Israel Says Hamas Linked to IS Assault on Egyptian Army
A senior Israeli officer said Thursday the militant Palestinian movement Hamas played a part in attacks by the Islamic State group on Egyptian soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula.
"In the latest attacks Hamas gave support with weapons and organization to groups supporting IS," Major General Yoav Mordechai said in an interview in Arabic with Al-Jazeera television.
Egyptian officials said at least 70 people, mostly soldiers, were killed in Wednesday's unprecedented attacks. Dozens of jihadists also died.
"We have examples of Hamas commanders who actively took part in such support," said Mordechai, quoted in a Hebrew-language summary of the interview released by his office.
"Wael Faraj, a battalion commander in the military wing of Hamas, smuggled wounded from Sinai into the Gaza Strip," it quoted him as telling the Doha-based broadcaster.
"Abdallah Qishta, a senior Hamas military instructor, trained operatives of "the Sinai Province organization," he added, referring to the Egyptian affiliate of IS.
There was no immediate comment from Hamas, the rulers of the Gaza Strip, which adjoins northern Sinai.
Egyptian authorities have in the past accused Hamas of backing jihadists who have carried out deadly attacks on security forces in the Sinai Peninsula.
The Egyptian army says it has destroyed hundreds of tunnels used for smuggling supplies and arms between Sinai and Gaza, also used by militants to infiltrate Egypt.
03 July 2015, 08:38
11
May I ask, just how good is your Arabic?
If Al Jezeera decided that his Arabic is good enough for him to be interviewed in that language then it can't be as bad as you try to make out.
I'd rather see someone interviewed in a language that maybe he doesn't speak 100% than have some interested party make a hash of a translation.
03 July 2015, 12:50
20
what is embarrassing is how aljazeera interviews israeli murderers and gives them a platform for their propaganda.
The claims made by that lying pig are clearly BS, since IS and Hamas are practically at war against one another. It's just a way for the masters at deception to get Egypt to adopt an even harsher stance against Hamas.
03 July 2015, 12:53
20
Plus every sane observer knows IS is nothing more than a covert extension of israeli secret services, used to spread chaos across the Arab world, create an awful image of Muslims internationally and slaughter minorities to create a uniform demographic configuration enabling the "clash of civilizations"
03 July 2015, 17:15
10
Mowaten - and here was I together with most of the rest of the enlightened world, knowing that Al Jezeera is operated from, and owned by members of the ruling family of Qatar, which is well known for its financial and political support for Hamas, and for being a place of refuge for its leaders.
