For the second time in recent months, Hamas has let the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) go at it alone in a confrontation with Israel, as Hamas leaders try to maintain a balance between showing support for the faction and seeking longer-term benefits for the Gaza Strip.
Israel and the PIJ engaged in a new round of military escalation Feb. 23-24. The violence broke out after the Israeli army shot dead Mohammad al-Naem, a PIJ member in eastern Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, claiming he attempted to plant a bomb at the border fence. A graphic video that circulated among Palestinians showed an Israeli bulldozer lifting Naem’s body after he was killed, sparking outrage and calls for revenge.
