Compiled by Ryder Zufi
Hamas shocked Israeli political, military and intelligence leaders when it launched the vicious terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and others and took more than 250 hostages. Although the mass operation of thousands of militants attacking from Gaza was a surprise, the objectives were consistent with the Islamist, antisemitic ideology Hamas has promoted since its founding, as expressed in its 1988 charter.
These five explainer videos — addressing Hamas’ origins, its place in Palestinian politics, its strategy and tactics, its role in Iran’s anti-Israel Axis of Resistance, and the how and why of the Oct. 7 assault — are each three to five minutes long. They draw on the insights of the experts who served as panelists for our 35 webinars on the Hamas-Israel war, which is entering its second year after expanding to Lebanon with the fight against Hezbollah.
Origins and Ideology of Hamas
Hamas emerged in the 1980s as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood or Brethren as part of a change in strategy: Rather than try to repair Muslim society, then target Israel, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and his supporters decided they first needed to eliminate Israel and cleanse the Middle East of Jews. Hamas has remained committed to that eliminationist philosophy and to its opposition to a secular Palestinian state and a two-state solution. Hamas’ core antisemitism combines beliefs from the Quran with European-style hatred.
Hamas and Iranian Ambitions
Hamas is a Sunni organization. The Iranian regime is Shia. But Iran has provided money, weapons, training, logistics and other support to Hamas because of their shared goal of destroying Israel. Hamas and Iran have had their differences, including during the slaughter of Sunnis in Syria more than a decade ago, and Hamas does not answer to or coordinate all actions with Iran in the way Hezbollah does. But Hamas has been a crucial part of Iran’s anti-Israel Axis of Resistance.
Hamas’ Role in Palestinian Politics
The Palestinians have had two primary political factions for at least two decades: Hamas and Fatah, the dominant group within the PLO. Fatah, led by Yasser Arafat and then Mahmoud Abbas, has controlled the Palestinian Authority and thus the West Bank since the mid-1990s. But Hamas won a plurality in the last Palestinian legislative elections, held in January 2006, and has run Gaza since a brief civil war against Fatah in mid-2007. Hamas mixes Palestinian nationalism with Islamism, or political Islam, and wins support in comparison with Fatah by being the organization of action, not words. The two parties’ visions for the Palestinian future are irreconcilable, despite multiple attempts at a unity government since 2014.
Tactics and Strategies of Hamas
Hamas spent 17 years preparing the Gaza Strip as a killing ground for Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians. By building its complex, extensive tunnel system and integrating military operations throughout civilian infrastructure, Hamas created a situation in which its own destruction could be achieved only through Gaza’s devastation and at extreme cost to Israel. The strategy has always included the goal of increasing hatred between Israelis and Palestinians in an effort to make coexistence impossible.
October 7: What Happened and Why
While the Israeli military and intelligence mistakenly concluded that Hamas was an organization more interested in protecting its own people than killing Israelis and risking Gaza’s destruction, Hamas observed the political rifts within Israeli society and concluded that Israel was weak and vulnerable. The mass attack October 7 was meant to inflict immediate pain on Israel and undermine Israelis’ belief in their state and their future in the Middle East. The taking of hostages was meant to provide bargaining chips to trade for Palestinian prisoners and to win support among Palestinians for Hamas’ effectiveness.