Draft:Islamist anti-Hamas groups in the Gaza Strip

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A number of Islamist groups opposed to Hamas have had a presence in the Gaza Strip, an exclave of the Palestinian territories occupied by the State of Israel since 1967. These groups began appearing in the Gaza Strip in the months leading up to and following the Israeli disengagement from the region in 2005 and have maintained a presence even after the 2007 Battle of Gaza, when Hamas wrestled control of the Gaza Strip from its rival Fatah, establishing its own de facto government.[1] Most of these groups appear to have peaked in activity around the late 2000s and early to mid 2010s, and several of them participated in the Sinai insurgency in Egypt (2011-2023).

Hamas is itself also an Islamist organization.[2] Nonetheless, these rival groups have rejected Hamas' adherence to Palestinian nationalism and its participation in Palestinian elections, instead following a hardline Salafi jihadist ideology which condemns nationalism and participation in non-Sharia political systems.[1]

Besides several documented groups, there have been a number of smaller, loosely affiliated cells that adopt a variety of front names to perpetrate attacks.[1] Many terror attacks in Gaza, such as the 2007 killing of the Gazan Christian Rami Ayyad and the destruction of Crazy Water Park in 2010 were carried out by anonymous cells.

Documented groups[edit]

Army of Islam[edit]

Main article: Army of Islam (Gaza)
See also: Dogmush clan and Sinai_insurgency § In the Gaza Strip

Jaysh al-Islam ("The Army of Islam") was founded in late 2005[3] by the Dogmush clan, a Gazan criminal family.[1][4] It was initially close to Hamas, and they participated together in the kidnapping of Israeli Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006.[1] The group also carried out the kidnapping of two Fox News journalists in 2006.[3]

The Army of Islam began to turn against Hamas in the months preceding the latter's takeover of Gaza, and organized the kidnapping of British journalist Alan Johnston in March 2007[5] with the likely intention of embarrassing Hamas.[1] After it seized power in June 2007, Hamas was able to secure Johnston's release,[6] and subsequently began to suppress the Army of Islam's activities, which nonetheless continued sporadically and included attacks on co-ed schools, local Christians, and a YMCA building.[1]

The group participated in the Sinai insurgency[7] alongside Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad and the Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem, and smuggled members into the Gaza Strip for training, later sending them back to the Sinai Peninsula to carry out attacks.[8]

In a 2019 interview, the Army of Islam condemned Hamas as an "apostate" group.[9]

The group may have completely collapsed as a result of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war (2023-present), on account of the Dogmush clan appearing to have been nearly wiped out by Israeli bombings,[10][11] and Hamas reportedly executing their leader for stealing humanitarian aid.[12]

Suyuf al-Haq[edit]

Suyuf al-Haq ("The Swords of Righteousness", also referred to as the "Righteous Swords of Islam" or the "Swords of Islamic Righteousness") (not to be confused with the Swords of Righteousness Brigade, an Iraqi terror group) is or was a "veteran" group primarily concentrated in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. It is supposedly led by former Hamas cleric Abu Suheib al-Maqdisi, who left Hamas to protest its decision to take part in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections.[1] The Swords of Righteousness has organized attacks against targets they deem immoral or un-Islamic, such as internet cafes, claiming they blew up more than 50 "morally corrupted" businesses in 2007.[13][14] The group has conducted an acid attack against a young woman dressed "provocatively", attacked a young man listening to music, and threatened Christians. In 2007, the group orchestrated the assassination of senior Palestinian intelligence officer Colonel Jed Tayya, whom it accused of being a Mossad agent.[1]

Swords of Truth[edit]

The Swords of Truth is or was a small group of less than 100 members that organized a string of bombings of internet cafes, music shops, and pool halls in 2006 and 2007. In June 2007, they issued a threat towards Gazan female television broadcasters, warning that they would "cut throats, and from vein to vein, if needed to protect the spirit and moral of this nation", demanding they cease wearing Western-style clothing and makeup. An unnamed Palestinian senior security official accused Hamas of funding the group, which Hamas denied.[15][16]

Jihadia Salafiya[edit]

Jihadia Salafiya is or was a group mainly known for its threats against Christians. Their leader, Abu Saqer, said in 2007 that Hamas "must work to impose an Islamic rule or it will lose the authority it has and the will of the people" and that Christians "must be ready for Islamic rule if they want to live in peace in Gaza". The group demanded as well an end to Christian missionary activity in the Gaza Strip.[17][18]

Jihadia Salafiya was also suspected of attacking a United Nations school in the region which hosted a co-ed sporting event.[17]

Jaysh al-Ummah[edit]

Main article: Jaysh al-Ummah (Gaza)

Jaysh al-Ummah ("The Army of the Nation") formed in June 2007 and took credit for firing three rockets into Israel that month. Unlike other groups, it has avoided claiming responsibility for internal attacks inside Gaza and instead has focused on attacks on Israel. In January 2008 they declared their intent to assassinate American president George W. Bush and stressed their alignment with Al-Qaeda. Abu Hafs al-Maqdisi, the group's leader, condemned Hamas for not implementing Sharia law, and would end up temporarily detained by Hamas himself. Since then, the two groups have had a mutual hostility but refrain from openly fighting.[1]

