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| Gaza strikes: Israel targeting raft of militant groups | Gaza strikes: Israel targeting raft of militant groups |
| (7 days later) | |
| While Israel's operation in Gaza is targeting Hamas, it also has the armed wings of the smaller Islamic Jihad and other radical groups in its sights, amid signs they have been leading the cross-border rocket attacks in recent weeks. | While Israel's operation in Gaza is targeting Hamas, it also has the armed wings of the smaller Islamic Jihad and other radical groups in its sights, amid signs they have been leading the cross-border rocket attacks in recent weeks. |
| Hamas's military wing is the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigade, formerly headed by the assassinated Ahmed al-Jaabari. One of the contenders to replace him is thought to be Imad Akel, who has survived previous Israeli assassination attempts. | Hamas's military wing is the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigade, formerly headed by the assassinated Ahmed al-Jaabari. One of the contenders to replace him is thought to be Imad Akel, who has survived previous Israeli assassination attempts. |
| Islamic Jihad calls its military arm the al-Quds brigade. The organisation's first leader was assassinated by Mossad agents in Malta in 1995. It is backed by Iran. Its current head, Ramadan Shallah, recently reportedly left his HQ in Damascus for Tehran. It probably only has a few score fighters in Gaza. Its spokesmen have hinted that Hamas has abandoned resistance against Israel, while it remains in the vanguard of the struggle against the "Zionist enemy". | Islamic Jihad calls its military arm the al-Quds brigade. The organisation's first leader was assassinated by Mossad agents in Malta in 1995. It is backed by Iran. Its current head, Ramadan Shallah, recently reportedly left his HQ in Damascus for Tehran. It probably only has a few score fighters in Gaza. Its spokesmen have hinted that Hamas has abandoned resistance against Israel, while it remains in the vanguard of the struggle against the "Zionist enemy". |
| Another important Gaza-based group is the Popular Resistance Committees. The PRC is a coalition of armed Palestinian factions whose military wing masterminded the abduction of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. Israeli claims it is financed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. The PRC specialises in planting roadside bombs. In March this year its secretary-general, Zuhair al-Qaissi, was killed in an Israeli air strike. | Another important Gaza-based group is the Popular Resistance Committees. The PRC is a coalition of armed Palestinian factions whose military wing masterminded the abduction of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. Israeli claims it is financed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. The PRC specialises in planting roadside bombs. In March this year its secretary-general, Zuhair al-Qaissi, was killed in an Israeli air strike. |
| The years of Hamas rule in blockaded Gaza have also seen the emergence of Salafi or Jihadi type groups. The little known Mujahadeen Shura Council of Jerusalem said in September that 20 of its members were rounded up by Hamas security men "to prevent rocket fire from Gaza". The group claimed responsibility for an infiltration into Israel along its border with Egypt's Sinai peninsula in June. | The years of Hamas rule in blockaded Gaza have also seen the emergence of Salafi or Jihadi type groups. The little known Mujahadeen Shura Council of Jerusalem said in September that 20 of its members were rounded up by Hamas security men "to prevent rocket fire from Gaza". The group claimed responsibility for an infiltration into Israel along its border with Egypt's Sinai peninsula in June. |
| Hamas has been under intense Egyptian pressure to rein in Salafi cells in Gaza as Egypt continues its military campaign against Islamist extremists in Sinai. In 2009 Hamas fighters stormed a mosque and killed 28 people after a Salafi imam declared an Islamic emirate in Gaza. | Hamas has been under intense Egyptian pressure to rein in Salafi cells in Gaza as Egypt continues its military campaign against Islamist extremists in Sinai. In 2009 Hamas fighters stormed a mosque and killed 28 people after a Salafi imam declared an Islamic emirate in Gaza. |
| Ironically, some Israeli observers saw Jaabari as an enemy Israel could work with on the pragmatic understanding that he was prepared to keep a grip on others. Aluf Benn, the Ha'aretz editor, said that Jaabari had been eliminated because he had failed in his role as a "sub-contractor" to defend Israel by reining in attacks by hardline Palestinian rivals. | Ironically, some Israeli observers saw Jaabari as an enemy Israel could work with on the pragmatic understanding that he was prepared to keep a grip on others. Aluf Benn, the Ha'aretz editor, said that Jaabari had been eliminated because he had failed in his role as a "sub-contractor" to defend Israel by reining in attacks by hardline Palestinian rivals. |
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