The radical Islamic Palestinian group Hamas launched the largest attack on Israel in years on Saturday with a surprise offensive: hundreds of rockets were fired into the country. Here are the most important facts about the organization.
- The radical Islamic Palestinian group Hamas launched the largest attack on Israel in years on Saturday with a surprise offensive: hundreds of rockets were fired into the country. Here are the most important facts about the organization.
- Hamas has set itself the goal of destroying Israel and is fighting to establish an Islamic state.
- The word Hamas is an abbreviation for Islamic Resistance Movement, but also means ‘zeal’ in Arabic.
- Western states classify Hamas as a terrorist group.
- Hamas consists of several military groups, including the Qassam Brigades, which have carried out many attacks and suicide bombings against Israel in recent years. The organization also includes a political party and aid organizations.
- The group maintains a broad network of schools and social institutions in the Gaza Strip, which gives it sympathy and support among the population.
- Hamas was founded during the first Intifada (Palestinian uprising) in 1987. As a radical arm of the Palestinians, it rejects the Oslo peace treaty that Palestinian President Yasser Arafat concluded with Israel in 1993. After Arafat’s death, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and then-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon signed a ceasefire in 2005, which Hamas largely honored.
- The radical group won a landslide victory over Abbas’ Fatah movement in the 2006 parliamentary elections in Gaza. The West did not recognize the result and forced Hamas to form a national unity government with Fatah.
Source: Krone

I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.