Brandon Lee
Hamas is a sociopolitical group with roots in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. It was formed in 1987 and has a military wing called the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Hamas has a strong presence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and its charter calls for the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel. The group has historically sought relations with countries like Egypt, Iran, and Turkey, and has been designated as a terrorist organization by several countries and the European Union. Hamas has engaged in protracted armed conflict with Israel, with key issues including the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Israeli settlements, and Palestinian freedom of movement.
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What You'll Learn
Hamas's charter and goals
Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, is a Palestinian Islamic national liberation and resistance movement. It was formed in late 1987 at the beginning of the first Palestinian intifada (uprising) and has its roots in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas is designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US Government.
Hamas's charter, first published in 1988, calls for establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel and rejects all agreements made between the PLO and Israel. The 1988 charter was widely criticised for its antisemitism, with Article 8, the slogan of the Islamic Resistance Movement, being described as a blueprint for jihadist terrorism: "Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its Constitution; Jihad is its path, and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes." The charter also includes conspiracy theories about Jewish control of world events and quotes a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, saying: "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it."
In 2017, Hamas published a new charter that supported a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, comprising the West Bank and Gaza Strip only, on the condition that Palestinian refugees were allowed to return to their homes. This document removed the antisemitic language of the original and stated that Hamas' fight was against Zionism, not Jews. It also lacked the religious rhetoric of the 1988 charter, instead using pragmatic political language. However, Hamas stopped short of formally repudiating the original charter, and it has been debated whether the new charter reflects an actual change in policy.
Hamas's policy towards Israel has evolved over time. While it initially sought a state in all of former Mandatory Palestine, it began acquiescing to 1967 borders in agreements signed with Fatah in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In March 2006, after winning an absolute majority in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, Hamas published a government program declaring its willingness to have contacts with Israel "in all mundane affairs: business, trade, health, and labor". However, Hamas continues to refuse to recognise or renounce violent resistance against Israel and has conducted numerous attacks on Israeli civilian targets.
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Hamas's presence in the West Bank
Hamas, a sociopolitical group with roots in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has a notable presence in the West Bank. The group's strength is concentrated in the Gaza Strip and areas of the West Bank, where it has governed since 2007.
Hamas was formed in 1987 during the first Palestinian intifada, and its charter initially called for the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel. Over time, Hamas's policy towards Israel has evolved, and it has proposed a two-stage liberation of Palestine. Its short-term objective is to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, while its long-term goal remains the liberation of all Mandatory Palestine.
Hamas has engaged in protracted armed conflict with Israel, with key aspects of the conflict including the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, borders, and Palestinian freedom of movement. Hamas has carried out attacks on Israeli civilians, including suicide bombings and rocket attacks. In 2014, tensions escalated when three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped and killed in the West Bank, with Israel attributing the deaths to Hamas. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation, resulting in the destruction of much of Hamas's infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has also faced economic challenges due to funding difficulties. After 2009, sanctions on Iran, a key supporter, made funding more difficult, forcing Hamas to rely on religious donations from individuals in the West Bank and other countries.
The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel has resulted in war crimes and crimes against humanity, with both sides bearing responsibility. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas officials, and the UN has determined that Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful. Despite global outcry and efforts for a ceasefire, the conflict continues to impact civilians and displace thousands in the West Bank and Gaza.
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Hamas's attacks on Israel
Hamas, a terrorist group with a military wing known as the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has a history of attacks on Israel. The group's charter calls for the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel and rejects all agreements between the PLO and Israel. Hamas's strength is concentrated in the Gaza Strip and areas of the West Bank, and it has conducted numerous anti-Israel attacks since the 1990s.
One notable Hamas-led attack on Israel occurred on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza. This attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 250 others. Israel responded with a massive military offensive that has caused significant destruction and loss of life in the Gaza Strip. According to the Gazan health ministry, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, although it does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
In 2014, tensions between Hamas and Israel escalated again after the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank, which Israel ascribed to Hamas. Retaliatory rocket attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militants led to the longest and most lethal conflict with Israel since 2009. Additionally, in August 2025, there were reports of a double-strike Israeli attack on a hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people, including journalists and health workers.
