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.
The inverted red triangle is used in Hamas propaganda videos to indicate a military target; its use signals support for the terrorist group, and an implicit legitimization of violence.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Israel had no new proposals to make, although it was willing to consider a limited truce in which 33 hostages would be released.
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday, Murray spoke about his views on Hamas and Israel’s prosecution of the war against the terrorist group and his warnings about the Iranian regime.
Yossi Melman warned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach to Hamas was doomed. Sadly, he was proven right.
The contrast between the bon vivant Hersh that the country has come to know in the last 200 days through photos and the thin, scared, and dour Hersh in Wednesday’s video was startling.
Egyptian delegation visits for ceasefire talks • Pentagon tracking mortar attack near planned US-Gaza aid stockpile zone • Cabinet approves foreign observers' visits to imprisoned terrorists
Hamas proposes a five-year cease-fire and political transition if a Palestinian state is established. The move signals a shift from armed combat, including dissolving its military wing.
“Due to the current climate on many campuses around the world, we are now expanding the opportunity for students to seek the learning environment of our campus by extending the transfer application."
It’s the first time that these countries have banded together to form a united front since the hostages were seized during Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7.
Hamas leaders on the outside say all sorts of things, but the decision-makers are inside Gaza, living deep underground and holding the hostages
JPOST Digital Library
