Behind the Mask of Hamas: A Detailed Analysis on the World’s Most Manipulative Terror Organization
The war between Israel and Hamas is in full gear. Countless of fired rockets and missiles are met with devastating airstrikes. Public opinion seems to be more divided than ever before and based primarily on sheer emotion and misinformation which sole purpose seems to divide the masses even further. As I scroll around on platforms such as X and LinkedIn, as well as through the countless of articles and “analyses” of so called institutionalized mainstream media engines, one thing becomes abundantly clear: The majority of commentators on this war have zero to very limited knowledge of what Hamas truly is and more importantly, what it represents… In this article, I will lay bare the true face of Hamas, hidden behind its extensive web of propaganda, manipulation, corruption, extortion, and sabotage. For make no mistake, Hamas is arguably the most manipulative and dangerous terrorist organization in the world. Not just to the survival of Israel, but to global stability and order as well.
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Brief Historic Overview of Hamas
Before we delve into the elements that make Hamas so dangerous and effective at what they do, a brief history lesson is in order. Hamas was originally founded as an extension of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza. Originally founded in 1973 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin as “al-Mujama al-Islamiya”, an Islamic social-religious charity organization, the group became increasingly popular due to its extensive social networks and influence. Networks the group relies upon until this very day. Back in those days, the Israeli government paid little mind to the organization for they believed it to be significantly less militant than the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization), and Fatah. However, these deductions soon proved to be misguided. During the 1980s, the organization started to exhibit more and more characteristics of an actual militia. In 1984, Yassin was arrested on the charges of collecting and stockpiling arms to be used against Israeli elements. He later was released as part of a prisoner exchange in 1985, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his militant agenda. Over the course of the next two years, Yassin actively recruited young Palestinians, often students, to engage in matters such as internal security and hunting informants loyal to the Israeli authorities.
The formation of Hamas as we know it today, occurred in December 1987. Several members of the Muslim Brotherhood came together after an incident involving an Israeli Army truck and multiple Palestinian daytime workers who were allegedly crushed to death after the truck hit a checkpoint in Gaza. During the meeting, calls for more active and radical forms of resistance formed the undertone and were met with the blessings of Ahmed Yassin himself. Over the course of the next couple months, it further honed its new militant nature, being perceived as the perfect combination of a righteous religious entity combined with the militant characteristics and objectives of existing organizations and movements such as the PLO. The group also started to separate itself from the Muslim Brotherhood more and more, as well as maintain a clear distinction between its charitable and militant arms. A smart move indeed, as this allowed each arm of the group to operate freely and on its own merit. In August 1988, Hamas officially published its own Hamas Charter, defining itself as a chapter of the Muslim Brotherhood aiming to establish an Islamic state within the original borders of Palestine.
The first clashes between Israel and Hamas occurred during the First Intifada (1987-1993). During those years, Hamas started to rely extensively on kidnapping attempts, suicide bombings, and punishing Palestinian collaborators. It also created its now famed Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the primary militant wing of the organization. Its bold actions and expansions over the course of the First Intifada caused a surge in popularity among the Palestinians, who perceived Hamas as a fresh and energetic alternative to the more institutionalized parties such as Fatah and the PLO. Over the course of the following years, in which the PLO and Israeli authorities undertook more extensive efforts to create bridges and initiate lasting peace negotiations, Hamas often sabotaged these negotiations with brutal and violent attacks aimed to drive the two parties further away from each other. It also expanded its networks to Lebanon, Syria, and Iran where it gained access to militaristic and logistical support. During the Second Intifada (2000-2005), The al-Qassam Brigades focused on both military style attacks as well as shock tactics such as suicide bombings against civilian targets. During those years its popularity surged as well as Palestinian support for military action against Israel, with at its height a percentage of about 86%. As Israeli and the Palestinian Authorities were working tirelessly towards peaceful resolutions, Hamas and its leadership proved to be a huge obstacle in the way. This accumulated eventually into the assassination of Ahmed Yassin in 2004.
