Mujahideen Brigades () is an armed wing of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement (). The brigades operate in the Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip and The West Bank The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement and Mujahideen Brigades split from the Fatah movement, the military wing originating from the Martyr Jamal Al-Omari Brigade of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. The movement was founded in 2001 and led by founder Omar Abu Sharia, at the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada.
The Mujahideen Brigades operate independently of Hamas but collaborates closely with militants from Palestinian Islamic Jihad's armed wing, Saraya Al Quds.
Political and militant wings The political wing is the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement (). It is one of the most prominent Islamic factions among Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Mujahideen Brigades are the militant wing. The Brigades operate independently of Hamas but collaborates closely with militants from Palestinian Islamic Jihad's armed wing, Saraya Al Quds.
Martyrs of the Occupied Interior The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement has another militant division, whom they call the "Martyrs of the Occupied Interior" unit, or "Dāham". The unit focuses on attacks in Israel, inside the Green Line. The FDD's Long War Journal describes the group as being active in the West Bank.
The perpetrator, 27-year-old Mohammed Shehab was shot dead at the scene.
Rightly Guided Caliphs group The Mujahideen Brigades often promote or endorse a Palestinian religious group called the "Rightly Guided Caliphs"
History The organization was founded by Omar Abu Sharia, in 2006, or in 2001 at the beginning of the Second Intifada.
The Mujahideen Brigades – and their political wing the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement – began as a break-away faction of the Fatah movement. Before the schism, the Mujahideen Brigades were known as the Martyr Jamal Al-Amari Brigade and they were part of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. As they grew they changed their name from Mujahideen Battalion ) to the Mujahideen Brigades.
Leadership +Leaders of the Mujahideen Brigades No. Name Took office Left office Cause of death 1. Omar Abu Sharia 2006 April 2007 Assassinated by an air strike on the car he was in on 14 October 2006. Quote: الأمين العام عمر عطية ابو شريعة (ابو حفص) تاريخ الميلاد : 1975-02-08 تاريخ الإستشهاد : 2007-04-24 طبيعة الإستشهاد : استهداف من الطيران الصهيونى مكان السكن : غزة - الصبرة الحالة الإجتماعية : مؤهل اللقب: اسد المجاهدين الرتبة الجهادية: الامين العام المؤسس لكتائب المجاهدين Translation (mostly automated): Secretary General Omar Attia Abu Sharia (Abu Hafs) Date of Birth: 1975-02-08 Date of Martyrdom: 2007-04-24 Nature of Martyrdom: Targeted by Zionist Air Force Place of Residence: Gaza - Sabra Title: Lion of the Mujahideen Rank: Founding Secretary General of the Mujahideen Brigades 2. As'ad Abu Shari'a 24 April 2007 7 June 2025 Assassinated by an Israeli Airstrike in 2025. 3. Ali Saadi Wasfi al-Agha 7 June 2025 20 june 2025 Assassinated by an Israeli Airstrike in 2025. 4. Musbah Salim Musbah Dayyah 20 June 2025 3 September 2025 Assassinated by an Israeli Airstrike in 2025. 5. Vacant
According to local sources, the leaders and founders of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement are from the Al-Hasayna and Abu Sharia families in Gaza, and have Bedouin roots. On 23 November 2023, the homes of the Al-Hasayna and Abu Sharia families were destroyed in an , that allegedly killed 93 Palestinians. Neither side acknowledged a possible target, and only civilian casualties were reported. On 23 November 2023 the secretary general of the Mujahedeen Movement, Asaad Abu Sharia, stated that numerous members of his immediate and extended family had been killed in airstrikes. The group said this included their leader's wife and children, his older brother Bassam Attia Abu Sharia, and multiple members of the leader's extended family. They also said the leader's family had been previously targeted at the beginning of the war, killing his sister and three generations of her family.
Militant activity
The Mujahideen Brigades have claimed responsibility for direct fights against Israel and are known to operate in cooperation with other Palestinian militant groups.
The Mujahideen Brigades' primary role is engaging in armed guerrilla warfare against Israel, focusing on both direct military confrontations and rocket fire. Their operations have been part of the larger conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups. They conduct military training and maneuvers in the Gaza Strip. These drills and training are aimed at enhancing their fighters' combat skills and simulating offensive operations against Israeli targets.
Over the years, the movement became a member of the Hamas-led government in Gaza and cooperated with it in operations, supplying weapons and training.
2012 hostage taking plans
In 2012, a cell of the movement from Hebron and the Gaza Strip planned to kidnap an Israeli citizen, as a bargaining chip for the release of members of the movement imprisoned in Israel.
2021 Israel–Palestine crisis The Mujahideen Brigades took part in the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis.
2022 infiltration of IDF In May 2022, 25-year-old Shehadeh Abu al-Qiaan, a Negev Bedouin from Hura, and an Israeli citizen, enlisted in the IDF, with the intention of sending intelligence to the Mujahideen Brigades. al-Qiaan was reportedly motivated by the demolition of his family home by Israeli authorities in 2019. While in the IDF, al-Qiaan gathered internal military intelligence, photographed various locations, and stole weaponry. Furthermore, al-Qiaan provided the Mujahideen Brigades with the names, photos, and phone numbers of Bedouin soldiers in the IDF. al-Qiaan was arrested on 30 May 2022 by the Shin Bet, and an indictment was filed, accusing al-Qiaan of multiple offenses, including membership in a terrorist organisation.