Jaysh al-Ummah nonetheless fought alongside Hamas in in the 2012 Gaza conflict[19] and the 2014 Gaza War.[20][19] It claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on Israel in 2019[21] and also claimed to have taken part in the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, shooting rockets at Israeli targets.[22][23] During the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, the group reported that it attacked IDF troops in the Gaza Strip.[24]

Jund Ansar Allah[edit]

Main articles: Jund Ansar Allah and Islamic Emirate of Rafah

Jund Ansar Allah ("The Army of God's Supporters") was a Rafah-based group that first surfaced in late 2008.[1] In 2009 the group attempted an attack on the formerly existing Karni border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel.[25][26] Jund Ansar Allah militants holed up in a building in Khan Yunis surrendered in a standoff with Hamas police in July 2009.[27] Hamas officials also blamed the group for the bombings of several internet cafes, and of a wedding party attended by relatives of the West Bank-based Fatah leader, Mohammed Dahlan, in which fifty people were injured. Jund Ansar Allah denied any responsibility for the latter attack, and Fatah leaders blamed Hamas.[28]

In August 2009, Jund Ansar Allah launched a revolt against Hamas, establishing the short-lived "Islamic Emirate of Rafah"; the rebellion was crushed by Hamas after a day of fighting, resulting in the group being virtually destroyed and its leaders killed.[1][29][30] Remnants of the group did however claim responsibility for rocket attacks against Israel in October 2009 and March 2010.[1]

Jaljalat[edit]

Main article: Jaljalat

Jaljalat ("Thunder") is or was a "loosely-structured" group aligned with Al-Qaeda and composed largely of former Hamas personnel.[1] The group voiced its condemnation of Hamas and organized two bombing attacks against Hamas government buildings in August 2009 as revenge against the suppression of Jund Ansar Allah earlier that month.[31] In September 2009, Jaljalat revealed that it had attempted to assassinated former US president Jimmy Carter and former UK prime minister Tony Blair, but the plot had been foiled by Hamas.[32] Hamas captured the group's leader, Mahmoud Taleb, in October 2009.[33]

Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad[edit]

Main article: Tawhid al-Jihad (Gaza Strip)
See also: Vittorio Arrigoni

Jahafil Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad fi Filastin ("The Armies of Monotheism and Jihad in Palestine") emerged in 2008 and has been responsible for rocket attacks against Israel and attacks against Gazan Christians.[34] The group participated in the Sinai insurgency[35] alongside the Army of Islam and the Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem. Notably, it kidnapped and murdered Vittorio Arrigoni, an Italian peace activist who supported the Palestinian cause, in 2011. The group said that if their imprisoned leader Hesham al-Sa'eedni was not released by Hamas, they would execute Arrigoni. However, he was found dead well before the deadline; Hamas stormed the house where he was being held and successfully fought the abductors, but found him hanged.[36] The Los Angeles Times commented:

[T]he kidnapping raised questions about Hamas' control over Gaza, and it represents the latest example of how smaller, more radical groups in the territory—some with alleged ties to Al Qaeda—are challenging the rule of Hamas, which itself is viewed by Israel and the United States as a terrorist organization. Those groups complain that Hamas has become too moderate.[37]

Kata’ib al-Tawhid[edit]

Kata’ib al-Tawhid is or was a group that emerged in 2009. It claimed a cadre of several hundred fighters and an expertise in “RPG rockets, kalashnikovs, explosive devices, and mines, but we are trained in everything, including martyrdom.”[1]

Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade[edit]

Main article: Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade

The Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade surfaced in 2015 and is affiliated with the Islamic State.[38] The group was responsible for the Askhelon rocket attacks into Israel that year. Hamas raided the home of their leader Yunis Hunnar in June 2015; he was shot dead while resisting arrest.[39]

Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem[edit]

