Hamas, beholden to Iran, lets Shiite group operate in Gaza: For the first time, a Shiite Islamist movement began operating in the Gaza Strip last month, with full Iranian sponsorship, The Times of Israel has learned. The movement is named “A-Sabrin” — from the Arabic word for patience. A-Sabrin runs several Shiite charity organizations, which benefit from full Iranian support and encourage the spread of Shiite Islam. The presence of such a movement in the Gaza Strip is unheard-of, as is the fact that the Sunni Hamas movement – apparently due to the financial support it receives from Shiite Iran — has been tolerating its presence. Still, the number of Palestinian Muslims, the vast majority of whom are Sunnis, to convert has been limited. (While there have been Sunni families from Bethlehem in the West Bank who converted to Shiite Islam, it a highly unusual occurrence in the Strip.) The Times of Israel has obtained photographs documenting the charitable works of some of A-Sabrin’s organizations. Signs hanging in the background clearly show the name of Iran’s late supreme leader, ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and reference the 1979 Islamic Revolution. One of the signs reads, “Congratulations to the Iran-Jerusalem axis.” (Time of Israel)