Hamas: ISIS is behind the bombings in Gaza
Gaza – North-Press Agency
A senior source in Hamas has told North-Press that the two explosions which targeted two checkpoints of Gaza police last night, killing three of its members and wounding others, were carried out by suicide bombers.
The source said that the so-called “deviant ideology holders” are behind the bombings, pointing out that more information will be published after the completion of the investigations. The source refused to consider the bombings as an indication for the existence of a military structure of “jihadist” organizations in Gaza Strip.
The security services of Hamas launched a security operation in Gaza Strip to arrest militants who are suspected to be close to the Islamic State group after three members of Hamas were killed and others were wounded in the explosions of last night.
The head of Hamas Political Office, Ismail Haniyeh, issued a special statement regarding these developments, saying that “the residents of Gaza Strip are required to assist the security services”.
In related context, the Israeli army and the Israel Security Agency Shabak (Shin Bet) said that they have no idea about an Israeli attack in the Strip.
Militant jihadists have targeted Hamas members and leaders in the past periods, particularly when a suicide bomber blew up himself nearby a group of security members when they aborted his attempt to infiltrate to Egypt through the borders about two years ago.
In addition, other operations took place in the same area such as the assassination of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades leader Mazen Faqha, as well as the bombing of Gaza police chief’s vehicle Basem Abu Naim, and other bombings.
A security source in Hamas said that the members of this cell likely had “precedents”, and that “Hamas tried to contain them intellectually and correct their course, but it has failed”.
The actual number of people in Gaza Strip who adopt a close ideology of the Islamic State is not known, but experts in Islamic groups have estimated to North-Press that the number is not small due to the difficult economic environment in Gaza in the recent years.