Alwaght | News & Analysis Website

Alwaght- On June 12, 2015 a man named "Yunis Hanar" was killed in northern Gaza. Gaza's Interior Ministry Spokesman, Iyad al-Bazm announced that "Hanar was an outlaw that began shooting at security forces when they attempted to arrest him; he was wounded and died of injuries". The news suggests that he was murdered by Hamas. But, who was Yunis Hanar?  

Yunis Saeed Hanar, aged 27,  lived in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in northern Gaza. He was one of Salafi sheikhs of the Gaza Strip and was affiliated to a group known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis that is active in the Gaza Strip and Sinai Desert and had sworn allegiance to ISIS and is known as one its branches in the region.

Accordingly, it is quite clear why Yunis Hanar was killed by Hamas. Over the past few weeks, Hamas has arrested ISIS affiliates in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, clashes broke out between the two sides. After that, the 'Islamic State' Organization (a Salafi group in Gaza Strip) issued an ultimatum against Hamas, giving it 48 hours to release all Salafis or face the consequences. However, Hamas did not respond to the ultimatum. The detainees, ISIS affiliates, were charged with a series of explosions in the Gaza Strip, especially in Hamas centers and bases.

Recently, following a rocket attack to Sderot, Hamas immediately extended its forces in the Gaza Strip border with Sderot, and through an intermediary sent a message to Israeli regime that Hamas is seeking a ceasefire and the rockets were fired by other groups. At 11 pm, on Wednesday, June 4, 2015, Israeli regime declared that three rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip to Sderot. Immediately, an unknown group, dubbed ' Martyr Omar Hadid Battalions of Beit al-Maqdis', in a statement claimed responsibility for the attack. The rocket attack was carried out in response to execution of Yunis Hanar. The group stated that Hamas is seeking a long-term truce with Israeli regime; therefore, it has begun to arrest Salafi militants.    

In this regard, a few points deserve consideration:

1. During the past two months, especially after the arrival of ISIS at Yarmouk Camp in Syria and assassination of the commanders and members of Hamas (battalions of Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis), Hamas arrested about 90 Salafis in the Gaza Strip.

2. Salafi groups in Gaza Strip have lost their organizational structure for two reasons: a. Transmission of Salafi Groups from the Gaza Strip to Sinai Desert concurrent with the Islamic Awakening in 2010, the mission of these groups was to fight against the Egyptian army and collaborate with the Muslim Brotherhood.  b. Emergence of ISIS in the region, followed by split in Salafi groups, particularly those in the Gaza Strip which have been affiliated to al-Qaeda. Nevertheless, the emergence of such groups as 'Omar Hadid Battalions' is the result of the aforementioned factors.

3. It should be noted that it was for the first time ever that ISIS or a group affiliated to ISIS, launched a military attack against Israel.

Given the poor economic, political and security conditions in the Gaza Strip, resulted from the 51-day war, the Hamas and Salafi groups affiliated to ISIS are more likely to conflict. Nevertheless, the tense situation in Gaza will be both to Israel's benefit and disadvantage. It is to the regime's benefit because it would gradually undermine the power of resistance groups, especially Hamas, against Salafi groups; it will also force Hamas to give more priority to fight against ISIS over fight against Israeli regime that would secure the interests of Israeli regime. However, this situation might be to Israel's disadvantage too, if Hamas puts more pressure on Salafi groups in Gaza, they might continue missile attacks against Israeli regime.