A huge turning point for the organization occurred in 2005, with the imminent withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza strip and the death of famed Palestinian authority figure, Yasser Arafat, who had been the main voice of reason, calm, and peace over the course of the last few years. Hamas decided to enter the Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, competing against their main rival, the Fatah party, whose views had grown considerably less radical and more geared towards lasting peace than military action and uprising. Both the US as well as Israel believed it to be essential for the Fatah party to prevail in the elections to keep the dream of lasting peace alive. The US pumped millions of dollars into the campaigns of the Palestinian authority in the hopes it would maintain the upper hand over Hamas. Fatah and Hamas both proved to be the most popular parties throughout the process, both carrying a respective 44% and 34% approval rating up until the very last moment. However, in the end Hamas suddenly surged in popularity as Fatah seemed to admit defeat even before the votes had been counted. This incident remains one of the most dubious events in Palestinian political history up until this very day. In the end, Hamas won the elections with a majority of 76 seats. Many in the international community insist that the elections went completely by the book, but many analysts believe Hamas sabotaged the elections and gained superior public support through illegitimate practices. In the beginning of 2007, Hamas and Fatah sought the creation of a unity government which was done in approval with Hamas’ leadership and the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. However, this rare unity didn’t last long. For a few months later the brutal Battle of Gaza occurred in which Hamas ousted Fatah and took complete control of the Gaza strip. During this inner conflict, Hamas resorted to brutal tactics of torture and execution aimed at Gazans loyal to Fatah or suspected of collaboration with the PA or the Israeli government. Suspects were riled up, being tortured, beaten, or straight up executed in front of their family’s eyes. In many ways the Battle of Gaza was a turning point for Hamas. It allowed the organization to transition from a radical idealistic militia to the main political power in Gaza, gaining complete control of the area’s economy, infrastructure, security, logistics, education programs, news outlets, and political and social infrastructure. This evolution was also visible in their military developments and tactics. The organization could now bend the local infrastructure and population to serve its military development. No longer did the organization needed to rely on suicide attacks, kidnappings, or small scale hit and run operations. It could now properly organize and prepare for more direct military engagements on a larger scale. The Gaza War (2008-2009), Operation Cast Lead (2012), and Operation Protective Edge (2014) saw Hamas’ military wing make use of its vast arsenal of rockets and short to medium range missiles, anti tank missiles, and ambush tactics, as well as rely on asymmetrical tactics such as the use of IED’s, mines, and vast tunnel systems from which they could evade Israeli troops or infiltrate the enemies borders. Many of these tactics have been honed and further developed over the course of the last decade and will now prove to be an active challenge for IDF troops to overcome in the ensuing conflict.
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Hamas’ Modus Operandi
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Over the years, Hamas has resorted to various tactics and strategies regarding its activities of terrorism and propaganda. As an organization that is constantly developing, Hamas has found many creative ways in which to hurt and damage a militarily and technologically superior adversary. Most of the tactics deployed by Hamas can be called asymmetrical at best, and at its worst, going against every rule written inside international law regarding the rules and regulations of engagement in armed conflict and war. As the war between Israel and Hamas rages on, it has become abundantly clear to me that most ordinary people, as well as so called “experts” and analysts, have a subpar and mediocre understanding of the group at best. At a time in which the distribution of misinformation and inaccurate intelligence is at an all time high, it is absolutely essential that anyone commenting on the elements and developments of the current war has a profound understanding of what Hamas is, and exactly how it operates. Failure to uphold this standard will most certainly result in the copying and mindless spreading of more misinformation, which in turn will play right into the hands of the manipulative terrorist organization. In order to give my readers a more detailed and profound image regarding the nature and strategies of Hamas’ activities, I will categorize the methods used by the group under various subcategories. These will be as follows:
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-????????? Political
-????????? Military
-????????? Economic
-????????? Social/Religious
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Over the years, the organization has greatly enhanced and developed its methods, strategies, and tactics in each of these spheres with the help of foreign sponsors and allied governments such as the nations of Iran and Syria, as well as many private and public sponsors in the Gulf States. Knowing what methods Hamas employs in each of these spheres is important in order to understand the main objectives and ambitions of the organization, which will be discussed in detail before the end of this article.
