Terror group Hamas once again denied its affiliation with the Islamic State (Daesh) branch Wilayat Sinai to Israel and that it had not allowed the fellow terrorist group to enter the Hamas-ran Gaza Strip from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Hamas member, Ismail Radwan, said
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“These allegations are promoted by the Israeli occupation; they are mere fabrications that have no basis in fact and seek to justify Israel’s decade-long blockade of the Gaza Strip.”
On May 13th, Israeli Army Major General Yoav Mordechai stated that the Wilayat Sinai members were entering the Gaza Strip via the Hamas cross-border tunnel system (Israel has found a couple of cross-border tunnels since the 2014 war it had with Hamas). In an agreement with Egyptian officials, Hamas continues to tout that it’s committed to providing security along the eight mile stretch whilst denying it has any ties to the Wilayat Sinai despite evidence to the contrary.
The Wilayat Sinai have claimed responsibility for the downing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt that killed all 224 people aboard in October 2015. The Wilayat Sinai is also causing the Multinational Forces and Observers on the Sinai Peninsula to remain even more vigilant due to the increase in danger this branch of Islamic State poses.
Hamas can deny its relation to the Wilayat Sinai all it wants as the evidence to the contrary mounts; it’s only a matter of time before Hamas’ denials are met with a ‘denial’ from the State of Israel in the form heavy bombardment to quash any potential terrorist acts that may occur on Israeli soil. What does Hamas hope to accomplish with denying its relations with the Wilayat Sinai and is it time for Israel implement offensive measures against them? Sound of in the comments below!
