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The 'New Gaza' plan - and the four militias Israel is backing to defeat Hamas
Technology

The 'New Gaza' plan - and the four militias Israel is backing to defeat Hamas

Israel may have agreed to stop fighting in Gaza, but it is backing armed groups that plan to fight Hamas to the bitter end. Sky News has confirmed for the first time that four anti-Hamas militias are all backed by Israel, and consider themselves part of a joint project to remove Hamas from power. The groups are all operating from areas still under Israeli control, behind what's been called the "yellow line" - the boundary for Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troop deployments established by the ceasefire agreement. "We have an official project - me, [Yasser] Abu Shabab, [Rami] Halas, and [Ashraf] al Mansi," says militia leader Hossam al Astal, speaking to Sky News from his base in southern Gaza. "We are all for 'The New Gaza'. Soon we will achieve full control of the Gaza Strip and will gather under one umbrella." The footage below, shared with Sky News, shows troops from Hossam al Astal's militia parading near its base. We used the video to identify the location of the militia's headquarters for the first time. It is situated on a military road that runs along the yellow line, less than 700 metres from the nearest IDF outpost. "I'm hearing the sound of tanks now while I'm speaking, perhaps they're out on patrol or something, but I'm not worried," says al Astal. "They don't engage us, and we don't engage them [...] We've agreed, through the coordinator, that this is a green zone, not to be targeted by shelling or gunfire." The New Gaza This area, now a patchwork of rubble and military berms, was once a leafy suburb of Gaza's second city, Khan Younis. Al Astal says he grew up here, but was forced to flee in 2010 after being pursued by Hamas over his involvement in militant groups aligned with their rival, the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority (PA). He spent the next 11 years abroad, working for the PA's security services in Egypt and Malaysia. Two months after he returned to Gaza, he was accused of involvement in the 2018 assassination of a Hamas member in Malaysia and sentenced to death. "When the war started, they left us locked up, hoping the Israelis would bomb the prison and rid them of us," he says. "Two months later, we broke down the doors and escaped." He says that his weapons, mainly Kalashnikov rifles, are purchased from former Hamas fighters on the black market. Ammunition and vehicles, on the other hand, are delivered through the Kerem Shalom border crossing after coordination with the Israeli military. This is the same border crossing used by another militia leader, Yasser Abu Shabab. Sky News previously revealed that Abu Shabab's militia was smuggling vehicles into Gaza with the help of the Israeli military and an Arab-Israeli car dealer. Al Astal says he uses the same car dealer. One of his vehicles appears to have Hebrew writing on the side, which has been partially scratched out. He says his militia also receives weekly deliveries of everyday items needed to support the civilians living at the camp. "We currently provide basic medical and education support to roughly 30 families," he says. "Children can get apples and bananas, food and drink, chips and so on. By contrast, in the other area, in the tents, you find five-, 10- or even 15-year-olds surviving on little more than lentils and pasta." He says these supplies come in via weekly deliveries. In the video below, a cargo truck can be seen at the militia's base. A similar cargo truck can be seen in satellite imagery of the camp, taken on 14 October. Sky News has also confirmed that the other two militias, which are operating in the north of Gaza, are receiving supplies from Israel. The video below, filmed by a member of Ashraf al Mansi's militia, shows a car loaded with supplies driving towards their base. A member of the other militia operating in northern Gaza, which is led by Rami Halas, told Sky News that coordination with the IDF is done indirectly through the District Coordination Office. It's part of the Israeli defence ministry, but also includes officials from the PA - Palestine's internationally recognised government, based in the West Bank. This fits with what we were told by al Astal, by an Israeli soldier stationed at Kerem Shalom, and by a senior commander in Abu Shabab's militia - that coordination with the military is managed indirectly, and that the PA plays a key role. "I have people within my group who are still, to this day, employees of the Palestinian Authority," says al Astal. The PA did not respond to Sky's questions, but has previously denied having any relationship to these militias. "The Palestinian Authority can't admit to having a direct relationship with us," the militia leader says. "It already has enough issues and doesn't want to add to that burden. You know, if word got out that they had ties with militias or with the occupation forces, you can imagine how that would look." Military coordination Although he acknowledges working with Israel to secure supplies, al Astal denies he has ever coordinated military operations with the IDF. Sky News previously reported that Israeli aircraft had intervened in two battles fought by Abu Shabab's militia. We asked Abu Shabab whether these were due to coordination, but did not receive a response. Hamas accused al Astal's militia group of direct military coordination after several of its fighters were killed when Israel intervened during a battle between the two groups on 3 October. The footage below, published by the IDF, shows the strikes that day. "I don't control Israeli airstrikes," al Astal says. "The Israelis simply saw armed Hamas military groups and struck them." In April, two months before he founded the militia, al Astal's own tent was hit by an Israeli bomb. The strike killed his 22-year-old daughter, Nihad, who was seven months pregnant. "People accuse me of collaboration," he says. "How can anyone speak about me like that? Were the Israelis 'joking around' with me with a missile?" He believes the strike was intended for a Hamas member living nearby. "If I listed every crime against children and women, the blame wouldn't rest on Israel but on Hamas, which hid among the people." Support from outside powers Multiple sources also told Sky News that the militias are also receiving support from outside powers. The deputy leader of Abu Shabab's militia, Ghassan al Duhine, has twice been photographed next to a vehicle with a UAE-registered licence plate. Sky News also found that the logo of the group's armed wing, the Counter Terrorism Service, is almost identical to that used by a UAE-backed militia of the same name operating in Yemen. The logo used by al Astal's militia, the Counter Terrorism Strike Force, similarly uses the same illustration as that used by a different UAE-backed militia, also based in Yemen. The UAE did not respond to Sky's request for comment. When we asked al Astal whether he enjoyed the backing of the UAE, he smiled. "God willing, in time everything will become clear," he said. "But yes, there are Arab countries that support our project." That project, al Astal says, has a name: The New Gaza. 'No war... no Hamas, no terrorism' "Very soon, God willing, you will see this for yourselves; we will become the new administration of Gaza. Our project is 'The New Gaza'. No war, at peace with everyone - no Hamas, no terrorism." Two days after Sky News spoke to al Astal, Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, used the phrase himself while suggesting that Gaza could be split indefinitely along the yellow line. "No reconstruction funds will be going into areas that Hamas still controls," Kushner told reporters on Wednesday. "There are considerations happening now in the area that the IDF controls, as long as that can be secured, to start the construction as a 'New Gaza' in order to give Palestinians living in Gaza a place to go, a place to get jobs." The IDF declined to comment on these findings. Hamas, the PA and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the Israeli agency which manages the Israel-Gaza border, did not respond to our requests for comment. The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