Main article: Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem

The Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem was formed in 2011 or 2012 by Hisham Al-Saedni[40] and is linked to both Al-Qaeda[41] and the Islamic State.[42] It has carried out attacks against Israel[41] and participated in the Sinai insurgency[43] with the Army of Islam and Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad. Hamas initiated a crackdown on the group in July 2013.[44]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Berti, Benedetta (2010). "Salafi-Jihadi Activism in Gaza". Combatting Terrorism Center at West Point. 3 (5).
  2. ^ Ireland, Carol A.; Lewis, Michael; Lopez, Anthony C.; Ireland, Jane L., eds. (2020). The handbook of collective violence: current developments and understanding. Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Taylor Group. ISBN 978-0-429-19742-0. OCLC 1152525690. The most successful radical Sunni Islamist group has been Hamas, which began as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine in the early 1980s.
  3. ^ a b "Designation of Army of Islam". State Department. 2011-05-19. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  4. ^ "The moment of greatest danger: After 97 days held captive in Gaza - Times Online". Archived from the original on 2008-07-26. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  5. ^ "One killed in Gaza car explosion". Al Jazeera. 2010-11-03. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  6. ^ Associated Press (4 July 2007). "Hamas says kidnapped British reporter Alan Johnston has been released". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
  7. ^ "Jaysh al-Islam". The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy -. 2014-07-22. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  8. ^ "Gaza terrorists infiltrate Sinai". Ynet News. 7 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
  9. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (25 January 2019). "Jaysh al-Islam in Gaza: Exclusive Interview". Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  10. ^ "من القاتل الحقيقي لمختار عائلة دغمش في غزة؟". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  11. ^ "مجزرة مسجد إحياء السنة / عائلة دغمش | المجازر الإسرائيلية". فلسطيننا (in Arabic). 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  12. ^ "Hamas said to execute leader of Gaza's powerful Doghmush clan". The Times of Israel. 14 March 2024.
  13. ^ al-Mughrabi, Nidal (9 August 2007). "Bombs hit Christian bookshop, Internet cafe in Gaza". Reuters.
  14. ^ "Islamic Group's Wrath Stokes Fears in Gaza". LAist. 2007-03-02. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  15. ^ "Fundamentalists in Gaza threaten to behead 'immodest' women broadcasters". Ynetnews. 2007-06-02. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  16. ^ Press, Associated (2007-06-02). "Gaza extremist group threatens to behead female broadcasters". Haaretz. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  17. ^ a b Klein, Aaron; WND (2007-06-19). "'Christians must accept Islamic rule'". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  18. ^ Jordá, Carmelo (1 August 2012). "Cristianos de Gaza denuncian conversiones forzosas al islam y dicen que son perseguidos". Libertad Digital (in Spanish).
  19. ^ a b "Jaysh al-Ummah (Gaza)". European Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Jaysh al-Ummah fi Aknaf Bayt al-Maqdis". Jihad Intel. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  21. ^ Joe Truzman (1 April 2021). "Jaysh al-Ummah emir offers solution to 'Palestinian case', derides 'Resistance' leaders". FDD's Long War Journal. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  22. ^ Joe Truzman (4 June 2021). "Analysis: 17 Palestinian militant factions identified in recent Gaza conflict". FDD's Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  23. ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (12 May 2021). "Jaysh al-Ummah Statements and Materials on Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque". Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  24. ^ "Al Qaeda-aligned Jaysh al-Ummah says it is fighting Israeli troops in Gaza | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  25. ^ "News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: June 2-9, 2009". Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. 9 June 2009. Archived from the original on 16 June 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  26. ^ "Profile: Jund Ansar Allah". 2009-08-15. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  27. ^ "Hamas Police End Standoff With Muslim Extremists". Fox News. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  28. ^ "Profile: Jund Ansar Allah". 2009-08-15. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  29. ^ "Al Qaeda-linked group declares Islamic state in Gaza - The Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  30. ^ Beaumont, Peter (2009-08-15). "Hamas destroys al-Qaida group in violent Gaza battle". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  31. ^ Abu Toameh, Khaled (7 September 2009). "We tried to kill Carter and Blair". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 24 January 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  32. ^ Abu Toameh, Khaled (7 September 2009). "We tried to kill Carter and Blair". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 24 January 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  33. ^ "Hamas captures commander of pro-Al Qaida militia". World Tribune. October 12, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-10-15.
  34. ^ "Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Gaza)". ECFR. 2018-03-30. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  35. ^ Fisher, Gabe (24 September 2012). "Egypt sentences 14 to death for 2011 Sinai attacks". The Times of Israel.
  36. ^ Akram, Fares (2011-04-14). "Hamas Says It Found Body of Italian Activist". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  37. ^ "GAZA STRIP: Kidnapped Italian activist found dead; Hamas condemns rival radical group". Los Angeles Times. 2011-04-15. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  38. ^ "ISIS: We Are Operating in Gaza". Vocative: The extremist terror organization is establishing a toehold inside Gaza, despite Hamas' claims to the contrary. June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  39. ^ Yashar, Ari (June 2, 2015). "Hamas Kills Local ISIS Leader in Gaza Shootout". ArutzSheva7: Round 1? Salafist leader killed after violently resisting arrest for 'illegal activities,' as ISIS threat looks likely to come to fruition. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  40. ^ "Mujahideen Shura Council is consolidation of Salafi-Jihadist groups in Gaza: sources". The Long War Journal. 14 October 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  41. ^ a b Thomas Joscelyn, Al Qaeda-linked group claims responsibility for attack in Israel, Long War Journal (Foundation for the Defense of Democracies) 19-06-2012
  42. ^ "Gaza Salafists pledge allegiance to ISIS – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  43. ^ Roggio, Bill (2012-08-06). "Mujahideen Shura Council denies involvement in Sinai assault | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  44. ^ Popular Resistance Committees calls on Hamas to stop arrests of 'mujahideen' July 22, 2013
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