(Times of Israel) Avi Issacharoff - Senior figures in jihadist groups that identify with al-Qaeda are hiding out in Gaza under the auspices of Hamas, Egyptian sources confirmed Thursday. According to authorities in Israel and Egypt, some of the fighters hiding out in Gaza were involved in an August 2012 attack that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers. Last week, 35 shooting incidents were recorded between the Egyptian army and jihadists in Sinai. Since the execution of 25 Egyptian policemen earlier this week by armed extremists in Sinai, the Egyptian authorities have been trying to send a clear message to Hamas that it must halt the activities of elements that identify with al-Qaeda. The jihadists in Sinai are not yet coordinated, with no single body that directs the fighting against the Egyptian army. On the other hand, this makes them harder to hit.
2013-08-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive