Celia Hatton

Yasser Abu Shabab was a Bedouin tribal chief who led a group operating in Israeli-controlled territory near the southern city of Rafah.

Hamas had accused him of collaborating with Israel.

He'd been one of several men jostling for power as the region prepares for the second phase of the U.S.

ceasefire plan.

His militia, the Popular Forces, said he was shot while trying to resolve a family dispute.

But Venetia Mingus, a journalist with The Times of London who recently interviewed Yasser Abu Shabab, says there are reports that he may have been assassinated.

Yasser Abu Shabab was a 35-year-old smuggler from Rafah in southern Gaza who, at the start of the war in Gaza, was in a Hamas prison on drug trafficking charges.

So quite an unlikely figure to end up leading a militia.

However, in May last year, he emerged as leader of what he called the Popular Forces.

He declared the group to be an anti-Hamas militia working towards a terrorism-free future for the Strip.

But it is worth noting he never really had the support of Gazan's civilians, even though many are anti-Hamas, as he's seen as a collaborator with Israel.

Now, when I interviewed him...

He denied this, although it is clear he's been working with Israel as he has been operating under their areas of control.

And he said that he was funded and supported by powerful members of the Tarabin tribe, who are a Bedouin tribe which stretch from Egypt to the UAE.

And he said they provided the weapons and the money to keep their group going.

So a lot is left to be verified regarding the circumstances of his death.

However, I spoke with Israeli sources today who have coordinated with him and they said it is indeed true he has been killed.

I believe the most likely theory is that his group participated

was infiltrated by Hamas, who then used their access to attack the group and capture members of his group.

We know that his death occurred in the area under his control in Rafah, which is beyond the yellow line.