Hamas and Israel have conflicted for decades. Hamas is an Islamic Palestinian political party that was created to oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestine. On the other side, we have the Jewish state of Israel, which has occupied Palestinian land since 1948 and refuses to give it back despite numerous UN resolutions demanding such action.
The two entities are currently at war, claiming they want peace while simultaneously fighting against each other. In this blog post, we will explore Hamas vs. Israel: the changing dynamics in the Middle East by exploring how these two groups came into being, what their goals are now, and where they seem likely to go from here.
Who is Hamas?
Hamas, an Arabic acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement,” was created in 1987 during the First Intifada. Hamas is a Palestinian political party that opposes Israel’s occupation of Palestine and calls to establish a state on all land occupied by Israel since 1948.
In 2006, Hamas won 66 out of 132 seats in the elections. They have been labeled a terrorist organization by the United States, Israel, Canada, and the European Union.
Hamas is not a hierarchical structure with one leader but instead has an administrative council that makes decisions together on their behalf.
In Hebrew, it is commonly called “HaMossad le-Modi’in ule-Tafkidis,” or ha-Mossad le-Modiin ule-Tafkidim Meyuhadim. Hamas does not consider the Israel state of being legitimate. They have been at odds for decades now.
In recent years, several tensions have emerged between the two.
The most notable is in 2014 when Israel launched Operation Protective Edge against Gaza and killed more than 2000 Gazans. 2021 should not have come as much of a surprise.
Who are the Israeli’s?
The Israeli are people living in the Middle East with roots tracing back to ancient Israel.
The modern state of Israel was founded on May 14, 1948, and is now home to about 74% Jews (around six million) and 20% Arabs (~ one and half million). This number has been shrinking due to emigration.
Historical events between the two have been less than cordial (to put it lightly). Neither side has clean hands. We will explore this in some detail.
Historical Look
1987 – Hamas was created to stop Israel from taking over the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They carried out their first attack two years later to kidnap and kill two Israeli soldiers.
In 1993, after many years of violence, the first Oslo Accord was signed. Hamas opposed this peace process and wanted to derail it with bus bombings and gun attacks in Israel.
In 2000, the Israelis and Palestinians disagreed on a final agreement. This was because of the protests over Sharon’s visit to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem. These protests led to a second Intifada.
2001-02 – A series of Hamas suicide bombings in Israel led to the killing of 21 Israelis in 2001 and 30 others at a Passover dinner in March 2002. Four months later, Hamas’ military commander Salah Shehadeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike, and Israel started a siege of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
In March and April 2004, the Israeli airstrikes killed the co-founders of Hamas. They were both important people for Hamas. After they died, Hamas wanted to keep their deaths a secret, so they hid from other people.
In 2005, Israeli forces started a withdrawal from Gaza that they had captured from Egypt in 1967. They left the people there with less territory to live on.
Jan. 25, 2006 – Hamas won the majority of seats in a Palestinian legislative election. Israel and United States cut off aid to Palestinians because Hamas refused to renounce violence and recognize Israel.
The Palestinian Legislative Election was held on Jan. 25, 2006. Hamas won most seats in the election, which made Hamas refuse to renounce violence against Israel.
In 2006, Hamas militants captured an Israeli soldier. In response to this event, Israel attacked the Gaza Strip and then later exchanged the captured soldier with other prisoners in a prisoner exchange.
On June 14, 2007, the Hamas movement took over Gaza in a brief civil war ousting Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas is based in the West Bank, which has led to international isolation.
The Israeli military launched a 22-day offensive in Gaza in 2008 after the Palestinians fired rockets at the southern Israel town of Sederot. Outcomes of this conflict are 1,400 Palestinian deaths and 13 Israeli deaths before both sides agree to a ceasefire.
Israel killed Hamas’s military chief of staff, Ahmed Jabari, in November 2012, and Israeli airstrikes followed eight days later.
Hamas looking to make a name for themselves, kidnaps three Israeli teens and commits their murders, initiating the 51-day long war that leaves over 2,000 Palestinians dead and 67 Israelis.
