TEL AVIV – A Gaza jihadi was killed on Wednesday in a battle with the Egyptian army in Sinai, Breitbart Jerusalem has learned.
Islamic State militants released a statement announcing the death of Nader Judah, 22, without disclosing details about the circumstances of his death. His family was notified.
Judah, a resident of Radwan district in northern Gaza City, escaped the Gaza Strip and joined Waliyat Sinai, IS’ Egyptian branch, after dodging Hamas arrest.
The Hamas government in Gaza accused Judah of launching a string of attacks against Hamas targets – mainly, limousines owned by top Hamas officials. The attacks were attributed by Hamas to a ring of Salafi militants, Judah being chief among them.
Following the attack, several members of the ring, including Judah, fled the Strip. Another member, Muhamad Shehadeh Dalu, was killed in April while fighting for IS in Sinai.
Dozens of Gaza jihadists, including prominent members of Hamas’ military wing, have joined IS in the last months and years, either in Sinai, Iraq or Libya.
In April, Breitbart Jerusalem reported that a Gaza jihadi fighter was killed in Libya.
In recent months, in an attempt to restore ties with the Egyptian government, Hamas has stepped up security measures along the Gaza-Egypt border, and clamped down on jihadi activists who maintained ties with IS in Sinai.
Hamas was prompted to step up measures against extremists after Cairo accused it of training and collaborating with Waliyat Sinai fighters. Despite Hamas’ efforts, 12 Gaza jihadists crossed the border and joined IS in the last few weeks alone.