The Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS, told Palestine the terrorist group will join its fight against the “barbaric Jews” but urged patience until ISIS is finished in Arab countries. The group wants to weaken the United States in Arab countries first.
"As for the massacres taking place in Gaza against the Muslim men, women and children, then the Islamic State will do everything within its means to continue striking down every apostate who stands as an obstacle on its paths towards Palestine," the group announced in a statement not attributed to any spokesman in particular. "It is only a matter of time and patience before it (Islamic State) reaches Palestine to fight the barbaric Jews and kill those of them hiding behind the gharqad trees – the trees of the Jews.”
There is no confirmation IS is already involved in the Gaza-Israel conflict, but there are reports cells are forming within Gaza. The jihadists were present at an anti-Israel rally in the Netherlands and chanted, “Death to the Jews.”
On July 15, Vocativ reported chatter on one IS forum suggesting “the extremist Sunni organization, which has taken over roughly half of Iraq and threatens Assad in Syria, has ties with militant groups operating in Gaza.”
Hamas is in control of Gaza, but there are other terrorist groups in the region. Two Salafist groups aligned themselves with IS: Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis "changed its name to Al Dalwa Al-Islamia – which translates to ‘The Islamic State’ and Ansar Al-Dalwa al-Islamia, which translates to ‘Supporters of the Islamic State.’"
“We ask the caliphate to support the Salafis jihadis groups in Gaza with money and weapons,” said one user on a forum. “We don’t have enough strong men. We want your help… Those with the wrong way [Hamas] have the support of Iran and the Shiite, we sit in our houses as women, without weapons. Our situation is bad.”
But there are some Palestinians who believe IS values an Israeli more than a fellow Muslim. A comedy sketch on Palestinian television depicted the IS fighters “as incompetent, slightly gay, and welcoming of English-speaking Jews.”
IS claimed to have established a sovereign caliphate in areas of Syria and Iraq and imposed Sharia law.
They expelled all Christians from Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, and destroyed all Christian institutions.
There are brave residents who are fighting back. After IS marked Christian homes with the letter N for Nazarene, people added “We are all Christian.” Other residents protected the 840-year-old Crooked Minaret when jihadists walked towards the monument with explosives.