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 Izzadin 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, 2021's Guardian of the Walls, and 2024's Operation Swords of Iron.
On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists carried out an unprecedented invasion of southern Israel under the cover of widespread rocket-fire, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping hundreds to serve as hostages in Gaza. This started the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, which has seen the IDF carry out numerous strikes in Gaza and carrying out a ground invasion to wipe the terrorist group out.
In the year since, the IDF has managed to take out most of Hamas's leadership, including Saleh al-Arouri, Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Ismail Haniyeh.
Security officials have long believed that Mohammed Sinwar would replace his brother, Yahya Sinwar, as the new leader of Hamas.
Many things have been said about Trump, but no one can accuse him of a lack of drive, ambition, and determination. That is why it is so puzzling to figure out what his thinking is relative to Israel.
Very little if anything has been done by Israel over the last year and a half to start preparing an effective alternative to Hamas in Gaza. Netanyahu does not want Mahmoud Abbas' PA involved.
The president's arrival in Saudi Arabia will take place just one day after Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, helped facilitate the release of Alexander.
Netanyahu, Witkoff, and Huckabee met to discuss Hamas's deadline for accepting Witkoff's hostage release framework.
Witkoff was meant to travel to Saudi Arabia with Trump directly, but then decided to come to Israel once Edan Alexander's release was secured.
If we want to win – not just the battles but also the war – we must start by understanding the battlefield we’re actually on.
Netanyahu credits IDF military pressure, US diplomacy for Alexander's release • Trump heads to Middle East
I say to those who still possess a spine in this Parliament: speak now. Defend those whose voices are growing fainter under the din of ideological theatrics.
The Prime Minister's Office said that it was "preparing for the possibility" that ceasefire and hostage deal negotiations would occur.
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