Overview

Hamas, short for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Harakat Al-Mukawama Al-Islamiya), is a Palestinian Islamist group, recognized as a terrorist organization by dozens of countries, including the US, EU, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and Israel. 

Established in 1987 under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Hamas originated as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood with a clear objective: to establish an Islamic state encompassing the entirety of present-day Israel, Judaea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip through armed conflict. With a charter that clearly calls for the death of all Jews, the fundamentalist terror organization does not recognize Israel's right to exist.

Hamas operates a military known as the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. It is responsible for carrying out acts of terrorism against Israelis. Its attacks include rocket barages, ground, air, and sea invasions from the Gaza Strip, as well as a range of other assaults including shootings, suicide bombings, and the invasion, massacre, and abductions of over 1,000 people on October 7, 2023.