Five car bombs were detonated simultaneously in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in central Gaza City, on Sunday morning. Graffiti on a wall near the bombings read “Daash,” the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State (IS), however no group has taken official responsibility for the attacks.

Three of the cars are reportedly owned by members of Hamas, while the other two are owned by members of the Islamic Jihad.

No deaths have been reported.

Shrapnel from the blasts hit residential houses, shattering windows and injuring two people who have been transferred to a local hospital.

Hamas officials have opened a major investigation on the bombings.

Since last summer’s devastating war in Gaza, there have been growing signs of internal unrest between Hamas security forces and other militant groups, with a string of small-scale explosions.

Many of the more recent attacks are believed to be the work of fringe Salafist groups, some of whom have voiced support for IS.

Earlier this year, Hamas began to crackdown on groups they believe support IS, arresting dozens of alleged IS loyalists.

Last month Hamas forces killed Eyad Al-Bozum, 27, an alleged IS supporter, while attempting to arrest the man. The shooting came hours after IS supporters gave Hamas a 24-hour ultimatum to release those arrested in connection with IS and end its crackdown on group loyalists.

Recently, Salafist groups have made a name for themselves as unafraid to challenge Hamas, seeking to outbid them in the fight against Israel and the defense of Islam.

Salafists are Sunni Muslims who promote a strict lifestyle based on the traditions of early pious ancestors.

According to an International Crisis Group report in 2011, “The vast majority of Salafists in Gaza are apolitical, focusing on conventional daawa activities — scholarship, education and social outreach.”

It is only a smaller sub-group “who espouse violence, taking up what they perceive to be the armed defense of the Muslim community against non-Muslim enemies,” the report said. MAANNEWS