Hamas, an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyah, is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist fundamentalist organization governing the Gaza Strip. Originating in...
Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist fundamentalist organization that governs the Gaza Strip. It operates both a political wing and an armed wing, and is considered a terrorist organization by several countries.
Hamas was founded in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi during the First Intifada, emerging from the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Hamas's primary objectives include the liberation of Palestine from Israeli occupation and the establishment of an Islamic state in the area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 after winning the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections. It manages daily affairs, security, and public services, often operating under international isolation and blockades.