Hamas's policy towards Israel has evolved over time. While it initially envisioned a Palestinian state on all of the territory of the British Mandate for Palestine, it later proposed a two-stage liberation plan with a short-term objective of establishing a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank, and a long-term goal of liberating all of Mandate Palestine.
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Hamas's foreign relations
Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni Islamist group, has historically sought relations with Egypt, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey. The group has maintained a deliberately fragmented leadership structure to prevent Israel from assassinating its top leaders.
Hamas has had a strong relationship with Iran, which has provided significant financial support, including an estimated $13-15 million in 2011, as well as access to long-range missiles. Hamas's political bureau was once located in Damascus, Syria, until the start of the Syrian civil war. Relations between Hamas and Syria have since deteriorated due to Hamas's refusal to support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Despite this, Hamas has continued to maintain ties with other countries in the region, including Egypt, which played a role in brokering a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel in 2008.
Qatar has been described as Hamas's most important financial backer and foreign ally. In 2007, Qatar was the only country, along with Turkey, to support Hamas after the group ousted the Palestinian Authority from the Gaza Strip. In 2008-2009, Qatar pledged $250 million to repair damage caused by Israel in the war on Gaza, solidifying its position as a key player in the "Palestinian issue."
Hamas has also sought to improve relations with Saudi Arabia, with Saudi Arabia releasing Hamas members from prison in 2022 and allowing Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, to visit Riyadh in 2023. Additionally, Hamas has established relations with constitutionally secular states such as Russia, which has been accused of supporting Hamas by supplying stolen Ukrainian weaponry.
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Hamas's designation as a terrorist group
Hamas, a sociopolitical group with roots in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and the European Union. This designation is based on Hamas' history of violent actions and its refusal to recognise or renounce the use of violent resistance against Israel.
Hamas was formed in late 1987 during the first Palestinian intifada and has since been involved in protracted armed conflict with Israel. The group's charter initially called for the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel, rejecting all previous agreements between the PLO and Israel. Hamas' strength is concentrated in the Gaza Strip and areas of the West Bank, where it has a significant sociopolitical presence.
Hamas has a military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, responsible for numerous anti-Israel attacks since the 1990s. These attacks have included suicide bombings, large-scale bombings of civilian targets, small-arms attacks, improvised roadside explosives, and rocket attacks. One notable incident occurred in 2008 when Hamas conducted a suicide bombing that killed one civilian and carried out rocket and mortar attacks injuring civilians.
In addition to violent actions, Hamas has also been designated a terrorist organisation due to its ability to obtain funds through various means, including foreign funding and donations from sympathisers. The US, for instance, imposed sanctions on Iran's Bank Saderat, alleging that it funnelled significant funds to Hamas. Additionally, there are concerns that Hamas receives funding from Palestinian and Lebanese sympathisers in Latin America, an area associated with arms trading, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities.
The designation of Hamas as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) by the US and other countries carries significant implications. It curtails support for Hamas and pressures the group to move away from terrorism. It also enables the US government to take actions such as seizing funds related to designated FTOs and their agents, stigmatising and isolating Hamas internationally, deterring donations or economic transactions with the group, and raising public awareness about Hamas as a terrorist organisation.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Hamas has a presence in the West Bank. In fact, Hamas has been governing the West Bank since 2007 after defeating Fatah in a series of violent clashes.
Hamas and Israel have a history of protracted armed conflict. Hamas has carried out attacks on Israeli civilians, including suicide bombings and rocket attacks. Israel has also imposed an economic blockade on Hamas-controlled territories and launched military operations against Hamas.
Hamas was formed in late 1987 at the beginning of the first Palestinian intifada (uprising). Its roots are in the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and it has a charter that calls for establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel.
