Current:Home > BackWhat is Palestinian Islamic Jihad? Israel blames group for Gaza hospital blast-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
What is Palestinian Islamic Jihad? Israel blames group for Gaza hospital blast
View Date:2024-12-23 22:58:59
Israel has blamed Palestinian Islamic Jihad for a deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza City Tuesday night.
Hundreds of people were reported killed in the explosion at al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, which the Israel Defense Forces said was caused by a failed rocket launch by the group. Two U.S. officials also told ABC News the Pentagon independently concluded the blast was likely caused by an errant Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket that fell short of its target.
Palestinian officials meanwhile are claiming it was the result of an Israeli airstrike.
Like Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a Gaza militant group involved in the conflict and has claimed to have taken Israelis hostages. Here's what to know about the group.
MORE: What is Hamas? The militant group behind surprise attack on Israel has ruled Gaza for years
What is Islamic Jihad?
Palestinian Islamic Jihad was formed in the 1980s in response to Israel's occupation of Gaza. The radical Islamist movement was founded by Palestinian Fathi Shaqaqi, who was assassinated in 1995, and inspired by the Iranian revolution.
Since its founding, the armed group has grown to be the second-largest militant group in the Gaza Strip and receives support from Iran, Syria and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, according to the U.S. government's National Counterterrorism Center.
MORE: Israel-Gaza live updates
The group is "committed to the destruction of Israel," and its military wing, al-Quds Brigades, "has been responsible for many attacks on Israeli targets since the 1990s," the National Counterterrorism Center said.
Islamic Jihad vs. Hamas
Both Islamic Jihad and Hamas are militant groups operating in Gaza that are united in their resistance against Israel. Both are also funded by and have close ties to Iran, though function independently, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, a New York City-based independent think tank.
Like Hamas, Islamic Jihad has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union. Islamic Jihad, the smaller of the two, is considered to be more extreme and is singularly devoted to fighting Israel, while Hamas also has sociopolitical functions as the governing body of Gaza.
Islamic Jihad's popularity has declined in Gaza over its military confrontations and past failed rocket launches, which have resulted in Palestinian casualties, according to the Middle East Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based non-partisan think tank. At the same time, its profile in the West Bank has risen, "in part for attempting to link Gaza to the West Bank but also for its willingness to stand up to Israel, despite taking severe hits," the institute said last year.
veryGood! (27536)
Related
- PSA: Coach Outlet Has Stocking Stuffers, Gifts Under $100 & More for the Holidays RN (up to 60% Off)
- With ‘God’s-eye view,’ secretive surveillance flights keep close watch on Russia and Ukraine
- Suspect in Gilgo Beach killings faces new charges in connection with fourth murder
- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin released from hospital
- The Best Corduroy Pants Deals from J.Crew Outlet, Old Navy, Levi’s & More, Starting at $26
- What's open and closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- What caused a hot air balloon carrying 13 people to crash? How many people died? What to know:
- Airlines scrap thousands of flights as wintry weather disrupts travel
- Full House Star Dave Coulier Shares Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Diagnosis
- 'Abbott Elementary' star Quinta Brunson cries in emotional Emmy speech: 'Wow'
Ranking
- Groups seek a new hearing on a Mississippi mail-in ballot lawsuit
- From Hot Priest to ‘All of Us Strangers,’ Andrew Scott is ready to ‘share more’ of himself
- Police say a 10-year-old boy from Maryland was attacked by a shark at a Bahamian resort
- What's open and closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- OneTaste Founder Nicole Daedone Speaks Out on Sex Cult Allegations Against Orgasmic Meditation Company
- Lebanon’s top court suspends arrest warrant for former cabinet minister in Beirut port blast case
- 4 people killed in Arizona hot air balloon crash identified; NTSB investigating incident
- Stock market today: Asian shares sink as jitters over Chinese markets prompt heavy selling
Recommendation
-
Michael Jordan and driver Tyler Reddick come up short in bid for NASCAR championship
-
High-power detectives clash over a questionable conviction in 'Criminal Record'
-
Suki Waterhouse says Emmys dress was redesigned to 'fit the bump'
-
National Bagel Day 2024: Free bagel at Einstein Bros. and other bagel deals
-
QTM Community Introduce
-
UK leader Rishi Sunak faces Conservative rebellion in Parliament over his Rwanda asylum plan
-
Bitter cold wind chills proving deadly, hindering airlines, power grids, schools
-
Ali Wong gets real about Bill Hader romance: 'We're both in our 40s and parents'