“Hamas is the backbone of the resistance, and we’re in an eternal pact against the enemy,” Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhalah declared this week after the cease-fire with Israel. It doesn’t seem that such a declaration was necessary. It’s taken for granted that the two groups have been brothers in arms in recent years, but Hamas violated this alliance when it stayed out of the three days of fighting.
Read MoreUninvolved: These Are the 36 Palestinian Civilians Killed During Israel’s Gaza Op
Forty-nine Palestinians have been killed as a result of the latest military escalation between Israel and Islamic Jihad, which lasted three days. They include five girls, 11 boys and four women.
Thirty were killed during Israeli strikes. Of those, 17 were civilians, among them three girls, a boy and four women. Botched launches of Palestinian rockets killed 19 non-combatants, including 12 children.
Read MoreGaza: Cruelty Without Consequences
Israel is currently gloating over its recent operation in Gaza. It succeeded by all measures: Israel initiated the conflict, first by arresting an Islamic Jihad leader in the West Bank city of Jenin and dragging him out in humiliation, as he was bitten by a dog; then, anticipating a reaction by his organization, Israel proceeded to bombard Gaza “preemptively.”
Read MoreHamas Has Not Yet Fired Rockets, and Will Determine Whether Battle Becomes War
Hamas has not yet launched rockets into Israel on Friday, with Islamic Jihad responsible for the barrages so far, the Israeli military said.
Israel assassinated Tayseer al-Jabari, the head of Islamic Jihad’s military wing in the northern Gaza Strip, prompting the militant group to fire “over 100 rockets” toward Israel. No injuries were reported.
Read MoreMilitant killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza, with Palestinian group Islamic Jihad firing 100 rockets in response
Israeli air strikes have hit targets across Gaza, killing a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement and prompting the militant group to fire 100 rockets into Israel
Read MoreAirstrikes, rocket attacks: Fresh fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants
Gaza: Palestinian militants in Gaza fired dozens of rockets into Israel on Friday in response to Israeli airstrikes which killed at least 10 people, including a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement.
Read MoreMilitants lob rockets after Israeli strike
Rocket sirens have sounded in southern and central Israel as Palestinian militants in Gaza responded to Israeli air strikes which killed at least 10 people, including a senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement.
Read MoreIsrael and Islamic Jihad begin ‘fragile’ Gaza truce
Israel and Islamic Jihad militants on Sunday began a precarious Egyptian-brokered truce hoped to end three days of intense conflict in Gaza that has left at least 44 Palestinians dead, including 15 children.
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