Some 50 Islamic State fighters from Gaza managed to escape the Gaza Strip and join the terror group in Syria over the past two weeks, Channel 2 TV reports.
According to the report, the IS loyalists exited the coastal territory through “VIP” tunnels to Sinai, from where they reached the border with Sudan. From Sudan, the fighters flew to Turkey and entered Syria from there.
Sources inside the Strip are quoted as saying the loyalists received a call to join the group’s fighters in Syria because the latter are being worn out by the extent of territory they need to control and the loss of fighters in the battles against Hezbollah fighters.
“Some say the IS fighters escaped prison and the Gaza Strip by bribing jailers in the middle of Ramadan, and the jailers staged an escape to make it seem as if they escaped without any help. Some were badly tortured in jail, but did not break during questioning,” according to a source in Gaza.
Hamas, anyway, prefers to see IS fighters in Sinai or in Syria and not on Gazan soil, where they put Hamas and its rule at risk. “As far as Hamas is concerned, all IS fighters can leave; they are like a bone in their throats,” the source adds.
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