The Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade (Arabic: لواء الشيخ عمر حديد, romanized: Liwāʾ ash-Shaykh ʿUmar Ḥadīd), also known as Islamic State in Gaza,[7] was an Islamist militant[1] group affiliated with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant that was reportedly active in the Gaza Strip around 2015.[8] Its goals have consistently matched those of the Islamic State, in that it seeks to establish the al-Sham caliphate.[9] As such, it opposes all forms of Palestinian nationalism[3][10] while also supporting the elimination of all Jews[11][12] and other ethno-religious 'infidels' from the region.[13][14]
The group's leader was unknown until Hamas Police raided the home of Yunis Hunnar on June 2, 2015,[6][15] who was accused of leading the recently formed group and was shot dead while resisting arrest.[16] The present leader is currently unknown.
The group was named after Omar Hadid, an insurgent of Iraqi origin who was a member of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.[1][17]
^ abcdBeauchamp, Zack (July 2, 2015). "ISIS is threatening Hamas in Gaza". Both "the secular nationalism" of Fatah and "the Islamist nationalism of [Hamas] have run aground," Hussein Ibish, Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, explains. "So in come the anti-nationalists, who say 'no, no, that's all wrong. It's all about God, Umma, and the caliphate.'" That is ISIS's opening: Palestinians, especially the younger generation, are fed up with their current leaders and looking for something new. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
^"Palestinian Salafists pose dangerous new problem for Hamas". Guardian: The conflict with the militant Salafists – totalling a few hundred at most – has led to a Hamas crackdown and, in reprisal, three rockets fired by the Salafists at Israel. June 10, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
^Cite error: The named reference Egypt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ abBlade, Elizabeth (June 9, 2015). "Worse Than Hamas? ISIS in Gaza". IsraelToday: Earlier this month Hamas "police" stormed the Gaza home of Yunis Hunnar, believed to be a member of a Salafi group linked to ISIS. A Hamas spokesman later said Hunnar had carried out attacks against the ruling group in May. Nor was it the first time Hamas' rule had been challenged by Islamists more radical than itself. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
^"ISIS: We Are Operating in Gaza". Vocative: The extremist terror organization is establishing a toehold inside Gaza, despite Hamas' claims to the contrary. June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
^Lamb, Franklin (June 21, 2014). "Article: Will ISIS Create al-Sham Caliphate & Liberate Palestine?". MWCNews: One need not be prescient to understand the unfolding "Jihadi Spring" is fueling the plans and perhaps destiny of ascendant Islamists in this region with the increasing help of in-country nationalists, including remnants of the Iraqi Baath Party. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
^Abu-Toameh, Khaled (July 7, 2014). "ISIS already in Gaza Strip". BreakingIsraelNews: Last month, Hamas sent its policemen and militias to disperse a rally organized by ISIS followers in the Gaza Strip to celebrate the recent "military victories" of the terrorist group in Iraq. Hamas prevented local journalists from covering the event as part of its attempt to deny the existence of ISIS in the Gaza Strip. At the rally, attended by dozens of Islamists, the crowd chanted, "Khaybar, Khyabar, Ya Yahud, Jaish Mohamed Saya'ud!" ("O Jews, Mohamed's army will return"). This is a battle cry that many Islamists like to chant to remind the Jews of the story of the battle fought in 629 CE by the Prophet Mohamed against the Jews of Khaybar, an oasis in north-western Arabia. The battle resulted in the killing of many Jews, and their women and children were taken as slaves. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
^Baskin, Gregory (August 30, 2014). "Gaza Strip: ISIS Intent on Palestine and Murder of Jews". LibertyVoice (Guardian): The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which is the organization that has quickly gained control of vast areas of Syria and Iraq using no-holds-barred tactics such as beheadings, kidnappings, and bombings, has now declared that one of its goals is "to fight the barbaric Jews and kill those of them hiding behind the gharqad trees, the trees of the Jews". Retrieved June 12, 2015.
^Benari, Elad (July 8, 2014). "ISIS: Fighting 'Infidels' Takes Precedence Over Fighting Israel". ArutzSheva7: ISIS spokesman says the group first has to deal with fellow Muslims it views as infidels before it attacks Israel. According to Israel's Channel 2 News, an ISIS spokesman said Monday on Twitter, in response to questions about the organization's intentions with regards to Israel, that ISIS first has to deal with "Muslims who have become infidels". Retrieved June 12, 2015.
^Lamb, Franklin (June 23, 2014). "Will ISIS Create al-Sham Caliphate and Liberate Palestine?". Foreign Policy Journal. Retrieved June 2, 2015. Ein el Helwe Palestinian camp, LEBANON — One need not be prescient to understand the unfolding "Jihadi Spring" is fueling the plans and perhaps destiny of ascendant Islamists in this region with the increasing help of in-country nationalists, including remnants of the Iraqi Baath Party
^"After Security Services Killed a Man While Attempting to Arrest Him, PCHR Calls Upon Attorney General in Gaza to Investigate the Incident and Publish Results". PCHR: On Tuesday 02 June 2015, security Services in the Gaza Strip killed Yunis Sa'id al-Hunnar while attempting to arrest him from his house in Shaikh Redwan neighborhood in Gaza City. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) is gravely concerned over this incident, and calls upon the Attorney General to investigate it, find out why security services opened fire, verify that security services exhausted all the necessary measures before using live ammunition that resulted in the killing of al-Hunnar and publish the results of the investigation. June 2, 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
^Yashar, Ari (June 2, 2015). "Hamas Kills Local ISIS Leader in Gaza Shootout". ArutzSheva7: Round 1? Salafist leader killed after violently resisting arrest for 'illegal activities,' as ISIS threat looks likely to come to fruition. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
^Jawad Al-Tamimi, Aymenn (June 2, 2015). "New Salafi Jihadi Group in Gaza". A new group in Gaza calling itself the Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade claimed credit for rocket attacks on Ashdod in late May. Retrieved June 4, 2015.