Al-Qaeda, ISIS inspired by Hamas to target Israelis and Americans, US intel czar testifies

US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines says terror groups al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are targeting Israelis, galvanized by Hamas and Israel’s war on the Gazan terror organization.

“While it is too early to tell, both al-Qaeda and ISIS, inspired by Hamas, have directed supporters to conduct attacks against Israeli and US interests,” Haines testifies to the Senate Select Intelligence Committee. “And we have seen how it is inspiring individuals to conduct acts of antisemitism and Islamophobic terror worldwide.”

She says that “it is likely that the Gaza conflict will have a generational impact on terrorism.”

“The crisis in Gaza is a stark example of how regional developments have the potential of broader and even global implications,” Haines says.