Hamas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Islamic Resistance Movement
حركة المقاومة الإسلامية
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Emblem of Hamas
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| Chairman of the Political Bureau | Ismail Haniyeh |
| Deputy Chairman | Saleh al-Arouri X |
| Leader in the Gaza Strip | Yahya Sinwar |
| Military commander | Mohammed Deif |
| Deputy military commander | Marwan Issa X |
| Founder |
... and others
Mahmoud al-Zahar
Mohammad Taha Imad al-Alami Abdul Fatah Dukhan Ibrahim Fares Al-Yazouri 'Isa al-Nashshar Ibrahim Quqa Mohammed Hassan Shama'a Hassan Yousef |
| Founded | December 10, 1987 |
| Split from | Muslim Brotherhood |
| Headquarters | Gaza City, Gaza Strip |
| Military wing | Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades |
| Membership | 20,000–25,000 |
| Ideology |
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| Religion | Sunni Islam |
| Political alliance | Alliance of Palestinian Forces |
| Colours | Green |
| Palestinian Legislative Council |
74 / 132
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| Hamas | |
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| Dates of operation | 1987–present |
| Headquarters | Gaza City, Gaza Strip |
| Size | 40,000 |
| Allies | State allies:
Non-state allies:
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| Opponents | State opponents:
Non-state opponents:
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| Battles and wars |
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| Designated as a terrorist group by | |
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military movement governing the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip since 2007.
Hamas is an acronym of the Arabic phrase حركة المقاومة الإسلامية or Ḥarakah al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah, meaning "Islamic Resistance Movement". The movement was founded by Palestinian imam and activist Ahmed Yassin in 1987, after the outbreak of the First Intifada against the Israeli occupation. It emerged from his 1973 Mujama al-Islamiya Islamic charity affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election by campaigning on clean government without corruption, combined with affirmation of Palestinians’ right to armed struggle against the Israeli occupation, thus winning a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council. In 2007, Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from rival Palestinian faction Fatah, which it has governed since separately from the Palestinian National Authority. This was followed by an Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip with Egyptian support, and multiple wars with Israel, including in 2008–09, 2012, 2014, and 2021. The ongoing 2023 war began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing both civilians and soldiers, and taking hostages back to Gaza. The attack has been described as the biggest military setback for Israel since the 1973 Arab–Israeli War, which Israel has responded to in an ongoing ground invasion of Gaza.
Hamas promotes Palestinian nationalism in an Islamic context. In its 1988 charter, Hamas articulated its objective to establish an Islamic Palestinian state throughout the entire territory of Mandatory Palestine. Subsequently Hamas began acquiescing to 1967 borders in the agreements it signed with Fatah in 2005, 2006 and 2007 In 2017, Hamas released a new charter that supported a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders without recognizing Israel. Hamas's repeated offers of a truce (for a period of 10–100 years) based on the 1967 borders are seen by some scholars as consistent with a two-state solution. The revised 2017 Hamas Charter stated that Hamas's struggle was with Zionists, not with Jews.
Hamas has carried out attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians. Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Paraguay, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. In 2018, a motion at the United Nations to condemn Hamas was rejected.
See also
In Spanish: Hamás para niños
- Hamastan
- Politics of Palestine
- List of political parties in the State of Palestine
