What does Hamas stand for? How did Hamas start?

Hamas is a militant Palestinian nationalist and Islamist movement that aims to establish an independent Islamic state in historical Palestine. The group was founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Hamas shares the Islamist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was established in Egypt in the 1920s. The group won an electoral majority in the 2006 legislative elections, but the legislature was dissolved the following year with Hamas left in control of the Gaza Strip.

Before the establishment of Hamas, the dominant Palestinian political and militant organization was the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by figures like Yasser Arafat. The PLO was primarily secular in its orientation.

Hamas was founded in 1987 in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Its founders included prominent figures like Sheik Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi. Hamas was initially non-confrontational toward Israel, focusing on social and religious activities, but it quickly evolved into a more militant organization.

In 1988, Hamas published its charter, which affirmed its goal of liberating Palestine, including modern-day Israel, from Israeli occupation and establishing an Islamic state in the region. The charter also outlined its opposition to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

As the First Intifada intensified and the PLO’s influence waned, Hamas became more involved in armed resistance against Israeli forces and civilians. It began to use tactics such as suicide bombings and attacks against Israeli targets.

In subsequent years, Hamas gained popularity among Palestinians, both for its militant stance against Israel and for its provision of social services to Palestinians in need. In the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Parliament, defeating the PLO-affiliated Fatah party.

Following the 2006 elections and subsequent clashes between Fatah and Hamas, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007. Since then, it has governed Gaza as a de facto authority, while the West Bank has remained under the control of the Palestinian Authority led by Fatah.