Formally known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas was founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Emerging from the Muslim Brotherhood, it combines political activism with armed resistance. The group is designated a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States, the European Union, Britain, Canada, and Japan, though it frames its armed operations as resistance against occupation.
A political turning point came in 2006, when Hamas, running under the name 'Change and Reform', won the Palestinian parliamentary elections, defeating the dominant Fatah movement.
The following year, after clashes with Fatah forces, Hamas seized full control of the Gaza Strip, splitting Palestinian governance between Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
Since then, Gaza has faced a strict Israeli and Egyptian blockade. Its population of more than two million has endured multiple wars in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021 causing widespread destruction and thousands of casualties.
The largest escalation in recent history occurred on 7 October, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise and deadly attack inside Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages. The ensuing Israel-Hamas war has led to heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza, where local authorities report more than 65,000 Palestinian deaths and widespread famine.
Hamas’ armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, has carried out rocket attacks, suicide bombings, and other operations.
Israel has targeted and killed several top Hamas figures, including Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh.
Hamas remains both a militant organisation and a political authority in Gaza, shaping the ongoing conflict with Israel.
To Palestinians, it can represent armed resistance, but to much of the international community, it is seen as a group responsible for violence and instability.
Hamas seeks the recognition of Palestinian claims over historic Palestine. The group maintains that any ceasefire or negotiation must address prisoner releases, Israeli border crossings, and the lifting of blockades, and it frames these demands as non-negotiable for long-term peace.
A deal between Israel and Hamas could provide temporary ceasefires, humanitarian access, and the release of hostages, potentially easing immediate suffering in Gaza.
However, experts warn that unless it addresses core political disputes, governance divisions, and security concerns, a deal may be fragile and fail to stop future escalations, leaving the broader Israel-Palestine conflict unresolved.
Iran has signed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia to rebuild air defences, weakened during last year’s war with Israel, the Financial Ti...
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc is unlikely to reach agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia at Monda...
The European Parliament’s trade chief has urged a temporary suspension of the EU–U.S. trade agreement approval, citing “tariff chaos” followin...
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following ear...
China says it's making a "full assessment" of the U.S. Supreme Court's tariff ruling and urged Washington to lift "relevant unilateral tariff measures...
Iran has signed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia to rebuild air defences, weakened during last year’s war with Israel, the Financial Times has reported. The agreement, signed in December in Moscow, will see Russia deliver 500 Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc is unlikely to reach agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia at Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, as continued Hungarian opposition keeps consensus out of reach.
The European Parliament’s trade chief has urged a temporary suspension of the EU–U.S. trade agreement approval, citing “tariff chaos” following President Donald Trump’s new 15% tariffs and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidating his previous global tariff programme.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
A seven-month-old Japanese macaque has drawn international attention after forming an unusual bond with a stuffed orangutan toy after being rejected by its mother.
Divers have recovered the bodies of seven Chinese tourists and a Russian driver after their minibus broke through the ice of on Lake Baikal in Russia, authorities said.
President Donald Trump said on Saturday (21 February) that he will raise temporary tariffs on nearly all U.S. imports from 10% to 15%, the maximum allowed under the law, after the Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff program.
Pakistan said it carried out cross-border strikes on militant targets inside Afghanistan after blaming a series of recent suicide bombings, including attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, on fighters it said were operating from Afghan territory.
Iran announced on Saturday (21 February) that it has designated the naval and air forces of European Union member states as “terrorist entities” in a reciprocal move after the EU blacklisted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said the bloc is unlikely to reach agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia at Monday’s meeting of EU foreign ministers, as continued Hungarian opposition keeps consensus out of reach.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
China says it's making a "full assessment" of the U.S. Supreme Court's tariff ruling and urged Washington to lift "relevant unilateral tariff measures" on its trading partners, the Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement on Monday (23 February).
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A “Victory will be ours” banner was hung on the Russian Embassy in Seoul, ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It remains on display despite a request from the South Korean Foreign Ministry on Sunday (22 February) for its removal, sparking widespread criticism.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment