What is Hamas?

Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist terror group that functions as both a political party and an armed militant organization. The word “Hamas” in Arabic means “zeal” or “enthusiasm,” and it is also an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya (“Islamic Resistance Movement”). Founded in 1987 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, its ideology is rooted in political Islam. Hamas controls the Gaza Strip but is widely recognized as a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S., the EU, and many others because of its suicide bombings, rocket attacks, and violence targeting civilians. Its identity is tied to terrorism and armed resistance against Israel.