# Popular Army – Northern Forces
**Popular Army – Northern Forces** (Arabic: الجيش الشعبي – القوات الشمال), also called the People's Army – Northern Forces, is an Israeli-backed anti-Hamas Palestinian militant group in the northern [Gaza Strip](https://www.edgepedia.org/gaza-strip) that operates as part of the [Popular Forces](https://www.edgepedia.org/popular-forces), an umbrella of Israeli-backed anti-Hamas militias.[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) It is led by Ashraf al-Mansi (أشرف المنسي), a resident of [Gaza City](https://www.edgepedia.org/gaza-city), and has fielded roughly 40 fighters.[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) • [2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Names | Popular Army – Northern Forces (PA-NF); also People's Army – Northern Forces; Arabic: الجيش الشعبي – القوات الشمال[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) |
| Leader | Ashraf al-Mansi, a resident of Gaza City[2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php) |
| Size | About 40 fighters[2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php) |
| Headquarters | Abandoned Ezbet Beit Hanoun Elementary School, roughly 500 meters inside the Israeli-controlled zone of northern Gaza[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) • [2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php) |
| Area of operation | Northern Gaza, principally Beit Hanoun, Jabalia and Beit Lahiya[2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php) |
| Allegiance | Part of the Popular Forces; maintains ties with the Israeli military[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) |
| Membership | Composed largely of former narcotics traffickers[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) |
## Background
The group emerged during the Gaza war, when offensives by the [Israel Defense Forces](https://www.edgepedia.org/israel-defense-forces) against Palestinian law enforcement institutions, together with starvation and lack of supplies, produced a societal breakdown in which armed groups opposed to Hamas could form.[3](https://newscord.org/watchdog/article/ae323fdd-eac1-4847-b41b-388552f5daa0) It operates under the auspices of the Popular Forces, an anti-Hamas militia led from early 2025 by [Yasser Abu Shabab](https://www.edgepedia.org/yasser-abu-shabab) and backed by Israel's military, which by late 2025 had been joined by several Israeli-supported factions.[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/)
## Leadership and composition
Ashraf al-Mansi runs the group from Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip according to the [European Council on Foreign Relations](https://www.edgepedia.org/european-council-on-foreign-relations)' mapping project, which describes it as a medium-sized group.[4](https://ecfr.eu/special/mapping_palestinian_politics/ashraf-al-mansi/) Hamas's Rada Force has characterized al-Mansi, a resident of the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City, as a known criminal leading a "traitor network" working for Israeli intelligence and recruiting people with criminal records.[5](https://www.lawandisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/Topics/Gaza/2023-Conflict/ITIC/further-reports/E_182_25-Pal-16-29sep.pdf) The group's rank and file consists largely of former narcotics traffickers, and it maintains ties with the Israeli military.[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) Hamas has accused Mansi and his fighters of serving as informants for the [Shin Bet](https://www.edgepedia.org/shin-bet) and described them as "criminals involved in the drug trade"; a Spanish defense ministry analysis notes that its clashes with al-Qassam militiamen and its position inside an Israeli-controlled area have fed doubts about the group's autonomy and external links.[2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php) • [6](https://www.defensa.gob.es/documents/2073105/3095923/posiciones_palestinas_2026_dieeeo18_eng.pdf/c9a99e0f-1c1b-8897-e1af-677b1336b402?download=true&t=1770629676959&version=1.0)
## Relations with Hamas after the October 2025 ceasefire
After the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on 10 October 2025, Hamas forces reportedly redeployed in Jabalia and its refugee camp, where they launched a crackdown on the al-Mansi group, arresting and killing its members.[2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php) On 14 October, al-Mansi released a video denying that any Hamas crackdown had taken place, announced that his forces had seized control of several areas in northern Gaza, and warned Hamas against approaching the group's territory; the group's flag and logo are displayed on its vehicles and facilities there.[2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php) Following the execution of Doghmush clan members, the group published a statement denying that it had suffered losses at Hamas's hands and warning the Islamist group not to enter its area of operations.[7](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/hamas-cracks-down-on-rival-clans-and-militias-in-gaza.php)