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Political Methods & Tactics
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As we know, over the course of the last few decades Hamas has institutionalized itself as a strong political party in Gaza as well as the West Bank. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Hamas presented itself as a radical party opposed to the softer and more diplomatic approach of their adversaries within the PLO and later the PA and Fatah. Hamas first and foremost wants to present itself as an organization devoted to the “liberation” of Palestine and aims to present itself to the Palestinian people as liberators and freedom fighters, a concept which is rather inciting given the harsh and restricted living conditions of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza where Hamas is at its strongest. Since 2007, Hamas is in complete control of the Gaza Strip, enforcing its laws and policies through various ministries and government organizations. After their internal struggles with Fatah in 2007 and 2011, we can deduct that Hamas is keen on having sole rule of the Gaza Strip and ideally the Palestinian people as a whole. Over the course of their reign in Gaza, they have shown inability and unwillingness to cooperate with elements of the Palestinian Authority and other parties such as Fatah. They have relied upon hostile tactics and methods such as extortion, assassinations, corruption, intimidation, propaganda, torture, abduction, and sabotage in order to eliminate or submit their political adversaries. During Hamas’ hostile takeover of Gaza in 2007, the group relentlessly hunted down sympathizers of Fatah or the PA, as well as those they deemed “collaborators” which resulted in mass killings, disappearances, unlawful detention, abductions, torture, and extortion. In order for the vision of Hamas to work, there can be no challenge to either their authority or message within their territories. It is a crucial part of their overall strategy and one they will uphold to the fullest extent possible.
As for its political strategy towards its direct enemy, Israel, as well as the international community, the group has relied upon more sophisticated and strategic methods over the course of the last two decades. As public perception is the primary weapon of Hamas, the organization has built and sponsored a variety of ministries and government organizations as well as NGOs in order to legitimize themselves in the eyes of the international community and provide itself with a stronger and more complex foundations from which to influence public perception in their favor. They’ve also relied on the networks of foreign NGOs from friendly governments such as those from Turkey and other Islamic countries in order to reinforce their propaganda in times of conflict and war. This is ideal for Hamas, as it can now use voices outside of Gaza in order to strengthen the credibility of their messages and misinformation campaigns. I have decided to list a few of these organizations, which have been confirmed by various sources from France, Switzerland, and the US to have strong ties or direct links to Hamas, down below:
-????????? Palestinian NGOs – the Boycott National Committee (BNC)
-????????? The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) PACBI)
-????????? Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)
-????????? Al-Haq, Addameer, Defense for Children International - Palestine (DCI-P)
-????????? North American NGOs – American Muslims for Palestine (AMP),
-????????? Samidoun UK NGOs – Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA)
-????????? Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC)
-????????? The Palestinian Return Center (PRC) Belgian NGO – European Coordination of Committees for Palestine (ECCP)
-????????? South African NGO – BDS South Africa
In times of relative peace or active ceasefires, these organizations are usually geared towards putting pressure on the international community, often using inaccurate intelligence, propaganda, fake news, sabotaged statistics, as well as manipulative narratives in order to gain support for their cause as well as pressure the international community on taking a harder stand against Israel, which in turn will limit Israel’s freedom of political as well as military movement. In times of war, these organizations are working constantly in order to manipulate accounts, images, and narratives of the fighting in order to influence and manipulate public perception as well as the international community’s stance towards Israel in the hopes it will force the Israelis to abandon their military objectives under the burden of international pressure. Many of the methods and tactics employed by Hamas and these NGO’s might be defined as “Lawfare”, or in other words, weaponizing their knowledge of international law and regulations in order to besmirch the reputation of the adversary. In reality, this might look like the following instance: Hamas stores stockpiles of their arms and rockets inside, underneath, or around civilian infrastructure. Israel responds by urging locals to evacuate as they are about to strike the given target. As the strike hits and damage is being assessed by Hamas, the NGO’s take over the accounts and intel they received from Hamas, as well as eventual images and footage, and will now use their status within their networks and channels, as well as within the international community, in order to accuse Israel of deliberately targeting innocent civilian lives.
