Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Gaza)

Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad is a Salafi-jihadi group active in Gaza since 2008, inspired by al-Qaeda. It was founded by Hisham Saidni (also known as Abu al-Walid al-Maqdisi) who had fought with al-Qaeda in Iraq following the US-led invasion. Saidani was arrested by Hamas in 2011 and then subsequently killed in Jabaliyya refugee camp by an Israeli missile strike in October 2013.

Al-Tawhid wal-Jihad is thought to have close ties with the Sinai-based Islamic State-affiliate Ansar Bait al-Maqdis. It has been responsible for rocket fire and IED attacks against Israeli forces as well as the targetting of the Palestinian Christian community in Gaza. In 2011, it abducted and killed Italian peace activist Vittorio Arrigoni.