TRANSCRIPT
Hamas is a Palestinian political movement called Ḥarakat al-Muqawamah al-ʾIslamiyyah - an Arabic acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement”.
The group started as a Palestinian Islamist grassroots movement with very close ties to the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt.
Mohamad Al-Jararwah, who has a PHD in International Relations from the University of Newcastle and is a Middle East and North Africa Expert - says Hamas is a Palestinian branch of the Muslim brotherhood founded in Gaza.
"Its ideology is that is based on the notion that Islam is a comprehensive way of life, and it can be involved in the political and administrative, let's say elements of administrating a nation. On the other hand, Hamas is the branch of the Muslim Brotherhood found in Gaza during the First Intifada in 1987. During the time where Fatah which is the main prominent political, let's say actor within the PLO, the Palestinian Liberation Movement was somehow seen as ineffective in addressing the Palestinians desire for a self-determination right, and also an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. "
In 1988, after more than 20 years of Israeli military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza the Palestinian population erupted in protests and riots against Israel known as the first Intifada, or uprising.
Eyal Mayroz is a senior lecturer on Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney University.
He explains that this is when Hamas published their first charter, calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
"It was very strongly anti-semitic and was targeting not only Israel but also Jews wherever they are."
Mr Mayroz says Hamas's actions during this time expanded its popularity, with the ruling party, Fatah, seen as not representing the Palestinian cause effectively.
"If you like to see where Israel either assisted or allowed the funding of Hamas you need to start in 1988. Since then, as far as I know Israel never directly funded Hamas but certainly did a lot to allow its funding, through international channels, charity channels, through Qatar and Iran. And other Western Governments. Bibi’s government or Netanyahu's purpose was still to prevent the creation of a Palestinian state by sowing divide, strengthening or allowing Hamas to strengthen and weakening the Palestinian Authority ."
The protests of the first Intifada lasted into the 1990s.
Hamas’ military unit, the Qassam Brigades – established in 1992 had its own mandates and leaders.
The Intifada ended with the signing of the Oslo Accords, where the Palestine Liberation Organisation, headed by Fatah, made a deal with Israel.
Fast forward to September 2000.
With Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank still living under Israeli occupation, tensions boiled over again - leading to the second Intifada, more violent and widespread than the first.
In the ensuing years almost 5,000 Palestinians and over 1,100 Israelis were killed.
In 2004, Hamas leader Ahmed Yassin said that the group would end armed resistance against Israel in exchange for a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.
Israel then assassinated Yassin in March in a targeted Israeli air strike.
Mohammad Al-Jararwah says this resulted in increased military action in the Palestinian territories.
"That created among the Palestinians a sense of, let's say retaliation approach, they wanted to retaliate. And there was an increased level of military actions and activities on the Palestinian territories. As a result, the Prime Minister of Israel during that time, Ariel Sharon, decided to somehow disengage from the Gaza Strip. So withdraw the Israeli troops back to the Israeli side of the land and also somehow pull every single military activity."
In 2006, Hamas won a shock victory after elections in the enclave, with Ismail Haniyeh becoming the Prime Minister.
Fatah, supported by Israel, the United States and Arab countries, didn’t recognise the results of the votes and tried to overturn them which erupted in bloody fighting on the streets of Gaza.
By July 2007, Hamas defeated Fatah's forces, taking full control of Gaza.
Israel then imposed a land, sea and air blockade of Gaza, restricting goods in and out of the territory, making the economy even more reliant on aid.
By 2017 Mohammad Al-Jararwah says Hamas unveiled a new political program, softening its stance on Israel and accepting the idea of a Palestinian state in territories occupied by Israel in the six day war of 1967.
"That softened stance did not necessarily mean a full acknowledgment of Israel, but rather, let's say, an acceptance or they have accepted the formation of a potential Palestinian state."
By August 2017, the new Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahye Sinwar, [[yach-yeah]] stated that Iran was once more “the largest backer financially and militarily” of the Hamas military wing.
Mr Al-Jararwah again.
"There is a differentiation here between how Hamas was supported financially, socially, or by other equipment, by other branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, especially in Egypt, and the level of support that Hamas has been receiving from Iran. So Iran's relationship with Hamas is very dynamic, and it's very complicated. Following the revolution in 1979 a lot has changed. Iran became one of the biggest supporters of any Islamist militants within the Middle East."
Eyal Mayroz says Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu policies in responding to conflict with Hamas may have had some unintended consequences.
"And allowed thereby Netanyahu to pursue this, what you would see as a crazy policies that led to some indirect ways or you could say even, in some ways direct ways to the seventh of October, by allowing the Hamas to become so strong. "
A Palestinian opinion poll released last month showed support in Gaza for Hamas hasn’t dropped since October 7 but has increased nearly fourfold in the West Bank.
