The Al Aqsa Brigades are under the authority of Fatah, who dominates the PA government.
So where is the money coming from to fund these weapons?
In August JNS reported:
The Gaza-based military wing of the West Bank-based Fatah faction, which is headed by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, has reportedly asked Iran for money to help it fight Israel.It is unclear if Iran has paid Fatah money; their money usually has strings attached. But if Iran isn't funding them - who is?
In addition, Fatah unveiled a cross-border tunnel that leads into Israeli territory during an appeal on Iran’s state-owned Al-Alam television channel, Palestinian Media Watch reported. Al-Alam interviewed a masked fighter from the Gaza branch of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades who showcased the new two-mile-long tunnel.
”We spend all our time trying to get money to fulfill our duty concerning our occupied lands and liberate them from the Zionist entity,” the fighter said.
“This is why we are asking [for money]… especially [from] Iran, which is a known long-time supporter of the resistance and the Palestinian cause,” he added.
The tunnel, according to the fighter, “is approximately 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) long and crosses the border between the Gaza Strip and the Zionist enemy. There are tunnels inside [Gaza] through which jihad fighters pass during war.”
I don't think that Gulf states are eager to fund the terror group. They are reluctant to pay their pledges to the PA itself.
The most likely explanation seems to be that some of the billions that go to prop up the PA are diverted towards Fatah which in turn bankrolls the Fatah terror groups.