Unknown
How we captured the photo of a mother recording a song that honors a son lost to gun violence
Technology

How we captured the photo of a mother recording a song that honors a son lost to gun violence

This week’s top photo comes from Visual Journalist Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere. Follow him on X, Bluesky and Instagram. What makes this photo important? For most of my career at the Chicago Sun-Times I’ve been covering gun violence mostly as breaking news — arriving just moments after it happens while investigators attempt to piece together a crime scene and try to bring the victim and their families closure and some form of justice. Rarely do I get the opportunity to follow the story long after the incident has passed. This was a unique glimpse at a subject that turned heartache into activism and required the same reverence as some of the scenes I’ve had to cover. How did you get the photo? When I arrived at Lost Boy Sound studio in the West Loop, I met with Racquel Perry, a mother who lost her son to gun violence and who was afforded a chance to honor her son through a Chicago Symphony Orchestra program that pairs mothers who’ve lost their children to gun violence with professional musicians to create original pieces to commemorate them. The audio engineer let me stay in the music room for the recording as long as I was still and my camera was absolutely silent. Sara Lee, artistic director of the Irene Taylor Trust was in the room as well, taking her time with Perry, going over the spoken word lyrics and making sure everything flowed properly to the beat and to the song. Then in one take, to the surprise of Lee and the audio engineers in the sound booth, Perry performed her part. After which she broke down in tears. Since she was away from the mic I rushed over to get the tender moment of Lee comforting Perry. Perry a little embarrassed made it clear to Lee, the audio engineers and myself these tears were tears of joy and not sorrow. Everything about this image and the story helped show that gun violence doesn’t go away when the police and reporters do or when the offenders are brought to justice. It sticks with communities and people forever. The pain and trauma never goes away, and I hope to continue to explore and capture images of it. Technical details: Equipment: Nikon Z6 IIFocal length: 30mmAperture: f3.5Exposure: 1/100ISO: 4000 Here are 21 more Sun-Times photos from this week of coverage.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere
As Strictly is back on screens, bookies take bets on new Tess and Claudia
Technology

As Strictly is back on screens, bookies take bets on new Tess and Claudia

Some bookmakers have named The One Show's Roman Kemp as their favourite for the Strictly job - with Coral cutting their odds. Actress Hannah Waddingham, Big Brother co-host AJ Odudu, former Strictly winner Stacey Dooley and Celebrity Traitors' breakout star Alan Carr are among the other names being mooted. Ladbrokes is also offering odds on Holly Willoughby as a surprise frontrunner, with another ITV star, Alison Hammond also on their list. Whether BBC bosses want to recruit from within the organisation or look to poach stars from rivals remains to be seen. Caroline Frost, TV editor of the Radio Times, described Daly and Winkleman as "a formidable presenting duo". Asked if their departure could potentially mean and end to the show, the TV critic told BBC Breakfast there was no need to "throw the baby out with the bath water" and that a "a rebrand" was more likely. "It still draws in millions of viewers," she said of Strictly. "It's only bad compared with those extraordinary, phenomenal ratings earlier in its reign. "But certainly it will be like other programmes we've seen before, Doctor Who, Match of the Day, MasterChef; they've all had opportunities for a rebrand... so this could be one of those shows."

