Who’s Hamas? What to know concerning the group attacking Israel

The Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out a devastating assault on Israel over the weekend killing a whole lot of Israelis, which was praised by the Lebanese group Hezbollah. The assault ignited a battle with the Jewish state, resulting in the deaths of a whole lot of extra folks within the Gaza Strip in retaliatory strikes.

What’s Hamas’ ideology?

Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, which implies Islamic Resistance Motion, in accordance with the U.S. Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart. The group is “dedicated to armed resistance towards Israel and the creation of an Islamic Palestinian state in Israel’s place,” in accordance with the middle.

What’s the Hamas constitution?

Hamas’ 1988 constitution requires the destruction of Israel, in accordance with the Council on International Relations.

Steven Prepare dinner, a senior fellow for Center East and Africa research for the council, mentioned in 2021 that Hamas “sees all of Israel and Palestine as Muslim lands, and thus the illegitimacy of Israel and Jewish claims to these lands.”

Who funds Hamas?

Hamas receives materials and monetary assist from Iran, in accordance with the U.S. authorities and the Council on International Relations. U.S. Deputy Nationwide Safety Adviser Jon Finer informed CBS Information on Monday that Iran was “broadly complicit” within the newest battle, however he additionally mentioned Iran wasn’t straight concerned within the assaults.

“What I can say, indubitably, is that Iran is broadly complicit in these assaults,” Finer mentioned on “CBS Mornings.” “Iran has been Hamas’ major backer for many years. They’ve offered them weapons, they’ve offered them coaching, they’ve offered them monetary assist. … What we’ve not seen but at this second, though we’re persevering with to have a look at it very intently, is any type of direct involvement within the instant assaults that befell during the last couple of days.”

Iran overtly admits to supporting Palestinian teams in Gaza; leaders of each Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which additionally participated within the assault on Israel, frequently go to the nation’s capital of Tehran. They each visited the town in June, and held in depth conferences with high Iranian officers, together with with Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Throughout his assembly with Hamas’ politburo chief, Khamenei reiterated “Iran’s continued assist for the Palestinian folks, their resistance, and their simply trigger, as it’s a reliable responsibility from which there is no such thing as a retreat,” Hamas mentioned in a press release after the assembly. He additionally referred to as for “exerting and consolidating efforts to assist the steadfastness of the Palestinian folks and finish the siege on the Gaza Strip,” the assertion added.

The Palestinian factions do not make their ties with Iran a secret both. They admit Iran has been their major supporter.

In a televised speech in December 2017, Hamas’ high commander in Gaza, Yahya al-Sinwar, bragged that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard basic killed by the U.S. in Baghdad in 2020 — Qassem Soleimani — had contacted the management of the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ army wing, in addition to with the management of the al-Quds Brigades, the army wing of Islamic Jihad, and provided them the Guard’s full assist.

“All our sources and capabilities are at your disposal within the battle to defend Jerusalem,” al-Sinwar quoted the Iranian basic as saying.

As soon as Iran’s overseas operations chief, Soleimani was killed by a U.S. drone strike outdoors Baghdad Airport in Iraq on Jan. 3, 2020.

Each Hamas and Islamic Jihad lately held army drills within the Gaza Strip, as did Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The place is Hamas situated?

In accordance with the U.S. Nationwide Counterterrorism Heart, Hamas primarily operates in Gaza but in addition has a presence within the West Financial institution, the place the Israeli authorities and Palestinian Authority management totally different elements of the Palestinian territory.

Different areas the place Hamas operates are the Center Japanese capitals of Doha, Qatar, and Cairo, Egypt, in addition to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, in accordance with the middle.

Is Hamas Palestinian?

Sure. The group shaped in 1987 because the Palestinian department of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political motion that was based in Egypt in 1928.

In 2007, Hamas ousted the Palestinian Authority from energy in Gaza.

Is Hamas designated a terrorist group?

Sure. Hamas was designated a overseas terrorist group by the U.S. State Division in October 1997 together with a number of different teams, together with Hezbollah.

Within the U.S., the designation makes it unlawful for Individuals to knowingly present “materials assist or sources” to such teams. U.S. monetary establishments should additionally seize management of a delegated group’s funds of their possession and report them to the federal government.

What’s the distinction between Hamas and Hezbollah?

Like Hamas, Hezbollah can also be an Iran-backed group with a political occasion and a militant wing that is been designated a overseas terrorist group by the U.S., which refers back to the group as Hizballah. Hezbollah additionally opposes Israel, and the 2 sides have fought towards one another earlier than.

However Hezbollah relies in south Lebanon, which borders Israel. It operates as a militia alongside Lebanon’s armed forces, in accordance with the CIA World Factbook.

Hamas and Hezbollah comply with totally different divisions of Islam. Hamas is predominately Sunni, the faith’s single largest group {that a} majority of a number of international locations comply with, together with Egypt. Hezbollah is a Shiite group, the faith’s second-largest division that Iran’s inhabitants overwhelmingly follows.