The Palestinian Islamic Jihad is the second largest and most important terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. It was established in the Gaza Strip in the 1970s by students studying in Egypt, members of the Muslim Brotherhood, and headed by Dr. Fathi Shqaqi. Inspired by the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad has a radical fundamentalist Sunni Muslim ideology, and seeks for the immediate "liberation" of Palestine through jihad (holy war) and the establishment of a Muslim Palestinian state. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad rejects any arrangement or agreement with Israel.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad views terrorism as the only way to advance its goals. It is exclusively a terrorist organization and does to invest its resources in social or welfare activities for the Palestinian population.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad has a military-terrorist wing called the Jerusalem Brigades which carries out terrorist attacks against Israel, including suicide bombing attacks. Today the Palestinian Islamic Jihad focuses primarily on rocket attacks, among them attacks with long-range rockets and mortar shells launched from the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad's leadership is permanently located in Syria. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad is pro-Iranian and receives extensive support from Tehran.