On March 26, 2022, the Saudi Al-Arabiya television channel reported, citing Egyptian sources, that the Egyptian armed forces and the Sinai Tribes Union had thwarted an attempt by several ISIS operatives to infiltrate Sinai from Gaza, killing three of the operatives and capturing three others. One of the operatives who was killed was identified as Mus'ab Mutawa', aka Abu Jamil Al-Ghazzawi. He is the son of Jamil Mutawa', who is in charge of Hamas' charity foundations in Khan Younis, and Jamila Al-Sinwar, sister of Yahya Al-Sinwar, the head of Hamas' political bureau in Gaza.[1] Mus'ab Mutawa' was formerly a commander in Hamas' military wing, but two years ago it was reported that he had joined ISIS in Sinai. [2]
Following the report of his killing, Egyptian journalist Amira Khawasek published an article in the daily Al-Yawm Al-Sabi', in which she mentioned other terrorist attacks against Egypt that some Egyptian elements had attributed to Hamas. She stated that Mus'ab Mutawa's ties to both Hamas and ISIS prove that "ISIS, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) are equal in their depravity and crimes, and do not differ in any way."
Mus'ab Mutawa' (Source: Alarabiya.net, March 26, 2022)
The following are translated excerpts from her article:[3]
"Last Friday [March 25, 2022], while the Egyptians rallied around their national [soccer] team to root for it in the match between Egypt and Senegal, an ISIS operative penetrated the Egyptian border into Sinai. He was counting on the obsolete belief [which claims] that there are occasions on which everyone is preoccupied and distracted, for example during the iftar [the meal breaking the daily fast] on Ramadan or when our [soccer] team has an important match… But, to [his] surprise, the heroic Egyptian army was watchful and alert… and, although most Egyptians were [indeed] busy watching the important match, the terrorist did not manage to infiltrate [Sinai] and was killed.
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"We probably all remember the despicable and treacherous terrorist crimes in which Egyptian officers and soldiers fell, including the first Rafah massacre on August 5, 2012, in which 16 officers and soldiers were killed during the Ramadan call for prayer,[4] and the second Rafah massacre on August 15, 2013, in which 25 people were martyred.[5] But these two incidents were not the only ones. Until 2017, there were over 45 attacks on the Egyptian army, and it is still being targeted…
"As mentioned, the [recent] terrorist plot was thwarted and the dangerous operative, Mus'ab Mutawa', was killed trying to join other operatives who were hiding like mice in their holes.
"The second surprise [in that incident] was… the important role played by groups belonging to the Sinai Tribes Union, which besieged some of the positions where ISIS operatives were hiding in the Shibana area south of Rafah, fought them, killed three of the terrorists and turned three [others] over to the Egyptian army. This [show that there is] dedicated and impressive national collaboration between the Sinai tribes and the army.
"The third surprise was that the terrorist [Mutawa'] was the son of Jamil Mutawa', an official in Hamas' charity [foundations] who is in charge of collecting donations and alms in Khan Younis, and the nephew of Yahya Al-Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas movement and the head of its political bureau in Gaza. This proves that ISIS, Hamas and the MB are equal in their depravity and crimes, and do not differ in any way. In fact, they constitute a single entity, even if they have different names. [I say this] to those who repeatedly claim that ISIS is different from the MB and Hamas. The truth is that they are all filthy criminals and murderers who spill innocent blood…"
[1] Alarabiya.net, Facebook.com/ sohaibjamilmahmoud, March 26, 2022. See also MEMRI JTTM report, Nephew Of Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar, Who Allegedly Joined Islamic State (ISIS) In Sinai, Reportedly Killed By Egyptian Army, March 27, 2022. According to the report on Al-Arabiya, Mus'ab's brother, Suhaib Mutawa', has also joined ISIS.
[2] I24news.tv, March 22, 2020.
[3] Al-Yawm Al-Sabi', March 27, 2022.
[4] Elements in Egypt held Hamas responsible for that attack. For more on this, see MEMRI reports: Special Dispatch No. 4920 - Egyptian Officials, Journalists Accuse Hamas Of Responsibility For Attack On Troops In Rafah – August 29, 2012; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1003 - Hamas Embroiled In Internal Egyptian Struggles – July 31, 2013; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1106 - Egypt's Position On Gaza Conflict Reflects Conflict Between Its Hatred For Hamas And Its Solidarity With The Palestinians – July 24, 2024.
[5] Elements in Egypt held Hamas responsible for this attack as well, since all three perpetrators were Gazan, and two of them had previously been members of Hamas' military wing. See masrawy.com, July 8, 2017.