Noor Nanji
“Where do I sleep?”: American tourist baffled by Japanese room with no bed learns what a ryokan is
Technology

“Where do I sleep?”: American tourist baffled by Japanese room with no bed learns what a ryokan is

An American tourist’s confusion over a missing bed in her Japanese hotel room has ignited both mockery and sympathy online. TikTok creator Autumn Anderson (@somethingicanholdonto) was traveling abroad in Japan when she shared a video of the elegant, beachfront ryokan that seemed to be missing a bedroom. “Where is the bedroom?” she asked, apparently unaware that traditional Japanese inns use futons laid out on tatami floors instead of permanent beds. The post from Oct. 12, 2025, went viral on TikTok, racking up over 20 million views. While some commenters helped out and explained that traditional Japanese sleeping arrangements involve removable futons, others ridiculed Autumn for being ignorant of the country’s culture. Plenty of westerners in the comments confidently and inaccurately told her to look for a “Murphy bed.” “The amount of people saying there’s a Murphy bed is frying me. 💀.” Why some Western tourists still struggle with ryokan traditions In the video, Autumn pointed out a traditional multi-purpose Japanese-style tatami room with woven mats on the floor, along with a table and chairs. She continued the tour, revealing a small sitting room overlooking the beach, along with the bathroom and shower, before concluding, “There’s no bed, where do I sleep?” “Do I sleep on here?” she asked, referring to the table. “What? I’m so confused.” In an email to the Daily Dot, Autumn wrote: “My video was meant to share my surprise and curiosity about the cultural differences in Japan, especially how hotel rooms are designed.” “I wasn’t criticizing it — I was genuinely fascinated because it’s so different from what I’m used to in the U.S.” In a follow-up video, Autumn explained that she was confused because she intended to book a Western-style room. Rooms in traditional Japanese inns called ryokans are centered around a multipurpose space with tatami mats on the floor. These rooms, or washitsu, are where hotel staff lay out futon bedding in the evening for guests to sleep on. @somethingicanholdonto Someone help me with this?? Where is the bed?! #メロ秋投稿キャンペーン #japan #helpme #whereisthebed #japanese ♬ original sound – AUTUMN “One of my favorite parts of traveling is learning how other countries do things, and this was just one of those moments,” she added. “I think some people took it as me being an uneducated American who doesn’t research before traveling, but that’s not the case at all. I always do my homework — I just like to share my genuine reactions when I discover something new.” “To me, that’s what makes travel interesting: seeing things with fresh eyes and learning from the experience.” Intercultural confusion stirred up mixed reactions Commenters roasted Autumn for failing to read up on the country’s customs before arriving as a guest. Other people reacting to the post shared helpful information or admitted they’d have been just as confused. “Gurl, u went to Japan without knowing how they sleep? 😳” “Do people not research a country before visiting?? What.” “I’m not sure why people are being so mean and rude. I would have no idea either. It wouldn’t occur to me to research another country and find out if their hotel rooms have beds.” “Sometimes, I’m embarrassed to be a part of the human population originating from the United States.” “It’s a traditional Japanese style room. There’s futons somewhere in there that the staff will make up while you’re at dinner. You must be at a ryokan.” The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.

Susan Lamarca
Trump admin is ‘funneling $10 billion through the US Navy’ to ramp up migrant detention center construction
Technology

Trump admin is ‘funneling $10 billion through the US Navy’ to ramp up migrant detention center construction

The Trump administration is funneling $10 billion from the Department of Homeland Security through the U.S. Navy to ramp up its construction of migrant detention centers across the country, according to a report. Construction on the facilities, which could hold up to 10,000 migrants each, could begin as soon as next month, sources close to the project told CNN. The DHS is leaning on the Navy to hire companies for the construction and maintenance of the detention facilities, which will reportedly be spread across Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania. The construction plans are the latest example of how the Trump administration is wielding the power of the U.S. military to carry out its anti-immigration agenda. The Independent has contacted the Department of Homeland Security and the Navy for comment. Publicly available documents from July show that contractors with the Navy “may be required to provide infrastructure, staffing, services, and/or supplies necessary to provide safe and secure confinement for aliens in the administrative custody” of DHS and ICE. Homeland Security officials have reportedly been trying to quickly secure contracts to build more detention facilities due to the uptick in immigration arrests. It was not immediately clear whether the new facilities would be built on existing Navy installations. CNN reports that the new facilities are likely to be “soft-sided tents,” similar to the ones at the complex at the Fort Bliss Army base in Texas, which became operational in August. Migrants being held at at the complex were recently subject to numerous violations of federal standards, including medical neglect, poor access to legal counsel, and dysfunctional plumbing, according to detainees and federal inspectors. Experts told CNN that it was not surprising the Trump administration was working with the military to quickly turn around the construction project. “The military is good at logistics, and they’ve had to do quick turn construction projects like this overseas,” said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute specializing in defense spending. “You’re already dealing with an organization that knows how to do this type of contracting activity, and do it quickly.” Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful, Bill” in July set aside an unprecedented $45 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to boost immigration detention. Federal contracts from ICE have been steadily increasing since Trump’s first term, according to the federal spending database, rising from $137.5 million awarded in 2016 to $463.4 million in 2025 so far. Official data published at the end of September reported that there are currently 59,762 people being held in ICE detention centers. ICE is planning to more than double detention capacity to more than 107,000 by January 2026, according to The Washington Post.

Rhian Lubin
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