Beginning in March 2018, Palestinian protesters at the Gaza border with Israel have protested against its blockade. Israeli troops open fire to keep them back, and more than 170 Palestinians are reported killed during protests that prompt fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces.
May 7, 2021 – In an area adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, clashes are filmed between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters following a legal ruling where Israel ruled that eight Palestinian families in the neighborhood of Jabal Mukabber face losing their homes to Jewish settlers.
On May 10th, the conflict between Hamas and Israel escalated as Palestinian protesters at the Al-Aqsa compound were met with Israeli security forces. After a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza into Israel, Israel attacked anew with airstrikes on Gaza.
May 11 – The number of casualties continues to rise as air raids continue. A 13-story Gaza residential building crumbles after being hit during an Israeli airstrike. Palestinian militants launch rockets deep into Israel.
On May 12th, The United States announces the sending of an envoy to the region. Israel’s military kills a senior Hamas official in Gaza during heavy fighting with Hamas militants.
May 13 – violence continues with ongoing rocket fire and Israeli airstrikes in mixed communities of Jews and Arabs. Synagogues are attacked, dozens are injured, and clashes break out across Israel.
May 14 – Israel launches a military operation against tunnels near Gaza, intending to destroy them. Militant forces in Gaza respond by shooting rockets at nearby Israeli territory.
On 15 May – an Israeli airstrike destroyed a 12-story tower block that housed international news organizations while Palestinian militants fired rocket salvoes at Tel Aviv.
On May 16th, Israeli forces destroyed multiple houses in the Gaza Strip with airstrikes that killed 42 people, including 10 children. The fighting has escalated after a recent truce had given hope of peace between Hamas and Israel.
Starting on May 17th, Israeli missiles killed top Islamic Jihad commander Hussam Abu Harbeed. Rockets fired by Hamas hit a synagogue in the Israeli town of Ashkelon and an apartment block in Ashdod.
United Nations humanitarian agency reports that nearly 450 buildings in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or badly damaged, including six hospitals and nine primary-care health centers. Around 52,000 people have fled their homes, with most sheltering in U.N.-run schools.
Hamas and Israel clashed on May 19th over the territory of Gaza. The Israeli military said about 4,000 rockets had been launched from Gaza at its land since July 8th of 2018, with most being intercepted by missile defenses. There have also been 600 rockets that landed within Gaza. U.S President Joe Biden has urged both sides to de-escalate.
Talks intensify as the violence continues. On May 20, Israeli authorities reported 12 people killed in Israel and 160 militants killed by Israeli forces. Health officials in Gaza have verified that 232 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and more than 1,900 injured.
May 20 – Hamas and the Israeli cabinet agreed to a truce.
What Next
Considering that this is not the first truce and ceasefire that Israel has struck with Hamas, we can only assume that it will not last. The underlying issues have not been resolved.
Neither Hamas nor Israel should be allowed to kill with impunity. The actions of both Hamas and Israel need to be condemned by the international community.
I do not know what will happen in the future, but I hope this ceasefire is a step towards lasting peace between these two nations.
The Role of America and the West
From the foundation of the modern Israeli state, America and the rest of the West have cast a protective figure around her. This has included the provision of aid to build a military that could defend Israel.
Today, the American taxpayer funds the Israeli military to the tune of $22 million each day.
This military is then used to attack Hamas, who are often firing rockets into Israel from inside densely populated Gaza with no regard for the civilian population in their own country.
It seems that American money and influence have had a big impact on this conflict and other conflicts in the region.
The imposition of sanctions has been suggested as one way to curb things. Unfortunately, these sanctions are often one-sided. Israeli leaders have never been subjected to any. Yet, Arab leaders have had them thrown at them.
By the same token, the wealthier economies such as Saudi Arabia tend to evade these. Even with their appalling human rights record. We seem to pick and choose who to punish.
Israel is one of the world’s most militarized societies. 300,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem live on land that was not part of Israel pre-1967.
The international community has largely been reluctant to intervene with any punitive measure against Israel for this, let alone anything more stringent like sanctions or outright condemnation. Let us know what you think.
