The Short Answer
Hamas is an Islamist militant group founded in 1987 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. It is designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and others. Its 1988 charter calls for Israel's destruction, and it ruled Gaza from 2007 until the 2023 war, using the territory to build a vast tunnel network and rocket arsenal.
Origins and ideology
Hamas (an acronym for "Islamic Resistance Movement") emerged during the First Intifada in 1987. Its founding charter rejects any peace agreement with Israel and contains openly antisemitic language. A 2017 policy document softened some wording, but Hamas has never recognized Israel or renounced violence, and its leaders continue to call for Israel's elimination.
Hamas is backed financially and militarily by Iran, and some of its senior leaders lived abroad in Qatar and Turkey.
How Hamas ruled Gaza
After seizing Gaza in 2007, Hamas suppressed dissent, held no further elections, and diverted resources — including humanitarian materials such as cement and pipes — into hundreds of kilometers of military tunnels. It fired tens of thousands of rockets at Israeli cities over the years and embedded military infrastructure in and under civilian sites, a practice documented by the IDF and many independent analysts.
Under the 2025 U.S. peace plan, Hamas agreed to release the hostages and hand civil administration to a technocratic committee, but as of October 2026 it has refused to give up its weapons — the key obstacle to Gaza's reconstruction.
Key Facts
- Founded 1987; designated a terrorist group by the U.S. since 1997
- Seized Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in 2007
- Backed by Iran
- Refuses to disarm under the 2025 peace plan
Sources & Further Reading
- Hamas Covenant (1988) — Yale Avalon Project
- U.S. State Department — Foreign Terrorist Organizations
- What Is Hamas? — Council on Foreign Relations
- Hamas — overview (Wikipedia)
This answer reflects publicly available information as of October 2026.