PARIS: The Hamas raid in Israel may have taken the limelight from the militant Islamic State group, but the fighters are seeking to capitalise on anger over the bombardment of Gaza to rally followers, analysts say.

“Without the Gaza war, IS would get the headlines,” said Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremism Project think tank.

“It puts considerable pressure on IS to remain relevant.” Both groups are described as “terrorist” by Israel and the West, but they have very different agendas.

Hamas, which is backed by Iran, presents itself as defending the Palestinian people against the Israeli occupation since 1948.

Staunchly Sunni, IS is against Iran and focused on trying to revive its project of a global Islamic caliphate, after losing the territory it held in Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2019.

Several fronts

But its supporters are also against Israel and any “global Jewish project”, said Laurence Bindner, co-founder of the JOS Project, which analyses extremist propaganda.

“In the Middle East, the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend,” she said.

“The IS has positioned itself simultaneously on several fronts: one against Jews and those who support Israel and another against Iran and their allies.”

Earlier this month, IS claimed an attack in Iran that killed 89 people gathered to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the killing of storied Revolutionary Guards general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike.

Since the start of the Gaza crisis, IS has sought to tap into sympathy for Palestinians.

Late in October, IS in its Al Naba propaganda magazine published a text, “Practical Ways to Support Muslims in Palestine”, urging followers to attack Israel, its Western backers and all Jews worldwide.

Earlier this month, the group’s spokesperson, Abu Hudhayfah Al Ansari, posted a recording titled “And kill them wherever you find them”.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2024