Hamas reportedly detains two for rocket attacks on Israel

One member of a hard-line Salafist group in Gaza released after several hours, another remains in custody

Hamas on Thursday reportedly arrested two members of a hard-line Salafist group in Gaza in connection with the Tuesday and Wednesday rocket attacks on Israel.

“Internal security apparatus in the last two days arrested two mujahedeen,” an anonymous Salafist source told the AFP on Thursday.

“One was released after several hours. The other is still detained,” he added, and said the arrests were a “campaign to pursue Salafists after the targeting of Israel with rockets.”

However, according to the report, Hamas denied that any arrests had taken place. “Our security apparatus is part of the resistance and does not arrest anyone who resists the occupation. On the contrary, we encourage resistance,” the Hamas Interior Ministry spokesperson said.

The Mujahedeen Shura Council, a Salafist group based in Gaza, claimed responsibility for the Tuesday and Wednesday rocket fire, which it said was in response to the death of prisoner Maysara Abuhamdia, who died of cancer while in Israeli custody this week.

Abuhamedia’s death set off several days of riots and clashes with IDF forces. On Thursday during Abuhamedia’s funeral in Hebron, dozens of rioters pelted IDF troops with rocks, while Israeli vehicles were stoned along roads in the area. Security forces responded with crowd-control methods, including tear gas.

Two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip struck southern Israel Wednesday morning, hours after Israeli planes bombed targets in the Hamas-controlled territory for the first time since November’s ceasefire took effect. No damage or injuries were reported in either incident.

Israeli planes carried out bombing sorties over the Gaza Strip late Tuesday night, responding to rocket attacks out of the Palestinian enclave earlier in the day.

The bombings were the first Israeli attack on Gaza since an informal ceasefire between Jerusalem and Hamas went into effect last November, following Operation Pillar of Defense, an eight-day campaign to stem Gazan rocket fire which also saw hundreds of missiles launched into Israeli territory.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.