Tag: Hamas

Hamas, an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement), is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and political organization. Founded in 1987 during the First Intifada by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, it emerged as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood with the dual purpose of providing social welfare and engaging in armed resistance against Israeli occupation. Hamas’s ideology is rooted in Palestinian nationalism combined with Islamic principles, aiming for the establishment of an independent Islamic state in historic Palestine.

The movement’s structure is divided into two primary wings: its political bureau, which handles governance and international relations, and its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007, following its victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections and a subsequent conflict with the rival Fatah faction. This governance period has been marked by a strict blockade, multiple wars with Israel, and a complex relationship with regional allies like Qatar, Turkey, and Iran.