Islamic State Exploits Hostile Sentiments Amid Israeli-Hamas Conflict

Lucas Webber, a senior threat intelligence analyst at Tech Against Terrorism, said part of the attraction to IS and other parallel jihadist groups among individuals with US military backgrounds could be what’s driving some civilian government workers from service.

“The Islamic State has aggressively and persistently leveraged hostile sentiments stirred up by the Israeli military response to Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack and the subsequent prolonged conflict,” said Webber.

Historically, any flare ups in the conflict between Palestinians and Israel has become a boon in recruitment for IS, Al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups.

“IS has sought to exploit these developments to incite violence, recruit, and fundraise,” he said. “The organization has zeroed in on the United States and framed it as the most powerful backer of Israel.”

The Guardian, 16 January 2025