Gaza car blasts target Hamas, Islamic Jihad armed wings

Gaza City

Five near-simultaneous explosions in Gaza on Sunday targeted members of the armed branches of Hamas and Islamic Jihad amid growing tensions between the Palestinian territory's rulers and extremist opponents.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts that rocked an area in the north of Gaza City and destroyed five cars belonging to members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam and Al-Quds brigades, the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

There were no reports of serious injuries.

Witnesses said the explosions that went off at around 6:30 am (0330 GMT) appeared to have been caused by bombs placed underneath the cars parked in front of their owners' homes.

Three of the cars were said to have belonged to members of Al-Qassam and two to members of Al-Quds.

According to witnesses, the explosions occurred within an interval of 15 minutes.

Police working under Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the Gaza Strip, did not say who they believed was responsible, but vowed action against the culprits who "will not escape punishment."

Late Sunday, Gaza's interior ministry announced the arrest of "militants suspected of carrying out" the attacks, saying they would be investigated to determine their motivation. It did not say how many suspects were arrested.

The explosions appeared to be intended as a warning rather than an attempt to inflict casualties given the early hour, as has occurred with previous incidents.

A series of such attacks in recent months is suspected to have been carried out by Salafist extremists, some of whom claim links with Islamic State group jihadists, though experts have expressed doubts over whether there are any true ties between them.

Sunday however marked the first time Islamic Jihad was targeted. The extremists view the militant group as part of the establishment in Gaza.

There have been growing signs of internal unrest in the Gaza Strip, with Hamas engaged in a power struggle with smaller extremist groups in the coastal enclave of 1.8 million people ravaged by three wars with Israel in six years.

Gazans who have gone to fight with the Islamic State group in Syria recently released a video calling for Hamas to be toppled in the territory.