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Islamist terrorist organizations are using Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip to provoke attacks on the West.

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According to media reports last week, Islamist terrorist organizations are exploiting the outrage over Israel’s war against Hamas. According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip, the war has claimed more than 38,000 victims. The terrorists are seeking to increase their membership numbers and inspire lone perpetrators to carry out attacks in the United States and Europe.

Brett Holmgren, deputy assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research, told WashingtonPost that anger over US support for Israel in the war against Hamas has led to an influx of new members in international terrorist groups.

The strong emotional reaction to the war against Hamas has not only strengthened terrorist organizations but has also enabled terrorist groups to inspire lone perpetrators to carry out attacks.

The Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 “was, is and will be a generational event that terrorist organizations in the Middle East and around the world are using as a recruitment opportunity,” Holmgren told the Post.

Referring to the attempted attacks on European Jewish institutes in Germany and the Netherlands, he said: “We have already experienced lone-wolf attacks in Europe to a certain extent.”

Police officers patrol the Trocadero square in front of the Olympic rings on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, June 7, 2024. (Source: REUTERS/SARAH MEYSSONNIER)

When asked about the U.S. perspective on the death toll in the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, Holmgren said: “The feelings you hear on the ground are real.”

“They are reflected in the analysis we have conducted,” he said, acknowledging “the global impact that October 7 has had and likely will have on the perception of the United States in the region and in most Muslim countries.”

Normalization of extremist groups

Since the outbreak of the war, terrorist groups have also received more sympathy from some Western groups.

Just a month after Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and abducting more than 250 others, a TikTok trend saw users openly praising a 20-year-old letter from Osama Bin Laden, one of the terrorists responsible for the September 11 attacks in New York.

In addition, the flags of Hamas and Hezbollah – both groups recognized by the United States as terrorist organizations – have been openly flown during pro-Palestinian protests.

US military bases on high alert

According to CNN, US military bases in Europe were placed on alert last week and the protection level of troops was increased to the second highest level.

The alert level “is reached when an incident occurs or intelligence is received indicating that some form of terrorist act or attack against personnel or facilities is likely,” the US Army said.

A US official told CNN that such a threat situation had not been seen in ten years.

EUCOM said it was increasing vigilance as “malicious actors have increased the threat of attacks against various non-military targets in Europe.”

Military personnel were asked to maintain a low profile and remain vigilant, and activities at some bases were temporarily suspended.

International concern about terrorism

The possibility of Islamist attacks is the biggest security concern for the games, the Paris police chief said last month, according to Reuters. France has announced that it will move the opening ceremony away from the Seine if a concrete security risk materializes.

In May, a man was arrested in the French city of Saint-Etienne on suspicion of planning an attack on the city’s football stadium during the Olympic Games on behalf of the Islamic State.

According to Reuters, insurance companies are also concerned about the games. In particular, they fear that the participation of the Israeli Olympic team could further fuel international tensions.



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