Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, emerged in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, supported by Iran. Operating in Gaza since 2007 after a clash with Fatah forces, it won the 2006 parliamentary elections.
Hamas, the Palestinian faction, has initiated an unexpected assault from Gaza into Israel, marking one of the most significant escalations in the Israel-Palestinian conflict in recent years.
What is the Palestinian Group Hamas?
Hamas, officially known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, came into existence in 1987 amid the Palestinian Intifada, receiving backing from Shiite Iran. The group’s roots are deeply intertwined with the Islamist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement originating in Egypt in the 1920s.
Since 2007, Hamas has been in control of the Gaza Strip, a result of a brief but intense civil conflict with Fatah forces, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, who operates from the West Bank and heads the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
The ascendancy of Hamas in Gaza followed its success in the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, the last such elections held. However, this victory was contested, with Hamas accusing Abbas of conspiring against them, while Abbas characterized the events as a coup. This power shift marked a turning point, leading to ongoing rounds of conflict with Israel, involving rocket attacks from Gaza and Israeli airstrikes.
The Palestinian group adamantly refuses to recognize the state of Israel and vehemently opposed the Oslo peace accords negotiated in the mid-1990s between Israel and the PLO. The group’s armed wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, has employed various means, including sending gunmen and suicide bombers into Israel, characterizing these actions as resistance against Israeli occupation.
Despite its foundational charter calling for the destruction of Israel, Hamas leaders have, at times, proposed a long-term truce, known as Hudna in Arabic, in exchange for a viable Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders. However, Israel remains skeptical, viewing such offers as tactical maneuvers.
Miraculous Rescue! 9-Year-Old Charlotte Found Safe in Shocking Hideout – You Won’t Believe Where!
Internationally, Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Egypt, and Japan. It is also part of a broader regional alliance that includes Iran, Syria, and the Shiite Islamist group Hezbollah in Lebanon, all sharing a general opposition to U.S. policy in the Middle East and a stance against Israel.
While Gaza serves as its power base, this group has supporters across Palestinian territories, and its leaders are scattered throughout the Middle East, including countries such as Qatar. This complex geopolitical positioning underscores the multifaceted nature of Hamas as a key player in the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict and broader Middle Eastern dynamics.
Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman Win Nobel Prize 2023 in Medicine for mRNA Covid Vaccines