What these organizations understand about politics and global human rights movements is the fact that they respond first and foremost on an emotional level. Brutal images that play right into the Samaritan hearts of such movements and individuals will almost certainly bring about a response based upon sheer emotion and initial disgust, even though the narrative or the footage in question might be fake, altered, or manipulated. A proper example of this is the situation regarding the explosion around the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza which occurred roughly a week ago. The first accounts of NGOs, human rights movements, as well as institutionalized global news outlets were exact copies of the statements of Hamas senior members and advocates, as well as Hamas controlled news outlets such as the Al-Aqsa TV and Quds network. They spoke of the “complete destruction” of the hospital in question, between 500-700 killed, thousands wounded, and countless more trapped underneath the rubble. In the days that followed, actual intelligence was gathered and quickly many of these myths were debunked. The hospital itself was never struck, it appeared to be a parking lot near the hospital instead. The hospital itself was still standing and intact, the projectile seemed to be more likely to be a rocket instead of an air-to-surface missile, and footage released by the IDF as well as various international sources depict a large-scale rocket launch towards Israel mere moments before the alleged strike at the hospital occurred. This is just one of the many examples in which we see Hamas and its loyal elements manipulate the political and public perception.
Over the years, Hamas has learned to become more refined, sophisticated, and manipulative in its political activities and efforts. It understands that its greatest weapon is an appeal upon the empathy of the public and the international community as a whole. It has come to know and understand the political playing field and infrastructure and has provided itself with the right networks and elements in order to wage a full-scale information war upon these fronts, whilst maintaining a draconian and repressive regime inside Gaza which allows no alternative voices or ideologies whatsoever.
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Military Strategies & Tactics
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Hamas has relied upon a large variety of military or militant strategies and tactics throughout its existence. At first, the group limited itself to tactics of sabotage, diversion, kidnapping, and suicide attacks. As the organization created, developed, and enhanced its military wing, its capabilities rose accordingly. At present, Hamas is a fully functioning military organization with established command structures, logistics, and various units. Due to its ever-growing arsenal of rockets, and short to mid range missiles, it can now target almost every area within southern and central Israel. Its utilization of IED’s, landmines, anti tank mines and missiles, and vast underground network allows it to slow the advancement of enemy troops and military convoys significantly, making them more prone to ambushes launched on street level or from within the many buildings and apartment blocks of Gaza. The military wing of Hamas has received considerable support from other organizations such as Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as foreign nations such as Iran and Syria. These allies have often provided their services in the form of shared intelligence, training, arms supplies, and financial backing.
Before we delve into the exact military strategies and tactics of Hamas, we must take a look at its military wing and the way it is made up. The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade is the name of Hamas’ military wing and by far the strongest and largest militant group within the Gaza Strip. It oversees every military activity of Hamas and can function completely on its own. The separation between the military and political elements of Hamas allows for a case of plausible deniability and make it harder for the enemy to deduct a clear command structure. The brigade has various operational units, each designated to a certain specialism or area of operations. Among these are units that focus on cyberwarfare, mortar & rocket fire, intelligence, infiltrations, and raids. These units often operate in close proximity to, or even within civilian infrastructure and often wear civilian clothes and attire. In recent times, the al-Qassam Brigade has developed its own specialized units or “special operations units” as they like to refer to them. The most famous of these is without doubt the “Nukhba” unit. They are officially designated as “naval commandos”, looking to attack and/or infiltrate Israeli territory by sea. However, the October 7th attacks show us that the unit has a much broader scale of activities. The IDF considers the Nukhba unit as the main culprit of the horrific attacks that took place at the beginning of this month. During the assault, the unit exhibited their ability to infiltrate enemy terrain from its vast tunnel network as well as from the air as they descended with parachutes into Southern Israel. These attacks serve as a testament to the fact that Hamas is no longer a mere terrorist organization which limits itself to suicide attacks, bombings, and kidnappings alone. The al-Qassam Brigade can now be perceived as a fully operational militant force with both conventional as well as unconventional capabilities, trained and funded by Islamic regimes and allied militant groups in the area.
