Palestinian group Hamas is an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. It was founded in 1987 by Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi.
Its goal is to liberate Palestine and establish an Islamic State in the region encompassing Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has both a cultural wing called Dawah and a military arm known as the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. It receives support from Iran and is part of a bloc that includes Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah in Lebanon, all of which oppose U.S. policies in the region. Globally, Hamas is designated as a ‘terrorist’ organization by Israel, the U.S., the European Union, Canada, Egypt, and Japan.
In 2018, a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Hamas was voted down.
Hamas and Fatah, led by Yasser Arafat, have been longtime rivals in Palestinian politics. Hamas emerged stronger after Arafat’s death in 2004 and seized control of Gaza in 2007 after a civil war with Fatah.
The two groups have different approaches, with Hamas advocating armed resistance and not recognizing Israel, while Fatah leans towards negotiations and a two-state solution.
