What is the Hammas in Palestine?

Hamas, in full Harakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah, (“Islamic Resistance Movement”), is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, nationalist, and militant organization in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. It has a social service wing, Dawah, as well as a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Hamas was founded in the Gaza Strip in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi, and others, at the outset of the First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. In the 1988 Palestinian legislative election, Hamas participated as part of the Islamic Bloc and won several seats in the West Bank and Gaza, but the movement was outlawed by Israel.

Hamas rejects a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and advocates for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in all the territory of Mandatory Palestine, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Israel. The group uses armed resistance, including suicide bombings, against Israeli civilians and military targets. It does not recognize the legitimacy of the State of Israel and considers it to be a “Zionist entity” that must be eliminated.

In 2005, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election and formed a government in the Gaza Strip. However, the group was designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and other countries. In 2007, Hamas clashed with Fatah, the secular-nationalist party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and took control of the Gaza Strip. Since then, Hamas has ruled Gaza unilaterally and has been involved in several conflicts with Israel.

Hamas is a controversial organization and has been criticized for its use of violence and for its policies towards Israel. However, it remains a popular movement among many Palestinians and is a significant force in Palestinian politics.