Gaza war The Mujahideen Brigades participated in the Gaza war, attacking Israeli forces during the October 7th attacks, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank. hey joined the 7 October 2023 attacks initiated by Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades military wing. During October 7th, the Mujahideen Brigades kidnapped three members of the Bibas family, a fourth Bibas family member was separately captured by Hamas' militants.
Media coverage
The Mujahideen Brigades were largely ignored by the media for the first few months of the Gaza war, until their videos were broadcast by Arabic language news channels like Al Jazeera Live and Al Araby TV in early 2024. Some propaganda videos from the Mujahideen Brigades used a blue triangle to highlight targets, in place of the red triangle used in videos made by the Qassam Brigades. (note, the Al-Qassam Brigades fighter in this video is using the word "mujahideen" in a general sense, not referring to the Mujahideen Brigades)
Family casualties
The leaders and founders of the Palestinian Mujahideen Movement are from the Al-Hasayna and Abu Sharia families in Gaza, and have Bedouin roots. Also here via nabd.com, accessed 26 July 2024. On 23 November 2023, the homes of the Al-Hasayna and Abu Sharia families were destroyed in an , that allegedly killed 93 Palestinians. Neither side acknowledged a possible target, and only civilians casualties were reported. On 23 November 2023 the secretary general of the Mujahedeen Movement, Asaad Abu Sharia, stated that numerous members of his immediate and extended family had been killed in airstrikes. The group said this included their leader's wife and children, his older brother Bassam Attia Abu Sharia, and multiple members of the leader's extended family. They also said the leader's family had been previously targeted at the beginning of the war, killing his sister and three generations of her family.
Kidnapping of the Bibas family
The Mujahideen Brigades were holding three members of the Bibas family hostage in Khan Yunis. The group holding the Bibas family was shown to be the Mujahideen Brigades based on CCTV footage found in Khan Younis. The Mujahedeen Brigades explicitly claimed responsibility for the original kidnapping of the mother and two children from the Bibas family. Yarden Bibas was captured separately by Hamas militants. The family had a gun in the house for self defense, but it was inadequate against heavily armed militants from multiple factions.
Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Ariel and Kfir, were abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October 2023. Kfir was less than one year old at the time and the youngest hostage held by Gaza's militant factions. The IDF claimed they were kidnapped by Hamas, but then said were held by "another group" after they were excluded from the 2023 Israeli–Palestinian prisoner exchange in November 2023. Some sources claim "civilians" joined the attack at Nir Oz.
In November 2023, Mujahideen Brigades stated on social media that the Bibas family was in their custody. Then on 29 November, during hostage negotiations, Hamas claimed Shiri Bibas and her children had been killed in an Israeli air strike while in captivity. In November 2023 the IDF said they were not sure if the trio were being held by Hamas. On 19 February, the IDF presented a video showing Shiri and the children still alive several days after the abduction. The video was apparently filmed in southern Gaza. Hamas's Qassam Brigades published a video of Yarden Bibas being told his family had been killed. Hamas offered to hand over the three bodies but Israel were "unresponsive".
The statements by the Mujahideen Brigades themselves were mostly ignored outside of the Israel and the Arab world, but a later IDF announcement got international attention in February 2024. The group holding the Bibas family was confirmed to be the Mujahideen Brigades based on CCTV footage found in Khan Younis. Hamas had never released photos or other indirect evidence, but in November 2023, Hamas offered to release the three bodies and still living Yarden Bibas on compassionate grounds, but Israel had refused the offer. Israel described the offer as "psychological warfare".
On 19 February 2024 the Mujahideen Brigades's spokesperson Abu Bilal confirmed that three members of the Bibas family had been killed in an Israeli airstrike about three weeks after being kidnapped by the Mujahideen Brigades on 7 October 2023. He accused Netanyahu of "deliberately targeting them with his army's missiles to evade paying the price due for their liberation".
Hamas also offered to release Yarden Bibas for the funeral in November 2023. Yarden was in Hamas' own custody, separate from the other family members held by the Mujahideen Brigades. Israel rejected the offer and Yarden remained in Gaza for a further 14 months. When Yarden Bibas was released in early 2025, the IDF claimed that they still could not confirm if the other family members were alive or dead. Israel "demand Hamas clarify" their status. According to the ceasefire deal living women and children were supposed to be released first and dead bodies last.
On 17 February 2025 Hamas announced that the bodies of the Bibas family would be released with other dead hostages, as agreed by the ceasefire deal. Some reports implied that Hamas themselves had decided for themselves to release the Bibas family's bodies first, and possibly ahead of schedule. The negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said the Hamas movement "decided to hand over four bodies on Thursday, among them (those of) the Bibas family".
When the Brigades released the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her children the Brigades stated that they themselves had captured the family and reiterated the accusations that the Israeli military has killed the family. Despite this, some major news sources in the Western media, and far right leaders in the United States, falsely claimed the family had been captured by "Hamas" (the political wing associated with the Qassam Brigades), which contradicted even Israeli sources.