What is Hamas? Smoke rises after Palestinian members of the Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas burn military armored vehicle belonging to Israeli forces near Gaza Strip, Gaza on Saturday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
By Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
“Hamas is a militant movement and one of the Palestinian territories’ two major political parties,” according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Hamas is backed by Shi’ite Iran and has the same ideologies as the Muslim Brotherhood. According to Reuters, the Muslim Brotherhood was established in Egypt during the 1920s.
Hamas governs more than 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is best known for its resistance to Israel, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Many countries consider Hamas a terrorist organization but many countries only say that about the organization’s military wing. Hamas is supported with material and finances from Iran and Turkey reportedly keeps some of its top leaders, the Council on Foreign Relations said.
The rival party to Hamas is called Fatah. It dominates the Palestine Liberation Organization. The PLO rules in the West Bank.
Hamas has been running the Gaza Strip since 2007 after a short civil war, Reuters reported. It was with Fatah.
“The Hamas takeover of Gaza followed its win in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 – the last time they were held. Hamas accused Abbas of conspiring against it. Abbas described what happened as a coup,” according to Reuters.
What does Hamas stand for?
Hamas stands for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (“Islamic Resistance Movement”), according to the Council on Foreign Relations. It was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassi. Yassi was a local activist of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Yassi established Hamas in December 1987, the Council on Foreign Relations said. It was established as the political arm of Gaza. It was created after a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.
The charter of Hamas was started in 1988 and called for “the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic society in historic Palestine.”
The organization first “employed” suicide bombing in April of 1993. This was five months before Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo Accords. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the Oslo Accords was a pact made to limit self-government in the West Bank and Gaza. This area was called the Palestinian Authority.
Hamas reportedly condemned the Oslo Accords.
It was not until 1997 that the United States called Hamas a foreign terrorist organization. It was also called a terrorist organization by Israel, the European Union, Canada, Egypt and Japan, Reuters reported.
Who are the leaders?
The current political chief is Ismail Haniyeh, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, He replaced Khaled Meshaal in 2017. Haniyeh has been operating from Doha, Qatar since 2020. This is due to Egypt’s restriction of him moving into Gaza.
Yahya Sinwar overlooks the day-to-day from Gaza. Sinwar used to be the head of Hamas’ military wing. He was also in prison in Israel for 22 years. He was freed in 2011. Marwan Issa and Mohammed Deif are commanders of Hamas’s military wing, the Council on Foreign Relations said.
The Hamas attack on Israel A bicycle was targeted and two young Palestinian militants were killed near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel A general view of damage caused by Israeli air strikes on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel A general view of damage caused by Israeli air strikes on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel A general view of damage caused by Israeli air strikes on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel A paramedic helps an injured man near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023, in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Palestinian citizens stand near an Israeli enclave seized from the Israeli occupation near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023, in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel A young man carries an injured man on his bicycle near the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel on October 7, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a missile attack on Israel today, with fighters simultaneously crossing the border from Gaza. Israel has declared a state of war. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Palestinians celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. (Hassan Eslaiah/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel A rocket from the Gaza Strip struck a street in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel: Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. (Yousef Masoud/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel: Palestinian militants drive back to the Gaza Strip with the body of an Israeli soldier on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. (Ali Mahmud/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel: Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The militant Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land, and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. (Yousef Masoud/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel: Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg)
The Hamas attack Israel: Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel: A column of smoke rises from the south of Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel: Residents look at damage after a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg)
The Hamas attack Israel: Cars are on fire after they were hit by rockets from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg)
The Hamas attack Israel: Rockets are fired toward Israel from the Gaza Strip, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The rockets were fired as Hamas announced a new operation against Israel. (Fatima Shbair)
The Hamas attack Israel: A column of smoke rises from the south of Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
The Hamas attack Israel: Israeli soldiers head south near Ashkelon, Israel, Israel, on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip infiltrated Saturday into southern Israel and fired thousands of rockets into the country while Israel began striking targets in Gaza in response. (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)
Israel attacks Hamas: A building was damaged after being hit by a rocket fired from Gaza strip on Saturday in Tel Aviv. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
The Hamas attacks Israel: Israeli security forces work at the scene where a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a building on Saturday in Tel Aviv. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
The Hamas attacks Israel: A man passes the scene where a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a building in Tel Aviv. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
The Hamas attacks Israel: Smoke and flames rise on the Gaza Strip after being attacked by Israeli forces on Sunday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Hamas attacks Israel: Palestinians fire rockets in response to Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Sunday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Hamas attacks Israel: Smoke and flames rise after Israeli forces strike targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday. (Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions “into rubble.” (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions “into rubble.” (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions “into rubble.” (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on October 08, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions “into rubble.” (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Israeli rescue members work at a police station that was destroyed after a battle between Israeli troops and Hamas militants on October 8, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. On Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the largest surprise attack from Gaza in a generation, sending thousands of missiles and an unknown number of fighters by land, who shot and kidnapped Israelis in communities near the Gaza border. The attack prompted retaliatory strikes on Gaza and a declaration of war by the Israeli prime minister. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Rockets were fired towards Israel on October 8, 2023 at Gaza City, Gaza. After the attack launched by Hamas on Israel yesterday, which surprised them, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked the Palestinians to leave Gaza, and warned that the army would turn Hamas positions “into rubble.” (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack on Israel Israeli rescue members work at a police station that was destroyed after a battle between Israeli troops and Hamas militants on October 8, 2023 in Sderot, Israel. On Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the largest surprise attack from Gaza in a generation, sending thousands of missiles and an unknown number of fighters by land, who shot and kidnapped Israelis in communities near the Gaza border. The attack prompted retaliatory strikes on Gaza and a declaration of war by the Israeli prime minister. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack Israel Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes on Sunday in Gaza City, Gaza. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack Israel: Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes after Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Sunday in Gaza City, Gaza. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack Israel: Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes and business after Sunday's airstrikes by Israel in the Gaza Strip. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack Israel: Israeli airstrikes caused extensive damage in Gaza City on Sunday. (Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Hamas attack Israel: Fire and smoke rise above buildings in Gaza City during an Israeli air strike on Sunday. (MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)
The Hamas attack Israel: A missile explodes in Gaza City during an Israeli airstrike on Sunday. (MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)