the UAE's support for these militias transcends the political dimension to deeper objectives, most notably considering these groups a direct enemy of the Palestinian resistance movements, especially Hamas, which Abu Dhabi views as a symbol of the Islamic movements it opposes.

He concluded by saying that the UAE's investment in these militias and its support for their attacks against the resistance are part of a strategy aimed at weakening and eliminating these movements, thus achieving the UAE's political and ideological goals in the region.

The UAE's support is not limited to weapons and money, but extends to the media sphere.

On October 21, 2025, the UAE-funded platform, Jusoor News, published a promotional video showing Palestinian children inside what appeared to be an educational center. 

Yasser Abu Shabab's wife appeared as if she represented the educational system in the region, in an attempt to bolster the narrative of popular legitimacy.

On December 11, 2025, Al-Hares security platform revealed the involvement of an Arab entity in training mercenaries in Gaza in the fields of journalism and media, just days after a number of them surrendered to the resistance's security forces.

According to the platform, one of the agents confessed during the Opening the Door to Repentance campaign that an Arab figure speaking with a Gulf accent had conducted training workshops for the mercenaries under the guise of a media organization called Jusoor News.

It provided them with guidance on media appearances and highlighting humanitarian, civil, and social aspects, with the aim of polishing their image and encouraging citizens to move to what is called the yellow zone.