Gaza Salafists: Hamas Like Pharaoh Punishing Moses

Hamas has started arresting relatives of Gaza Salafists in an attempt to coerce the suspects into turning themselves in, Salafi propaganda arms are reporting.

The pro-Salafi think-tank Ibn Taymiya and the local branch of the Islamic State organization published a statement entitled “Hamas brings Pharaoh’s policies back to life,” in which they protested the arrest and torture of jihadists’ relatives by “the government of mortals,” as opposed to an Islamic government that relies on divine law.

“Hamas’ tyrants will stop at nothing, including the pressure techniques of ancient tyrants who used innocent relatives and families to achieve political goals,” the statement said. “Pharaoh sought to punish Moses by harming his family, so you can’t even claim to be original. You’re doing the same as Pharaoh did, but just like back then it will yield no benefit.”

“We are not surprised that the people who replaced Sharia law by man-made law act in this way,” the statement said, adding that the spirit of the mujahedeen will not be broken.

Abu Anass, a top jihadist, said in a video interview that Hamas continues to oppress the Salafists by harming their families. He criticized Hamas for being committed to a “humiliating” ceasefire with the Jewish “enemy” – meaning Israel – claiming that Hamas policy “enabled” Israel to “put down the lone-wolf uprising in Jerusalem last year.”

He accused Hamas of being yet another Palestinian organization that prefers the perks of power to real Islam, and of using Palestinian blood as political currency.

“Hamas continues to arrest and torture Salafists, but eventually, just like any time in history, the violent group would lose to the faithful,” he said, accusing Hamas of cozying up to the “criminal” community of nations.

Anass said that Hamas’ crackdown on Salafists is a diversionary tactic. “Hamas prevents us from preparing for war. Even if public opinion asks to maintain the calm, the role of the mujahideen is to keep the spirit of the struggle and focus on war with the Jewish enemy.”