Gaza court gives Israeli-backed gang leader 10 days to surrender
A court in Gaza has given Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of a criminal group backed by Israel, 10 days to surrender himself for trial.
In a statement, the Revolutionary Court of the Military Judiciary Authority in Gaza said Abu Shabab would be considered a fugitive from justice and tried in absentia if he doesn’t surrender.
He was thrust into the limelight last month when Netanyahu said his government had “activated” powerful local clans in Gaza on the advice of “security officials”.
Abu Shabab’s group, which reportedly consists of about 100 armed men, later said online that its members were involved in guarding aid shipments sent to distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Mass killings of aid seekers near the US- and Israeli-backed GHF distribution centres have become a routine occurrence.
The court said Abu Shabab faces three charges: treason and communicating with hostile parties; forming an armed gang; and armed rebellion. It said anyone who knew of his whereabouts and failed to report him would be considered to be concealing a fugitive from justice.
Switzerland to dissolve GHF’s Geneva branch
Switzerland has initiated proceedings to dissolve the Geneva branch of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid group, citing legal shortcomings in its establishment.
The US and Israeli-backed GHF, based in the US state of Delaware, registered an affiliate in Geneva on February 12 this year.
“The ESA may order the dissolution of the foundation if no creditors come forward within the legal 30-day period,” the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA) said in a creditors’ notice published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce.
ESA told Reuters news agency that GHF had not fulfilled certain legal requirements, including having the correct number of board members, a postal address or a Swiss bank account.
“GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in Switzerland … and that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered (branch),” ESA said in a statement.
Last week, authorities in Geneva issued a separate legal notice to GHF to remedy within 30 days “deficiencies in the organisation” or face potential action. More than 600 people have been killed near GHF distribution hubs in Gaza or along access roads guarded by Israeli forces since the controversial group started operating there, according to Palestinian authorities.
