An armed, militant wing of Fatah that rose to prominence at the start of the Al-Aksa intifada. Although initially focusing most of its attacks on the Israeli military and Jewish settlers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, it soon expanded its operations to include military and civilian targets in Israel. Its cells were responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, against Israel during the second intifada and especially after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in August 2005.
Historical Dictionary of Israel. Bernard Reich David H. Goldberg. Edited by Jon Woronoff..