Amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, senior Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal has appealed for support from jihadist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda to help the Palestinian organisation resist the Israeli offensive.
According to Mashaal, “The Gaza Strip is fighting a world war almost alone. Jihadist movements and groups must participate in it to support the resistance.” Mashaal’s call for unity aims to bring together several terror factions under a common cause and potentially strengthen Iran’s influence in the region. This plea comes at a time when Hamas is weakened after months of fighting and faces difficulties in smuggling weapons into Gaza.
Unifying jihadist
By unifying jihadist groups against Israel, Hamas hopes to encircle Israeli forces in Rafah and potentially force portions of the IDF out of Gaza, allowing Hamas to resume weapons smuggling. Top intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that this consolidation attempt is a survival ploy for Hamas and a way for Iran to assert its dominance in the region.
By bringing together terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, ISIS, and related factions, which were previously believed to operate independently, Hamas is trying to take the “Axis of Resistance” to a new level. The Taliban’s support for Hamas and the provision of sanctuary to Al Qaeda and ISIS-K in Afghanistan further complicates the situation.
All jihadist groups are pledging allegiance to the Emir of the Taliban, and it is only a matter of time before the Taliban brings African fighters and AQ and ISIS to the front lines of a united front against Israel.
Experts believe that Hamas’s call for action by world terror groups is an attempt to force Israel to split its forces and potentially free up Hamas to smuggle weapons again. However, this move also highlights the weakened state of Hamas and its desperation to secure support in the face of ongoing conflict with Israel.
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