According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Hamas is a Palestinian militant group. In a handful of countries, including Australia, Japan, the European Union, Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom, the organisation is seen as a terrorist organisation. Israel has come under attack by the group.
Hamas is a spinoff of the Palestinian sector of the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1987. The Islamist group took control of the Gaza Strip after the 2006 election against Fatah, a rival political party.
In early October 2023, Hamas launched several attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians, including massacring at least two 260 civilians at a music festival on the border of Gaza, according to the Associated Press. The number of hostages is undetermined.
Israel has ordered its soldiers to prepare for war.
What Is Hamas Being Accused Of, And What Makes It So Bad For The Group To Attack Israel?
Let’s explain what makes Hamas such a hellish group with Israel under attack.
Many countries label Hamas a terrorist group due to its “armed resistance” against Israel. This is according to a summary by the Council on Foreign Relations mentioned earlier. Acts of terror have included Suicide Bombings as well as Rocket Attacks.
Since the conflict broke out over the weekend, there have been reports of the following war crimes:
- Killing children
- Committing mass murder of innocent civilians
- Rape of men, women, children and elderly people
- Going into people’s homes and shooting the places up
- Abducting civilians and threatening to execute them
According to ABC, an official speaking on behalf of Hamas has said “only a handful” of commanders were aware of the massacre and openly denies that Iran had any role.
Who Are The Founders And Leaders Of Hamas?
The leader of Hamas is Ismail Haniyeh. The group has multiple founders, but the most notable is Ahmed Yassin, who was assassinated in 2004.
