By Sarah El Deeb | Related Press
BEIRUT — Hamas, which has dominated the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched an assault inside Israel over the weekend, killing tons of and taking others hostage. Its unprecedented breach of the border despatched fighters inside border communities and army installations, shocked Israel and its allies, and raised questions in regards to the group’s capabilities and technique.
WHAT IS HAMAS?
The group was based in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian refugee residing in Gaza, through the first intifada, or rebellion, which was marked by widespread protests in opposition to Israel’s occupation.
Hamas is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic Resistance Motion, and a recognition of the group’s roots and early ties to one of many Sunni world’s most outstanding teams, the Muslim Brotherhood, based in Egypt within the Twenties.
The group has vowed to annihilate Israel and has been chargeable for many suicide bombings and different lethal assaults on civilians and Israeli troopers.
The U.S. State Division has designated Hamas a terrorist group in 1997. The European Union and different Western international locations additionally contemplate it a terrorist group.
Hamas received 2006 parliamentary elections elections and in 2007 violently seized management of the Gaza Strip from the internationally acknowledged Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority, dominated by rival Fatah motion, administers semi-autonomous areas of the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution.
Israel responded to the Hamas takeover with a blockade on Gaza, limiting motion of individuals and items out and in of the territory in a step it says is required to maintain the group from creating weapons. The blockade has ravaged Gaza’s economic system, and Palestinians accuse Israel of collective punishment.
Through the years, Hamas acquired backing from Arab international locations, resembling Qatar and Turkey. Just lately, it’s moved nearer to Iran and its allies.
WHO ARE HAMAS’ LEADERS?
Hamas founder and religious chief Yassin — a paralyzed man who used a wheelchair — spent years in Israeli prisons and oversaw the institution of Hamas’ army wing, which carried out its first suicide assault in 1993.
Israeli forces have focused Hamas leaders all through the years, killing Yassin in 2004.
Khaled Mashaal, an exiled Hamas member who survived an earlier Israeli assassination try, turned the group’s chief quickly after.
Yehia Sinwar, in Gaza, and Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in exile, are Hamas’ present leaders. They realigned the group’s management with Iran and its allies, together with Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Since then, lots of the group’s leaders relocated to Beirut.
WHAT DOES HAMAS WANT?
Hamas has at all times espoused violence as a way to liberate occupied Palestinian territories and has referred to as for the annihilation of Israel.
Hamas has carried out suicide bombings and over time fired tens of 1000’s of more and more highly effective rockets from Gaza into Israel. It additionally established a community of tunnels working from Gaza to Egypt to smuggle in weapons, in addition to assault tunnels burrowing into Israel.
In recent times, Hamas had gave the impression to be extra centered on working Gaza than attacking Israel.
WHY NOW?
In recent times, Israel has made peace offers with Arab international locations with out having to make concessions in its battle with the Palestinians. The U.S. has just lately been attempting to dealer a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a bitter rival of Hamas’ Iranian backers.
In the meantime, Israel’s new far-right authorities was working to cement Israeli settlements within the West Financial institution regardless of Palestinian opposition.
Hamas leaders say an Israeli crackdown on militants within the West Financial institution, continued development of settlements — which the worldwide neighborhood considers to be unlawful — 1000’s of prisoners in Israeli jails, and its ongoing blockade of Gaza pushed it to assault.
Its leaders say tons of of its 40,000 fighters took half within the assault. Israel says the group has about 30,000 fighters and an arsenal of rockets, together with some with a spread of about 250 kilometers (155 miles), and unmanned drones.