This notion is further reinforced by the kind of weapons and equipment the brigade has at its disposal. Recent images and camera footage depicts combatants equipped with modern and customized assault rifles, often outfitted with tactical sights, modified grips, and grenade launchers. Apart from that, the brigade has access to various drones and UAV’s, anti-tank guided missiles such as the Russian Kornet-E class missiles, and the North Korean Bulsae-2, MANPADS such as the Russian SA Igla, Qassam rockets for short range rocket attacks as well as a number of short to mid range missiles that can reach targets in Southern and Central Israel. Apart from that, the brigade as access to a large number of IED’s and anti-tank and personnel mines which they often install in urban areas to halt the advance of enemy troops in times of war. The longer Hamas is allowed to exist, the more developed it will inevitably become. With Iranian sponsorship as well as arms shipments and training from Hezbollah, the group has greatly enhanced its capabilities and combat readiness over the course of the last decade. Not just due to its access to more advanced weaponry and possession of larger stockpiles of rockets and missiles, but due to its professionalized organization and command structure as well.
Although militarily Hamas primarily relies on rocket fire, mortar attacks, infiltration, and targeted raids, there’s another tactic they heavily rely upon for both offensive as well as defensive purposes and that is the optimization of civilian elements in times of war and conflict. The October 7th attacks have once again showed us that Hamas has little regard for civilian life. In the eyes of the organization, civilian targets are fair game and even favored over traditional military targets as the resulting shock factor will be twice as high. It follows the same doctrine in regard to their own population within the Gaza Strip. Since the groups takeover in 2007, Hamas has placed stockpiles of its arms and rockets in close proximity and/or within civilian infrastructure such as apartment blocks, mosques, schools, aid centers, and hospitals. It deliberately constructed its vast network of tunnels underneath the same civilian infrastructure which provides them with almost unlimited entry and exit points, whilst placing booby traps in the same apartments and/or buildings. When it comes to projectile weapons, Hamas has a tendency to install mortars and rocket installations within urban areas as well as launch them from the rooftops of apartment blocks, hospitals, and other civilian infrastructure. During IDF ground operations in the past, Hamas has made significant use of ambushes against Israeli troops being initiated from within multiple tier apartment blocks and civilian houses. For Hamas, every civilian casualty can be weaponized. It is a vital part of their overall strategy. The organization is aware that nothing shakes the foundations of the international community as heavily as the accounts of scorched women and infants, or adamant aid workers crushed under a pile of rubble. Hamas knows that Israel has gone to great lengths to avoid and/or minimize civilian casualties to the best of their abilities. Often providing multiple warnings to the civilian population before initiating their airstrikes in the form of leaflets, digital messages, and audio or televised broadcasts. Hamas intends to make it almost impossible for Israeli forces to differentiate between civilians and combatants, often dressing themselves in civilian attire whilst performing their militant activities or optimizing civilian logistics in their operations. The following sheet showcases multiple incidents of Hamas deliberately using or optimizing civilian infrastructure for offensive as well as defensive objectives between the period 2004-2014:
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These are just a few examples of the way Hamas optimizes civilian infrastructure and elements in order to manipulate public perception and deceive the international community. But Hamas isn’t just optimizing civilian infrastructure and elements from a materialistic point of view. Rather, it aims to persuade the Palestinian population to sacrifice their lives as well as that of their loved ones willingly and by choice. They have various ways in which they attempt to do this. For one, they will often rely on intimidation practices, not allowing civilians to leave in the wake of Israeli warnings regarding imminent airstrikes. Often threatening to kill them or their loved ones should they attempt to leave. Secondly, they will often disregard Israeli warnings as enemy propaganda and psychological warfare, insisting that such warnings are not to be heeded and that no evacuation efforts need to be initiated. Lastly, they solicit upon the faith and pride of the Palestinian people, arguing that sacrificing their lives in service to Palestine is a direct act of defiance against the Zionists and will be greatly rewarded by God in paradise. Down below I will list a few quotes from Hamas officials in which they openly admit to such practices and even proudly defend them:
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Hamas Officials: (via spokespeople)
2006: “The citizens will continue defending their pride and houses and will continue to
serve as human shields until the enemy will withdraw.”
