Hamas

Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamic terrorist organization that operates primarily in Gaza and the West Bank, with holdings in Arab countries throughout the Middle East.

Hamas was an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood political movement, and was established in 1987 in the wake of the First Intifada. According to Hamas’s charter, the organization was established to liberate Palestine from Israel in order to establish an Islamic state. It holds aspirations on all territory between the Mediterranean seas and the Jordan river, and refuses to acknowledge Israel in any capacity.

The group has a military wing, known as the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades. Hamas has used a wide range of tactics, but it does not discriminate in its targets, and often targets civilians. It is recognized by most Western states as a terrorist organization. Hamas has engaged in a number of military confrontations with Israel. Its military wing has employed tactics such as suicide bombings, rocket attacks, kidnapping attempts, and tunnel infiltrations against Israeli soldiers and civilians.

In 2006, the Palestinians held legislative elections in Gaza, but when Hamas won, there was a civil war, and Hamas seized full control of the Strip. Under Hamas, Gaza has been in a longstanding state of conflict with Israel. From the 2005 Israeli disengagement onwards, Hamas has continued to commit terrorist attacks against Israelis from Gaza, and several operations have been fought to quell Hamas attacks, including 2008's Cast Lead, 2011's Pillar of Defense, 2014's Protective Edge, 2021's Guardian of the Walls, and 2024's Operation Swords of Iron.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists carried out an unprecedented invasion of southern Israel under the cover of widespread rocket-fire, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping hundreds to serve as hostages in Gaza. This started the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, which has seen the IDF carry out numerous strikes in Gaza and carrying out a ground invasion to wipe the terrorist group out.

In the year since, the IDF has managed to take out most of Hamas's leadership, including Saleh al-Arouri, Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Ismail Haniyeh.

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As yet another Israeli election fast approaches, I ask our government to acknowledge the errors it has made, errors that have affected, often disastrously, every one of our citizens.

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HEED THE SHOFAR: Can we harness the ‘Elul effect’?

People gather on a crowded beach in Gaza City in July.

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Praise to America for the Jared Kushner-driven initiative to stop Hamas and Hezbollah, but make no mistake, apart from the IDF, no external good-willed individual can stop these terrorists

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Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich speaks with 'Jerusalem Post' Editor in Chief Zvika Klein, August 12, 2026.

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Despite suffering significant military losses during the war, Hamas’s new leadership has reaffirmed Gaza as the movement’s political and operational center of gravity.

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AUGUST 3, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of male and female dormitories at Bogazici University, in Istanbul, Turkey, February 13, 2026.

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President Isaac Herzog is pictured with the Ambassador of Georgia to Israel, Beka Dvali on August 3, 2026.

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Palestinian militant group Hamas fighters secure an area before handing over two Israeli hostages to a Red Cross team in Khan Yunis.

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Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli airstrike that targeted a house belonging to the al-Qalqili family in al-Bureij refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on July 30, 2026.

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Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles are displayed at Azadi Square in Tehran on August 2, 2026.

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IDF SOLDIERS operating in the Gaza Strip.

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The high representative for Gaza under US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, Nickolay Mladenov addresses a press briefing in Jerusalem on May 13, 2026.

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Illustrative: Black smoke rises at night after a residential block was targeted west of the Nuseirat Refugee Camp in the central Gaza Strip on July 15, 2026.

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Palestinians walk next to yellow concrete block marking the “yellow zone” under Israeli military control in the Tufah neighborhood of Gaza City, July 27, 2026.

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