The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement was founded in 1981 and its armed branch the al-Quds Brigades was formed in 1992. The movement conducts armed struggle against the Jewish state of Israel.
It is seen as a sister organization to Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007. Both groups have their origins in the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
Islamic Jihad is primarily based in the Gaza Strip but also has a strong presence in the occupied West Bank. Many of the group’s prominent leaders have had Damascus in Syria as their base.
The movement has close ties to Iran and has been labeled a terrorist by, among others, the United States and the EU.
Islamic Jihad has claimed several suicide attacks against Israel, especially during the so-called second intifada of 2000-2005.
The movement often coordinates its military actions with Hamas, such as during the 11-day war against Israel in May 2021. However, Hamas remained passive during the fighting between Israel and Islamic Jihad in 2019.
Source: TT-AFP