Hamas, the terrorist organization that has unleashed the war from Gaza and that in its beginnings had help from Israel

Hamás means 'enthusiasm' or 'fervor' in Arabic. This is what this paramilitary organization that declares itself jihadist, nationalist and Islamist wants to represent for the Palestinian cause.. Hamas is also the acronym for Harakat al-Muqáwama al-Islamiya, in Arabic, Islamic Resistance Movement.

Some of the precursor groups of Hamas were “The Coalitions of the Land of Isra'”, and “Islamic Fighting Movement”. At its birth, Hamas presented itself as a branch of the international Muslim Brotherhood movement, founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, which advocates the application of Islamic law in various aspects of daily life.. However, the connection with said movement has never really exceeded the merely ideological.

When was Hamas born?

It was founded in 1987 during the course of the first Intifada by Sheikh Ahmed Yasin, a paraplegic Quranic student in Gaza City.. Although its first statement is from December 1987, its founding letter is from August 1988. It presented itself as a branch of the international Muslim Brotherhood movement.. The Sunni branch of Islam is the dominant one in Hamas.

In the beginning they had help from Israel, which in this way tried to weaken the until then hegemonic Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), of Yasir Arafat, and Al Fatah, the organization founded by Arafat and the main component of the PLO.. Hamas's military wing, the Izzedin al-Kassam Brigades (BIK), did not take shape until 1991.

What's your objective?

Hamas' founding charter states that its objective is the establishment of an Islamic State in the historic region of Palestine, which would include present-day Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with its capital in Jerusalem.. However, in 2017 it revised its purposes. A new document called for “the establishment of a completely sovereign and independent State of Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital, on the borders of June 4, 1967”. To achieve this, Hamas supports armed struggle.

How were your beginnings?

Hamas began a wave of kidnappings and attacks in 1992. The mastermind of the attacks was Mohamed Deif, who would later be the head of BIK and today is considered the mastermind of the unprecedented Palestinian attack on Israel this past weekend.

How is it organized?

Hamas has a series of dependent organizations that carry out their activities in very diverse areas, ranging from the cultural and religious assimilation of young people through the madrasa, to social assistance to the most needy Palestinians (and their own families). members killed or imprisoned in Israeli prisons), representation in Palestinian political institutions through the Change and Reform list, or the armed struggle of the BIK.

How many?

The military faction of Hamas is estimated to be nearly 20,000 strong.. But the Gaza Strip has about 2 million inhabitants, of which more than 600,000 reside in Gaza City.

How is it financed?

Since that distant 1987, Hamas has received economic support from many parties, including governments such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria (despite the fact that the latter two belong to the Shiite branch of Islam, a rival to the Sunni branch).. Some Gulf oil sheikhs have also personally contributed to its financing.

Since part of its work is to assist those most in need, Hamas receives funds from many charities located outside the Palestinian territories.. Today it is considered backed by Iran, which finances and provides weapons and training (as would have been demonstrated by the surprise offensive this October).

What is your relationship with the Palestinian Authority like?

After the Oslo Accords, negotiated by Yasir Arafat and Isaac Rabin (Prime Minister of Israel), the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was created in 1994, which implied its division. Hamas denounced Arafat and the PLO. For its leaders, the dialogues between Arabs and Israelis, including the Oslo Accords, were a “waste of time.”

In 2006, the Change and Reform list, linked to Hamas, ran in the Palestinian general elections, obtaining an absolute majority, which gave it the power to form the government led by Ismail Haniye, which generated a series of sanctions by some Western and Arab countries.

After a series of clashes and growing tension with rival Fatah, in 2007 armed organizations loyal to Hamas in the Gaza Strip eventually expelled Fatah supporters and took control.. Hamas took over the government of the Gaza Strip, while Fatah maintained that of the West Bank. Palestinians have not voted for a legislative assembly since 2006, nor a president since 2008.

The Hamas Government in Gaza has since been subject to a blockade by Israel and Egypt that prevents the entry of food, medicine, construction materials, weapons and other products into Gazan territory.. In 2017 there was reconciliation of the parties and the Palestinian National Authority returned to Gaza. The creation of a Palestinian unity government, the calling of general elections and the transfer of control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt to the ANP were agreed.

How much and how has Hamas killed?

Hamas began a campaign of suicide bombings in 1994 with unprecedented frequency. Without sophisticated weapons, Yahya Ayyash, known as “The Engineer”, manufactured bomb belts and with them carried out a campaign of suicide bombings (they gradually abandoned shootings and kidnappings).. Islamic Jihad adopted this tactic and so did Fatah's Al-Aksa Martyrs' Brigades in the second Intifada in September 2000.

Ayyash became a priority target for Israel. On January 5, 1996, Ayyash was assassinated by the Shabak (Israel's general internal security and intelligence service) who had planted a bomb in his mobile phone.

In 2004, the last suicide attacks by their brigades occurred, which began to attack the Israel Defense Forces and launch Qassam rockets (their name is taken from the Ezzedin al-Qassam brigades) from the Gaza Strip against southern Israel.. After the start of the 2008-2009 Gaza Strip Conflict, they also launched the more powerful Grad and Katyusha.

Is Hamas terrorist?

The organization as a whole or at least the military faction (BIK) is considered a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada, as well as by other powers, and, of course, Israel.. In contrast, the UN has not designated any part of the organization as a terrorist group.