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Hamas, Islamic State Resume Close Cooperation Despite Pressure from Egypt
(Times of Israel) Avi Issacharoff - Despite pressure from Egypt, Hamas has refused to crack down on smuggling by Islamic State through tunnels under the Gaza-Sinai border. Hamas views this activity as a source of income, and recently raised its taxes on goods brought into Gaza by IS smugglers. In addition, Hamas is now permitting IS to run a propaganda production operation inside Gaza, out of reach of the Egyptian military. In recent days, IS attacks against Egyptian forces have ratcheted up in the El Arish area of Sinai peninsula, leading to a sharp spike in deaths of Egyptian soldiers. The weaponry used in these attacks is believed to have come from Gaza.