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2014: “The fact that people are willing to sacrifice themselves against Israeli warplanes in
order to protect their homes, I believe this strategy is proving itself. And we, Hamas, call
on our people to adopt this practice.”
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2014: “Hamas despise those defeatist Palestinians that criticize the high number of civilian
casualties. The resistance praises our people…we lead our people to death…I mean, to war.”
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Fathi Hamad, Hamas MP:
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2008: “For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry.. This is why they have
formed human shields of the women, the children, the elderly and the mujahideen.
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Khaled Mashal, Head of the Hamas Political Bureau (1996-2017):
“If you will foolishly decide to enter Gaza, we will fight you. You will face not only thousands of our combatants, but also a million and a half of our population, driven by the desire to become martyrs.”
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Ministry of Interior in the Gaza Strip (via spokespeople):
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2009: “Men in uniform have been declared targets for air strikes. As a result, while outside
in the terrain, uniforms are to be discarded and civilian clothes are to be worn.”
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2014: “We call those who evacuated their houses to return immediately and stay there…
Israel’s warnings are nothing but psychological warfare… by leaving your houses you assist
the enemy to fulfil its plans, that is, annihilating your belongings and houses.”
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In times of war and armed conflict with Israel, Hamas has a tendency to resort to another brutal and utterly manipulative tactic in order to discredit Israel and deceive and manipulate public perception. During Operation Protective Edge (2014), Hamas would often execute civilians trying to leave a designated area after it was being issued with warnings from the IDF. They would then wait for the IDF to attack and in the direct aftermath of the artillery or airstrike, they would place the bodies of the executed civilians at those sites in order to exaggerate the civilian death toll and call upon the international community to prosecute Israel for war crimes. Another practice Hamas has long adhered to is to place the bodies of their fallen combatants dressed in civilian attire at struck sites or areas and proclaim them has civilian casualties. Given the fact that it has proven to be extremely difficult for the international community to accurately fact check and investigate incidents in Gaza, this tactic has proven to be extremely efficient, and you only have to look on your feed on X to see that it is doing its job beautifully…
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Economical Strategies & Tactics
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To many it will come as no surprise that the Gaza strip isn’t exactly a prime example of wealth and prosperity in any way, which includes economics. Although the blockades and restrictions placed upon it by the Israeli government as well as various parties within the international community certainly have had their effective, the cause isn’t as one-sided as one might think. Ever since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, it has aimed to uphold a harsh and crippling regime of total control and subordination of its civilian population. The same is true for Gaza’s economy, which is under complete control of Hamas. Funds, sponsorships, donations, and aid packages often fall under complete control of Hamas who then distribute them as they seem fit. Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have lost their jobs due to economic collapse, especially those that worked in Israel prior to 2007 and/or were involved in joint projects with Israeli enterprises.
