Hamas quietly purging jihadist groups and Islamic State followers from Gaza

The Islamist terror organization Hamas is waging a “secret war” against jihadist groups in an effort to purge them from the Gaza Strip.

According to Lebanese daily Al Akhbar, Hamas is specifically targeting followers of the Islamic State and other Salafist groups, having busted numerous jihadist cells said to be planning attacks against security forces and top officials.

Hamas officials also told the pro-Hezbollah daily that weapons, including long-range rockets capable of hitting major cities in Israel, have been confiscated.

The crackdown comes in the wake of a deadly coordinated attack this summer that left three Hamas policemen dead.

Suicide bombers allegedly affiliated with the Islamic State terror group were believed to be responsible for two bomb blasts at separate police checkpoints that ripped through Gaza City on August 28.

Gaza officials believe that members of these Islamist fundamentalist groups have been radicalized online, and aim to disrupt Hamas’ grip on power in the coastal while seeking a broader confrontation with Israel.

Hamas has blamed the groups for a number of rocket attacks on Israel in recent months, raising tensions between the two neighbors who are said to have reached an informal truce.

Source: i24 News