History of HAMAS
Executive summary
Hamas emerged from Gaza’s branch of the Muslim Brotherhood during the First Intifada in December 1987 and has combined social services, electoral politics and an armed wing to become the dominant force in Gaza since 2007 [1] [2]. The group’s trajectory has been punctuated by electoral victory in 2006, violent confrontations with Israel including the October 7, 2023 attack and subsequent wars, a 2025 ceasefire and phased hostage exchanges, and continuing internal and regional pressures that shape its future [2] [3] [4] [5].
1. Origins: Brotherhood roots and the First Intifada
Hamas began as Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement) with ideological and organizational links to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and formally rose to prominence in December 1987 at the outset of the First Intifada, blending Islamist ideology with Palestinian nationalism and a commitment to armed resistance against Israel [1] [2].
2. Dual strategy: Social services, politics and an armed wing
From the start Hamas combined grassroots social welfare and religious networks with a military component (the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades), a dual approach that built local legitimacy in Gaza and the West Bank and positioned it as both a political actor and an insurgent movement [2] [1].
3. Electoral breakthrough and territorial control
Hamas won a legislative majority in 2006 and, after violent clashes with rival Fatah, consolidated exclusive control over the Gaza Strip by 2007. That control transformed it from an opposition movement into the de facto governing authority in Gaza, complicating both governance and international relations [2].
4. Chronic conflict with Israel and the October 2023 rupture
Hamas’s armed operations and rocket attacks have repeatedly provoked major Israeli military campaigns. The organization’s October 7, 2023 assault—described in multiple contemporary accounts as one of the deadliest attacks on Israel—triggered a prolonged and devastating cycle of conflict and a large-scale Israeli response [3] [6].
5. Leadership, losses and adaptation under pressure
Hamas’s leadership has been a moving target. Yahya Sinwar emerged as the de facto leader in recent years and was widely accused of playing a central operational role; reports place his death in October 2024, followed by further attrition among senior figures, prompting reorganizations and the use of collective leadership committees abroad [7] [1] [8].
6. Negotiations, ceasefires and hostage diplomacy
After prolonged mediation by Qatar, Egypt and other actors, Hamas entered into ceasefire frameworks and staged hostage releases as part of negotiated exchanges—most notably a January 2025 ceasefire and phased exchanges that were central to pauses in fighting and subsequent diplomatic efforts [4] [9] [10].
7. Regional dynamics and supply lines
Hamas’s military capacity has been shaped by regional alliances and supply routes. Shifts in regional politics — including the fall of the Assad regime as reported in 2025 — have disrupted some external supply chains and changed the strategic environment in which Hamas operates [11].
8. Popular support, governance challenges, and internal dissent
Control of Gaza has not insulated Hamas from criticism. Opinion polls showed declining approval in Gaza during the war period, and popular protests against Hamas’s rule emerged in 2025, with reports accusing the movement of harsh responses to dissent—facts that underscore governance challenges and eroding local legitimacy [12].
9. Fragmentation, armed competition and the security vacuum
Prolonged conflict and Israeli operations have eroded Hamas’s territorial control in parts of Gaza, leading to the rise of other armed groups and localized conflicts (for example, clashes in Khan Yunis in 2025). That fragmentation complicates Hamas’s claim to be Gaza’s sole authority and increases uncertainty about post-conflict order [13].
10. What sources emphasize and what they omit
Academic and policy sources emphasize Hamas’s origins, mixed governance and military role, and the centrality of ceasefires and hostage diplomacy in recent years [1] [4] [10]. Available sources do not mention details about internal financing structures beyond referenced sanctions legislation, nor do they provide a comprehensive, single-source accounting of casualty figures or humanitarian impacts beyond summary statements [1] [14] [6].
Limitations and competing perspectives: contemporary coverage shows disagreements about Hamas’s long-term strength—some analysts argue its resilience and continued offensive capability, while others note territorial losses and leadership decapitation; both perspectives appear across the sources [11] [13] [8]. Readers should weigh policy briefs, historical backgrounders and timeline accounts together to trace how an organization that began as an Islamist social movement became an entrenched, if embattled, governing and militant force in Gaza [1] [2] [5].