About a month ago, when ISIS took over the Yarmouk Palestinian camp in Syria, many wondered how that organization reached an area that was surrounded by the Syrian Army/Hezbollah on one end and Nusra Front/Free Syrian Army on the other end. It turns out the ISIS militants were actually Hamas fighters who switched allegiance . This scenario may play out in Gaza in the coming months.
Over the last several months, various Hamas fighters have tweeted out pictures of themselves with posters saying they are awaiting the orders of the Caliph. Hamas has been going after people who openly support ISIS in fears of a coup. The Islamic State has struck in Gaza by killing a Hamas commander.
Terrorists claiming loyalty to the Islamic State group took responsibility for the assassination of a Hamas commander in Gaza Sunday. The Army of the Islamic State said it placed a bomb in a vehicle belonging to Saber Siam and detonated it, broadcaster Arutz Sheva reported.
There is no love lost between the two militant organizations. The Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, considers Hamas “heretical,” accusing the group of conducting a war on religion. ISIS has warned Hamas to “end its war against religion in Gaza” or “face the consequences,” Arutz Sheva said.
Residents of Gaza have been warned to stay away from government offices. Arutz Sheva, however, said it was unable to verify whether the Army of the Islamic State actually is an ISIS affiliate, but Israeli sources told the broadcaster a group of Salafist rebels is trying to take over Gaza.
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The escalating battle between ISIS and Hamas has led to a development unthinkable just a few months ago: Hamas and Israel are working toward the same goal. During the mosque raid, Hamas also arrested several members of Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, an Egyptian militant group that last year became ISIS’ first branch outside of Iraq and Syria.
“In the light of Hamas’ new crackdown, we renew our loyalty to [ISIS Caliph Abu Bakr] al-Baghdadi and call on him to strengthen his influence and to launch a campaign in Palestine,” said a statement from Supporters of the Islamic State released after the destruction of the mosque.
This is situation that bears watching. If ISIS takes over Gaza, this will put the Progressive movement in a quandary. They have made ISIS to be a boogeyman becasue that organization is preventing Iranian control of the Mideast, but the Left hates Israel. If ISIS and Israel went at it, who would Progressives root for?
Tags: Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, The Islamic State in Gaza, The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham
