In recent years, rifts have been growing in the relationship between Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in Gaza, and following a series of events and operations against Israel, these rifts have only deepened. Special recordings initially obtained by the Israeli News Agency “Ka'an” reveal harsh exchanges of accusations between Hamas and Islamic Jihad during the most recent Israel Defense Forces Operation, 'Shield and Arrow'.
In the first recording, a Hamas operative in Gaza is heard saying to an Islamic Jihad operative: "We are not ready to go to war because of three people who have contributed nothing to our nation. We are not ready to intervene. You and your leadership and your flock will fight alone."
Outstanding reporting by @eliorlevy exposing the inns and outs of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Hamas blaming PIJ “Your rockets hit Gaza - you killed people” a story NEVER told by the international media although they have free access to Gaza. https://t.co/w78UmEJcbQ
— Lt. Col. (R) Peter Lerner (@LTCPeterLerner) May 31, 2023
Another Hamas operative then slammed the Jihad: "Whether you want a cease-fire or not is of no interest to me. To hell with the honor of the Islamic Jihad. What are they doing? complaining about Hamas? We don't go to war because of senior officials! Only for the sake of Jerusalem," the activist continued and accused: "You killed people! Because of your rockets on the day Basam Al-Saadi, that piece of shit was arrested. Your rockets fell inside Gaza! Are you kidding me?"
The Islamic Jihad activist in Gaza reacted with harsh criticism towards the accusations: "Hamas abandoned us in the 'Black Belt' operation [2019] when the blood of Baha Abu Al-Ata was spilled. It abandoned us again when the blood of Khaled Mansour and Taysir Al-Jabri was spilled. Hamas does not send not even a living soul to the battlefield. Only fighters of Fatah and the Popular Front and the Democratic Front participated in this campaign."
Elior Levy @eliorlevy shows us the relations between Hamas & Islamic Jihad behind the scenes as Hamas abandoned the latter in the fightings of 2023, 2022, and 2019
— Heedo Abu Laban | عبد الحميد | 𓂆 (@HeedoAbuLaban) May 31, 2023
It’s amazing to see how 2 groups that dominate a non-state entity cannot get along against a common enemy - Israel. https://t.co/f4mL1aIXOl
Another rare example of the split was caught on camera during Operation Dawn last August between Israel and Jihad in which Hamas also avoided participating. Shortly after the assassination of the commander of the Northern Brigade of the Jihad, Taysir Al-Jabri, his wife was interviewed and hinted that Hamas helped Israel locate the exact building where Al-Jabri was hiding.
In statements issued today, Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they mourn the loss of PFLP-GC members killed in an explosion in Lebanon earlier today. The statements make no mention of Israeli responsibility for the attack despite the PFLP-GC's accusation that an airstrike occurred.
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) May 31, 2023
'Shield and Arrow' was the third operation and the fourth round of fighting in four years between Gaza and the IDF, in which the Islamic Jihad remained alone in the campaign against Israel while Hamas sat on the sidelines. In the last month, another chapter was recorded in the history of the unstable relations between the parties, but the reckoning between the two organizations seems to be far from over.