Earlier in October, al-Mansi released a video message thanking U.S. President Donald Trump for his efforts to bring about a Gaza ceasefire; the PA-NF, the Popular Forces, and two other anti-Hamas militias reportedly thanked Trump for the peace plan and ceasefire.[1](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/) When Yasser Abu Shabab, the Popular Forces leader, was killed on 4 December 2025, al-Mansi offered his organization's "sympathy" and "condolences" and reiterated the group's commitment to working against "terrorism and extremism."[8](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/12/anti-hamas-popular-forces-militia-leader-killed-in-gaza.php)
## Operations in 2026
The militia has extended its activity into Hamas-controlled territory. In March 2026 it sent fighters across the "yellow line" dividing zones of control, on what appeared to be a mission to ambush Hamas patrols and possibly assassinate senior Hamas figures, and two weeks earlier it clashed with Hamas fighters in Jabaliya; Hamas said it foiled the attempt.[9](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/13/israeli-backed-palestinian-militias-against-hamas-gaza) A February 2026 Spanish defense ministry analysis put its strength at around 40 fighters operating in Beit Hanoun.[6](https://www.defensa.gob.es/documents/2073105/3095923/posiciones_palestinas_2026_dieeeo18_eng.pdf/c9a99e0f-1c1b-8897-e1af-677b1336b402?download=true&t=1770629676959&version=1.0) In May 2026 the group published footage of a member operating a heavy military drone, with a statement on al-Mansi's Facebook page announcing "the successful introduction of advanced drones into operational use"; Israel's provision of the drone was widely suspected, and Israeli officials declined to confirm it.[10](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/footage-anti-hamas-gazan-militia-seen-using-large-drone-presumably-provided-by-israel/)
Israel's backing of the group fits a broader pattern: it supplies anti-Hamas militias with weapons, cash, intelligence, food and medical care, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged in June 2025 that Israel had armed rival groups in Gaza.[3](https://newscord.org/watchdog/article/ae323fdd-eac1-4847-b41b-388552f5daa0) • [2](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php)
## References
1. [Giorgio Cafiero and Barbara Slavin (2025). Gaza's Armed Fragmentation: Clans, Militias, and Rival Power Centers. Stimson Center.](https://www.stimson.org/2025/gazas-armed-fragmentation-clans-militias-and-rival-power-centers/)
2. [Ahmad Sharawi and Joe Truzman (2025). Profiles of anti-Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip. FDD's Long War Journal.](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/profiles-of-anti-hamas-militias-in-the-gaza-strip.php)
3. [What do we know about the Israeli-backed Palestinian militias looting and terrorizing Gaza? NewsCord / Arab News.](https://newscord.org/watchdog/article/ae323fdd-eac1-4847-b41b-388552f5daa0)
4. [Ashraf al-Mansi (Popular Army Northern Forces). European Council on Foreign Relations, Mapping Palestinian Politics.](https://ecfr.eu/special/mapping_palestinian_politics/ashraf-al-mansi/)
5. [Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (September 16–29, 2025). Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center.](https://www.lawandisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/Topics/Gaza/2023-Conflict/ITIC/further-reports/E_182_25-Pal-16-29sep.pdf)
6. [David Villar Vegas (2026). Palestinian Positions After the October 2025 Ceasefire. Spanish Ministry of Defense.](https://www.defensa.gob.es/documents/2073105/3095923/posiciones_palestinas_2026_dieeeo18_eng.pdf/c9a99e0f-1c1b-8897-e1af-677b1336b402?download=true&t=1770629676959&version=1.0)
7. [Joe Truzman (2025). Hamas cracks down on rival clans and militias in Gaza. FDD's Long War Journal.](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/10/hamas-cracks-down-on-rival-clans-and-militias-in-gaza.php)
8. [Joe Truzman (2025). Anti-Hamas Popular Forces militia leader killed in Gaza. FDD's Long War Journal.](https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/12/anti-hamas-popular-forces-militia-leader-killed-in-gaza.php)
9. [Jason Burke (2026). Israeli-backed Palestinian militias step up operations against Hamas in Gaza. The Guardian.](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/13/israeli-backed-palestinian-militias-against-hamas-gaza)
10. [Footage: Anti-Hamas Gazan militia seen using large drone, presumably provided by Israel. The Times of Israel.](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/footage-anti-hamas-gazan-militia-seen-using-large-drone-presumably-provided-by-israel/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Conflict and security › Armed forces and security organizations › Paramilitaries, militias, and insurgent armed groups › State paramilitaries and pro-government militias*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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