The conflict between Israel and Hamas in five questions

Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip, home to 1.9 million Palestinians, for 16 years, is considered a terrorist group by the United States and Europe because of its history of terrorism, such as suicide attacks.

Other countries in the region, including Turkey, see Hamas as another alternative for the Palestinian people after decades of unsuccessful peace efforts supported by rival Fatah, which rules the West Bank.

1. What is Hamas?

As a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hamas began as an Islamist religious, social and political movement.

It was founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian intifada or uprising against the Israeli occupation. He later gained notoriety for suicide bombings and other attacks that killed hundreds of Israelis and culminated in the construction of Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank. He gained the support of the people of Gaza by establishing a network of charities in Gaza that addressed poverty and health and education needs.

2. How did they come to power?

He achieved a surprise victory in the 2006 elections, thanks to his campaign against corruption in the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority. But Fatah and other parties have refused to share a government with Hamas, and aid funding from the United States and Europe has been cut because the group refuses to recognize Israel or existing peace agreements. Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in a bloody conflict with Fatah in 2007, when Israel withdrew from the overcrowded area as economic conditions worsened. Israeli forces withdrew from the impoverished and overpopulated region two years ago.

The West Bank had greater strategic and religious importance for the Israelis.

Although Hamas is a Sunni Muslim group, it has received extensive support from Shiite Muslim Iran, which also opposes peace with Israel.

3. What is Israel’s history with Hamas?

In 2017, after Fatah published a manifesto accepting its goal of establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip rather than the entire territory that became Israel in 1948, Hamas refused to recognize Israel and announced that it would continue the armed struggle.

Hamas repeatedly had major military conflicts with Israel during his term. Hamas has launched Iranian rockets into Israel, while Israel’s advanced military has repeatedly devastated Gaza’s infrastructure and killed thousands of people.

4. Why did Hamas attack now?

This was a surprise. However, the timing of the attack brought attention to some events.

It comes as the United States is negotiating a landmark deal that would allow Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for US military security guarantees to ease Saudi concerns about rival Iran.

Although the agreement made some concessions to the Palestinians, it did not pave the way for an independent state. The attack was seen as an attempt by Hamas and Iran to block the deal.

Gulf Arab countries, seeking to establish ties with Israel, stopped short of condemning the attack.

The attack came amid a long-running political divide in Israel over the Netanyahu government’s control of the judiciary. Months of protests had divided the country.

The most right-wing government in Israel’s history, led by Netanyahu, is made up of politicians who oppose giving the Palestinians any land in the occupied areas to establish a state.

Some measures initiated by the previous government to improve the economic and living conditions of Palestinians, such as loans and work permits, have been stopped.

National Security Minister Ben Gvir’s visit to the Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem, just days after taking office in January, caused concern among Palestinians.

Although Netanyahu promised to maintain the historical “status quo” that allows only Muslims to pray at the holy site, Ben Gvir’s continued visits during the summer months were seen as a provocation.

Turkey also stated that Israel should “respect the historical and legal status quo of the Holy Aqsa Mosque and not violate it.”

In the West Bank, Palestinians have been carrying out sporadic attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers for months, while extremist Israeli settlers have also been attacking villages and setting cars and houses on fire.

Even last summer was shaping up to be the deadliest year for Palestinians and Israelis since the second intifada two decades ago.

Hamas decided to attack on Shabbat, the 50th anniversary of the start of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. This attack also took Israel by surprise. It was inaugurated on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

5. Why did Hamas take hostages?

The objective of the attack was to capture many Israeli soldiers and civilians. The hostage-taking incident dealt a major blow to Israel. While the Israeli air force struck Gaza after the attack, the presence of hostages in the overcrowded region posed a risk. There were approximately 4,500 Hamas members in Israeli prisons and the hostages would be used as leverage for these Palestinians. Israel had previously freed at least 1,000 Palestinians to save the only Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.