A Palestinian militia opposed to Hamas and reportedly tied to the Islamic State is actively cooperating with Israel, its leader now admits.

Yasser Abu Shabab, head of the Gaza-based “Popular Forces” armed group, acknowledged coordination with Tel Aviv during a recent interview with Makan, Israel’s Arabic-language public broadcaster. “We keep them [Israel] informed, but we carry out the military actions on our own,” he said.

While Abu Shabab did not explicitly confirm direct backing from Israel, he explained that his organization receives “logistical and financial support from several parties” that he declined to name, adding, “There are things we can’t talk about publicly.”

The group’s media office previously told the Associated Press that its cooperation with Israel was merely “humanitarian communication to facilitate the introduction of aid and ensure that it is not intercepted.” It insisted that it had “not received any military or logistical support from any foreign party.”

Last month, Israeli opposition leader and former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of arming the controversial group. “The Israeli government is giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons, identified with the Islamic State, at the direction of the prime minister,” Lieberman said. “To my knowledge, this did not go through approval by the cabinet.”

Though he did not mention the Popular Forces by name, Netanyahu all but confirmed Lieberman’s accusation, acknowledging support for “clans in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas,” but claimed the policy would save the lives of Israeli soldiers.

In comments to the Times of Israel last month, multiple IDF sources confirmed direct links with Abu Shabab’s group, stating that Netanyahu’s government was “arming the gang with Kalashnikov rifles, including some that were seized from Hamas during the ongoing war.”

Another unnamed IDF officer explained to Haaretz that “There are many groups that oppose Hamas – Abu Shabab went several steps further. They control territory that Hamas doesn’t enter, and the IDF encourages that.”

The Popular Forces have admitted to looting aid entering Gaza, but maintained that they “only took the minimum amount of food and water necessary to secure their elements in the field.” Abu Shabab’s fighters are also involved in securing aid distribution sites run by the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. IDF officers say some of the Palestinian aid-seekers who have been killed and wounded near aid sites were killed by the militant group.

Some high-ranking members of the Abu Shabab gang have also been accused of fighting alongside ISIS, such as Issam Nabahin, who is alleged to have been active with the infamous terror group in the Sinai before returning to Gaza. According to Ynet, the group’s deputy leader, Ghassan al-Dheini, was involved in the 2006 abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, and is the brother of an ISIS operative killed by Hamas.