What Is Hamas?
Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, which in Arabic means “zeal,” is the political group that controls the 365 square kilometers of territory the world knows as the Gaza Strip. The “strip” has more than two million people, making it the world’s third most densely populated area. Hamas has been in power in the Gaza Strip since 2007. Hamas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization are not the same but enemies.
Israel blockades the Gaza Strip.
Hamas was founded in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yasin shortly after the first Intifada, an uprising against Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories. It was initially part of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and created a military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, to liberate historic Palestine. The organization has also sought to aid the victims of the conflict with Israel.
The main difference between Hamas and the PLO is that it does not recognize Israeli statehood. It does not accept the Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and the PLO established in the 1990s.
Hamas wants to establish a Palestinian state and has used attacks against Israel, soldiers, settlers, and civilians to achieve this end.
It is regarded as a “terrorist” organization by Israel, the United States, the European…
