What is Hamas: Formation, Friends, and Fights With Israel

"Resistance in Palestine will continue until the final liberation of all the Palestinian lands." Sheikh Ahmed Yassin

After the surprise attacks of Hamas on Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu has declared war on Palestine. This has set all eyes on Palestine divided into two parts the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The West Bank is controlled by Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) led by a party called Al-Fatah. And the Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas. it is the group ideologically and politically motivated and it rules two million Palestinians. Therefore, it is important to objectively understand the whos and whats of Hamas.

Hamas is an Arabic acronym of 'Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islammiyya' for 'Islamic Resistance Movement.' It is a Palestinian Islamist militant and political organization that has played a major role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since its founding in 1987. Headquartered in Gaza, Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007 and continues to be a major force shaping Palestinian politics.

When Hamas Was Founded?

Hamas grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement that arose in Egypt in the 1920s. The Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood was set up in the late 1960s. There was a Six-Day War in 1967 which Israel won. Hamas was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and six other Palestinian scholars and clerics in Gaza in December 1987, shortly after the outbreak of the First Intifada. Hamas published its charter for establishment of Islamic Society in historic Palestine. 

The international community designated Hamas as a terrorist group. Over the years it tried to morph itself into a political party but it kept a military wing. A political party with a military wing that is what they call themselves. The political wing governs the Gaza Strip, where it won parliamentary elections in 2006, leading to a political division with the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. Hamas also runs various social, educational, and welfare programs in the Gaza Strip.

How Hamas Works

Hamas created a top down government approach. At the top was the Politburo, a fifteen member body which operates in exile. The Political Bureau is responsible for setting the overall strategy and policies of Hamas, both in terms of its political activities and its armed resistance. It is composed of key leaders and representatives who make decisions regarding the organization's objectives, negotiations, and interactions with other entities. 

Then comes Hamas Shura Council, also known as the Majlis Shura al-Mujahideen (Advisory Council of the Mujahideen), is a significant decision-making and consultative body within the Hamas Organization. This council elects the politburo. It also oversees some welfare programs in the West Bank at Gaza. 

And then there is Hamas government. It implements policies and agendas set by the Shura Council. However, Hamas has a representative face and it is Ismail Abdel Salam Ahmed Haniyeh and he operates from Doha, Qatar.

What is the Ideology of Hamas?

The group's ideology combines Palestinian nationalism with Islamic fundamentalism. Hamas espouses a radical Islamist that calls for the destruction of Israel and its replacement with an Islamic Palestinian state. It rejects peace talks and negotiations to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, advocating what is normally reported as violent jihad and attacks against Israel and Israelis instead. Hamas’ original 1988 charter referenced The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and described a Jewish plan for global domination. In 2017, Hamas issued a revised document that reiterated the group's core principles but toned down the rhetoric in an attempt to soften its image. The new document continued to call for Israel's destruction, though references to The Protocols were removed.

Who Provides Funds and Weapons to Hamas

Qatar is clearly outright supporter of Hamas. Apart from hosting the leaders of Hamas, Qatar sends millions of dollars to the group. In 2021, Qatari government announced aid worth $360 million for Hamas for humanitarian and development projects in the Gaza Strip. Qatar has been a notable supporter, contributing to infrastructure and social projects in Gaza.

Next in line is Turkey, President Erdogan is a stalwart supporter of Hamas and it has offices in Istanbul. In July Erdogan hosted the chief of Hamas in Ankara where Erdogan openly supported the Palestinian cause. Turkey repeatedly sends funds to Hamas for their cause. Even now after the 9 October attacks Erdogan does not condemn them and calling on "all sides to act with restraint." 

Despite Erdogan's open embrace of Hamas, he is not their top supporter and that title goes to Iran. Iran has historically been a significant financial and military supporter of Hamas. The extent and nature of this support have evolved over the years and can include financial aid, weapons, and training. According to a report by the US state department, Iran provides almost $100 million every year to Hamas. 

Moreover, Hamas receives funds from Palestinians living in the occupied territories, as well as from Palestinians and sympathizers living abroad. These donations can come from both individual and organizational sources. It also imposes taxes and fees on businesses and individuals within the Gaza Strip, generating revenue. Additionally, there have been reports of Hamas engaging in extortion, taxing tunnel operators, and collecting fees at border crossings. Hamas also profits from trade, including goods coming through tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

How and Why Hamas Fights Israel

In the 1990s and 2000s, Hamas gained notoriety for its use of suicide bombings targeting Israeli civilians during the Second Intifada uprising against Israel. Hamas was responsible for lethal suicide bombings in the 1990s and early 2000s at public buses, restaurants and other civilian spots. 

After Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Hamas increased its rocket and mortar attacks from the territory at Israeli towns. Hamas has fought three major conflicts with Israel over Gaza: the Gaza War in 2008-2009, the 2012 Gaza conflict, the 2014 Israel-Gaza war and the one has began on Saturday 7th October, 2023. 

In the current Israel-Gaza conflict, Hamas gunmen rolled into around 22 locations outside the Gaza Strip, including towns and other communities as far as 24 kilometers from the Gaza border. In some places they gunned down civilians and soldiers as Israel's military scrambled to muster a response. In response to Hamas attacks, Israeli air raids have killed more than 232 Palestinians and the number is still counting.

Who are the Leaders of Hamas

Some key leaders of Hamas over the years have included:

Sheikh Ahmed Yassin: Co-founder of Hamas, assassinated by Israel in 2004

Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi: Co-founder, assassinated by Israel in 2004 

Khaled Mashal: Chairman of Hamas Political Bureau from 1996-2017

Ismail Haniyeh: Senior Hamas leader, served as Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority briefly in 2007

Yahya Sinwar: Hamas chief in Gaza since February 2017

Mohammed Deif is a Palestinian militant and supreme military commander of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

Who are Allies of Hamas

Hamas has been politically and financially supported by powers like Qatar, Turkey and Iran. It also received weapons from allies like Iran and Libya. From the mid-1990s to early 2000s, Hamas frequently collaborated on attacks with Palestinian militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Egypt mediated talks between Hamas and Fatah to form a Palestinian unity government in 2014 and 2017, indicating warmer ties between Hamas and Egypt more recently. Hamas has uneasy relationship with Shia Militant Hezbollah group.

Do Palestinians Support Hamas

Despite Western isolation, Hamas has retained popularity among many Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, for its uncompromising stance against Israel and rejection of Fatah's perceived corruption. However, recent polls indicate declining support for Hamas after 15 years of its rule in Gaza has led to economic devastation. A December 2018 poll showed 35% of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip supporting Hamas overall, down from 40% three months prior. Still, Hamas remains a major force in Palestinian politics that must be reckoned with.

Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, taking 74 of 132 seats. After a conflict with rival Palestinian faction Fatah, Hamas violently took over Gaza in 2007 and has exercised de facto governmental authority there since. Hamas's rule in Gaza has included imposing hardline Islamic laws, restricting political freedoms and imprisoning opponents. The group provides some public services but its governance has been hampered by border blockades imposed by Israel and Egypt since 2007.

Conclusion

Hamas has evolved from a radical militant group in the late 1980s to the de facto government in Gaza. Though it has softened some extremist positions, it retains an ideology refusing Israel's right to exist and the use of armed tactics against Israel. For many Palestinians, Hamas is seen as a legitimate resistance movement against occupation. But its radicalism and tactics have led Israel, the US and others to label it a terrorist organization and isolate it diplomatically. After governing Gaza for 15 years, Hamas faces dropping popularity but remains a formidable influence.