Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist movement and political-military organization that emerged in the late 1980s and now plays a central, highly controversial role in the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict.

Who or what is Hamas?

  • Hamas is an acronym for the Arabic “Harakat al‑Muqāwamah al‑Islāmiyya,” meaning “Islamic Resistance Movement.”
  • It is a Sunni Islamist, Palestinian nationalist movement with both a political leadership and an armed wing (the Izz ad‑Din al‑Qassam Brigades).
  • Founded around 1987 during the First Intifada, it grew out of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Many Western governments, including the United States and European Union, formally designate Hamas as a terrorist organization, mainly because of its suicide bombings, rocket attacks, and other assaults on civilians.

What does Hamas believe and want?

  • Hamas combines Palestinian nationalism with Islamist ideology, seeking an Islamic state in historic Palestine (the land that now includes Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza).
  • Historically, its founding charter rejected the existence of Israel and endorsed armed “resistance,” including violence, as the main path to its goals.
  • A revised political document in 2017 softened some language but still refused to recognize Israel and continued to endorse various forms of resistance.

Supporters often describe Hamas as a resistance movement against occupation; critics emphasize its attacks on civilians and its rejection of coexistence with Israel.

Where does Hamas operate and how is it structured?

  • Main base: the Gaza Strip, which Hamas has effectively controlled since 2007 after violent clashes with its rival faction, Fatah.
  • It also maintains networks and supporters in the West Bank, regional states such as Lebanon and Qatar, and broader Palestinian diaspora communities.

Internally, Hamas has:

  • A political/administrative side that runs ministries, police, and services in Gaza.
  • A social/religious network providing welfare, education, and religious outreach.
  • A military wing (al‑Qassam Brigades) responsible for armed operations like rockets and raids.

Why is Hamas in the news so much?

  • Hamas has been involved in repeated rounds of conflict with Israel since the 1990s, using tactics such as suicide bombings, cross‑border raids, and rocket fire.
  • On October 7, 2023, Hamas led a large-scale surprise attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages, triggering a massive and prolonged Israeli military response in Gaza.
  • The war that followed caused extremely high civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza, drew intense global attention, and reshaped regional diplomacy and debates on international law.

As of late 2025, reports describe a ceasefire and hostage‑prisoner exchanges, but Hamas, Israel, and regional powers remain locked in tense negotiations and deep mistrust.

How do people view Hamas?

Perspectives are sharply divided:

  • Many Palestinians (especially in Gaza) have at times supported Hamas for its social services, stance against corruption, and resistance image, though support has fluctuated because of war devastation and internal repression.
  • Israel, the U.S., the EU, and others see Hamas primarily as a terrorist group that targets civilians and blocks any political compromise.
  • Some regional actors (such as Iran and Qatar) have provided Hamas with money, weapons, or political backing, viewing it as part of a broader struggle against Israel and Western influence.

In online forums and global public debate, “who are Hamas” often turns into a broader argument about occupation, terrorism, resistance, human rights, and what a just end to the conflict should look like.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.