After a hospital in Gaza was bombed killing dozens, Israel intelligence has blamed the Palestinian group Islamic Jihad for the brutal attack on civilians.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has launched several bomb strikes in Gaza over the last few days, and reports emerged that a hospital in Gaza was bombed with hundreds of innocent civilians inside. Now, Israel has reported that the militant group Islamic Jihad is responsible for bombing the hospital in Gaza.
The Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza was bombed, killing hundreds of civilians seeking treatment and refuge inside, Israeli intelligence has reported that Palestinian Islamic Jihad has been operating in the area, and the blast was caused by a rocket launched by the group which failed after firing.
While the Israeli military blamed the Islamic Jihad, the health authorities in Gaza maintain that the rocket was fired by the IDF during their crackdown on Hamas. Here is all you need to know about the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.
All about the militant group Islamic Jihad?
Islamic Jihad is the second-largest armed militant group that operates in Palestinian regions and has been in existence since the 1980s. However, the much larger militant group Hamas has been controlling and governing Gaza since 2007.
Islamic Jihad was founded in the 1980s with the purpose of fighting against the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, and receives funding and weapons from Iranian agencies, similar to Hamas. However, both Israel and the United States maintain that it’s a terrorist group.
While Hamas remains in prominence in Gaza due to their imposed control in the area, Islamic Jihad is known to operate in the underground. Both groups have a similar purpose – to fight against Israel and prevent them of seizing control over Gaza.
In the past, several instances have been recorded where Islamic Jihad’s rockets and missiles have hit civilian areas after malfunctioning, which is known to be the case with the Gaza hospital bomb strike.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad share the same objective but a tense relationship, as the latter has been known to initiate attacks and bomb strikes on Israel on multiple occasions, while Hamas has asked the group to stand down and stay on the sidelines.
There have also been several instances where Hamas and Islamic Jihad have teamed up to launch attacks on Israel, fighting against the IDF on the frontlines.
READ | DNA Explainer: India's legal stand on same-sex marriages and the Special Marriage Act
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "What is Islamic Jihad, Palestinian militant group Israel is blaming for bombing Gaza hospital?")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}