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.
The administration's obsession with de-escalation and regional mediation has undermined Israel's ability to defeat Hamas.
A Hanukkah journey with Passages Israel program participants offered profound insights into Christian-Jewish solidarity while experiencing firsthand the realities of life under Hamas threats.
"If someone dares want the hostages back, they're an enemy of the people," said Eli. "It got to a situation where people hit me, threw things at me, sending me hate letters
The "positive message" in question reportedly concerns the list of hostages that would be released, as well as other points of disagreement.
"Most of the enemy's prisoners in the northern Gaza Brigade are now missing due to the Zionist aggression," the source told Al Jazeera.
'They are making it difficult,' Kirby said.
The peer-reviewed statistical analysis published in The Lancet did not provide an estimate of Palestinian combatants among the dead.
The terror organization's statement comes amid the PA security force's campaign against Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in Jenin.
"We accuse you of sacrificing the lives of both the hostages and the soldiers," the letter read.
Israel doesn’t need your sympathy – although that would be nice. It needs you to recognize the dangers all of us are facing. This isn’t a drill, it’s the real thing.
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