The Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza has claimed responsibility for two of the three rocket attacks fired at southern Israel this week, according to an exclusive report by i24TV news.
Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization asked Islamic Jihad – an allied group – to hand over a four-member terrorist cell that was linked to Wednesday’s attack, according to sources quoted by i24TV.
After that attack, Hamas reportedly deployed its own operatives to the rocket launcher site to investigate, Gaza sources said. Employing newly-installed border security cameras and a field review, Hamas concluded the perpetrators were members of the Islamic Jihad terror group, and asked they be turned over for interrogation.
Although PIJ has acknowledged its operatives were responsible for two of the three rocket attacks this week, the group has yet to turn its members over to Hamas for interrogation.
In the meantime, Hamas leaders are expressing concern that lone wolf attacks may lead to another war with Israel, after three having already been fought since 2008, and insists its group is not responsible for the recent escalation along the Gaza border.
Israel, however, continues to hold Hamas responsible for any violence emanating from the territory — even that carried out by other groups — because Hamas rules Gaza.