As of right now, most of the funds available in Gaza come from outside sources such as the US, EU and UN, as well as various Islamic nations within the region. Especially the latter source needs to be viewed with extreme scrutiny. It’s one of the worst kept secrets in the current geopolitical sphere that nations such as Iran, Syria, Turkey, Yemen, Saudi-Arabia, and Qatar provide Hamas with a grand portion of its overall budget. This is further enhanced by leadership figures within Hamas who live abroad outside of Gaza and are often busy lobbying for more money with friendly and allied regimes in the Middle East. It comes as no surprise that a lot of the funds that enter Gaza are distributed by Hamas to places it doesn’t belong. The fact that Hamas has been able to build and develop large stockpiles of arms as well as gained access to more modern weapon systems stands as a testament to that very notion. Another issue is that these funds are often distributed to high profile members within the leadership of the organization, most of which are currently residing outside of Gaza in large estates and properties. Ismail Haniyeh, the highest-ranking member within Hamas, is estimated to have a net worth of approximately 3-4 billion USD.
Although Hamas needs full control of Gaza’s economy in order to keep itself and its political agenda standing, they don’t just optimize it for materialistic gains alone. Hamas prizes itself on being a provider of jobs and career opportunities. After Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and halted all of its projects involving laborers from the Gaza Strip, Hamas presented itself as saviors to its populace. They promised job opportunities, financial aid, social services programs, and favorable tax resolutions to sway the masses to their side. Even now, being a member of Hamas pays off. For example, its combatants serving in the Nukhba unit receive 400-500 USD a month as a starting salary, which is five times the average salary amongst Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Hamas aims to seduce and sway its populace to its side by promising large economic advantages by joining its ranks. Desperate civilians often don’t see another path to provide for their families in an area that is otherwise devoid of economic opportunity and development. This trend serves a psychological objective as well. As Israel turned their back on the Palestinians, Hamas rose up and promised them care and livelihood, aiming to solidify their loyalty and favor. The longer Hamas maintains its economic monopoly within Gaza, many will remain dependent on the funds and jobs they provide. This will make internal change and revolution highly unlikely.
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Social & Religious Methods & Strategies
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Originally being a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hamas has always presented itself as an attractive party for Sunni Muslims in Palestine and throughout the area. One of its first forms was that of a social-religious charity organization named al-Mujama al-Islamiya, and even today Hamas still heavily relies on social and religious practices in order to strengthen its foothold inside communities, attract positive PR, spread its religious/political message, recruit a new generation of fighters, and play into the zeitgeist. Up until 2013, Hamas laid a huge emphasis on the development of its social programs and distributed a significant portion of its budget to its social-religious causes. Apart from funding services such as nurseries, orphanages, schools, shelters, women activities, and food distribution, the group also laid its focus on the creation of jobs, financial aid packages, housing, and sport programs. As of right now, Hamas mostly places the responsibility of social welfare and development almost completely into the hands of the PA, but many of its networks still exist as it has proven to be an extremely efficient tool for recruitment as well as the spreading of its propaganda and efforts of indoctrination.
Let me explain in short why such activities and efforts are so important for Hamas, its terrorist activities, and its credibility in the eyes of Palestinians and Muslims around the globe. In Islamic tradition, the “Dawah”, or “Call to God” as it is translated, obliges the faithful to engage in extensive social projects and charity work. Under the Dawah, the “Waqf” is a special endowment under Islamic Law and revolves around the donation of assets, particularly the donation or funding of plots of land such as building, school, and mosques. This is further in accordance with the “Zakat”, one of the five pillars of Islam. The Zakat calls upon charitable donations in order to fund and extent social-religious projects and endeavors such as the creation of social and religious infrastructure, welfare programs, religious education, and community cohesion. Since the beginning of its rise, efforts such as these have proved to be one of the cornerstones of the organization’s success, especially given the fact that neither the PLO nor Fatah had ever engaged in such activities due to their primary focus on political resistance. The social-religious efforts of Hamas still to this very day are a huge part of its publicity and public endorsement campaigns. Hamas understands that religion is the absolute highest priority within the lives of Muslims in the Middle East, they live their lives in accordance with its laws, its history, and its doctrines, and in many cases are more than willing to give their lives in pursuit of a religious cause. