Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamic terrorist organization that operates primarily in Gaza and the West Bank, with holdings in Arab countries throughout the Middle East.
Hamas was an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood political movement, and was established in 1987 in the wake of the First Intifada. According to Hamas’s charter, the organization was established to liberate Palestine from Israel in order to establish an Islamic state. It holds aspirations on all territory between the Mediterranean seas and the Jordan river, and refuses to acknowledge Israel in any capacity.
The group has a military wing, known as the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Hamas has used a wide range of tactics, but it does not discriminate in its targets, and often targets civilians. It is recognized by most Western states as a terrorist organization. Hamas has engaged in a number of military confrontations with Israel. Its military wing has employed tactics such as suicide bombings, rocket attacks, kidnapping attempts, and tunnel infiltrations against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
In 2006, the Palestinians held legislative elections in Gaza, but when Hamas won, there was a civil war, and Hamas seized full control of the Strip. Under Hamas, Gaza has been in a longstanding state of conflict with Israel. From the 2005 Israeli disengagement onwards, Hamas has continued to commit terrorist attacks against Israelis from Gaza, and several operations have been fought to quell Hamas attacks, including 2008's Cast Lead, 2011's Pillar of Defense, 2014's Protective Edge, and 2021's Guardian of the Walls.
Israel aims to replicate Tokyo success in Paris Olympics with 88 athletes competing, including medal hopefuls in gymnastics, taekwondo, and judo.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas-ISIS and Islamic Jihad terrorists attacked Israel, leading to severe violence and atrocities, sparking ongoing conflict.
Leaks about IDF probes into the October 7 Hamas invasion failure reveal that overconfidence from successfully blocking smaller invasions in May 2021 contributed to the misjudgment.
Israel used a drone to target a Hamas commander in Tulkarm recently, which was part of Israel's efforts to combat the increased weapon smuggling and terrorist threats.
“There was not one person who didn’t like Hamas - not even - I didn’t meet one person who didn’t love Hamas.”
Noa Argamani, abducted by Hamas on October 7, became a global symbol; she now faces criticism for accompanying Netanyahu to Washington.
Houthis vow battle with US, Israel • Israel reportedly accepts terms for Philadelphi Corridor • Pro-Palestinian protests greet Netanyahu in Washington
Netanyahu’s existential mission is to convince and mobilize the West to align with Israel against Iranian aggression.
IDF’s reinvasion of Khan Yunis has killed dozens of Hamas terrorists. Air strikes and ground operations target terror infrastructure and Hamas’s reorganization efforts.
The ICC accepted filings from over 60 governments and NGOs regarding arrest requests for Netanyahu, Gallant, and Hamas officials.
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