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.
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"Perhaps more than ever, the sound of this memorial siren is also a true alarm, commanding us to unite and to come together," President Isaac Herzog said.
Gen. Amir Avivi hinted at Israeli involvement in a recent chemical strike on Iranian rocket fuel.
A medic detained in the Rafah convoy attack that killed 15 workers has been freed, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said.
The Irish band said that it condemned all attacks on civilians, given its nation's complex and violent history.
Time erases evidence, erases findings, undermines the chances of recovery, and severely damages the ability to provide graves.
The proposal calls on Bank of Israel head, whose signature appears on the notes, to cancel the specific series transferred to Gaza.
The rocket features a "navigation mechanism adapted to challenging combat environments," and it is "capable of striking its target within a very short time," the military stated.
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The international community’s fantasy that it can foster economic development in Gaza while it is controlled by Hamas is not just naive; it has proven dangerously counterproductive.
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