Hamas (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya)

Overview

Hamas was founded in December 1987 in Gaza by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and several colleagues affiliated with the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's Palestinian branch. Its founding charter, issued in 1988, articulated a religious-nationalist opposition to the State of Israel and rejection of secular Palestinian leadership. A revised political document issued in 2017 softened some language without formally annulling the original charter.

The organisation operates both a political and administrative wing, which has governed the Gaza Strip since winning Palestinian legislative elections in 2006 and seizing control of Gaza from Fatah in 2007, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Military Activities

Hamas has conducted numerous attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel, including suicide bombings during the 1990s and 2000s, rocket fire from Gaza, and infiltration attacks. The attack of October 7, 2023, in which Hamas-led forces killed approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel and abducted approximately 250 others, constitutes the deadliest single attack on Israeli civilians since the state's founding. Israel declared war in response, initiating a military campaign in Gaza.

Designation Status

The designation landscape is significant and varies by jurisdiction. The United States has designated Hamas as an FTO since 1997. The European Union designated Hamas's military wing in 2003; subsequent European Court of Justice rulings addressed procedural grounds, but the EU has maintained the designation. The United Kingdom proscribed the full organisation (including political wing) in 2021. Several other democracies, including Australia and Canada, have designated Hamas in full or in part.

Governance and Funding

Hamas has administered Gaza's civil functions since 2007, including taxation, policing, and social services. Primary external funding has historically come from Iran and Qatar, though the sources and volumes have fluctuated with regional political alignments. U.S. Treasury designations have identified specific Hamas-linked financial networks across multiple jurisdictions.