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Hamas Raises the ISIS Banner in Its Invasion of Israel

Hamas is part of the global Islamic struggle.
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ISIS flag
An ISIS flag was found among Hamas’s captured equipment and detritus after its attack on October 7, 2023, on Kibbutz Sufa. (South First Responders/Telegram)

Table of Contents

Another surprise of the Hamas attack on Israel – beyond the onslaught itself – was the emergence of the Hamas military wing as an affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS). This showed Hamas was fighting as the front in a global struggle for the revival of ISIS. This is appalling news for Christians in the Middle East and Europe, and even Muslims, many of whom fell victim to ISIS’s indescribable brutality during the war in Syria, North Africa, and continental Africa.

Hamas’ Islamic motives – beyond serving as an Iranian proxy – explain why European and Arab nations responded with alacrity in support of Israel. U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd was commander of the U.S. Army Central Command, which fought against ISIS. He told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “I was the guy that initially put the ISIS campaign together. And I know a lot about ISIS, and this is worse than what I saw with ISIS.”1

Hamas Commander Mohammed Deif

Years ago, Hamas commander Mohammed Deif appeared in Afghan dress. It was unclear why anyone purporting to represent the Palestinian struggle would appear in such clothing. It is now clearer: from the beginning, Mohammed Deif did not see himself waging a war to liberate Palestine but rather leading Hamas’ contribution to the Islamic global struggle.

Mohammed Deif
Mohammed Deif has rarely been photographed. This photo is believed to have been taken when he was younger and before he was disfigured in assassination attempts. When the war began, he released this statement: “Our soldiers yearn for death the way the Zionist soldiers yearn for life.”
Posters of the pro-Caliphate Islamic Liberation Party
Posters of the pro-Caliphate Islamic Liberation Party (Hizb ut-Tahrir), whose philosophy parallels ISIS, were recently painted on the walls of east Jerusalem.
ISIS flag at a demonstration in central London
The ISIS flag flew with Palestinian and Turkish flags at a demonstration in central London. The Hamas flag is prohibited in the United Kingdom. (Andy Ngô/Twitter)

Israel has become a central element in repelling the global Islamic campaign. The global nature of the attacks also explains why targets have been placed on Jewish communities around the world.

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Note

Pinhas Inbari

Pinhas Inbari is a veteran Arab affairs correspondent who formerly reported for Israel Radio and <em>Al Hamishmar</em> newspaper, and currently serves as an analyst for the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.

Lenny Ben-David

Lenny Ben-David worked for AIPAC for 25 years in Washington and Jerusalem. In 1997, he left to open an independent consulting firm, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tapped him to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff in Israel’s Washington Embassy. He is the author of the book <em>American Interests in the Holy Land Revealed in Early Photographs</em>, and he is completing his next book, <em>Secrets of World War I in the Holy Land Revealed in Early Photographs</em>. He is a Research and Diplomacy Fellow at the Jerusalem Center.
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