Hamas

Hamas is an acronym of its official name, the Islamic Resistance Movement, which was established in 1987 during the First Intifada against Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. The terrorist group has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood and its stated aim is the establishment of an Islamic state in historical Palestine, although its original charter from 1988 also included the aim to eradicate the state of Israel. The group won a majority in Palestinian elections in 2006, and seized control of Gaza a year later from its rival Fatah movement, which heads the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. On October 7 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel leading to a war which has caused thousands of deaths on both sides.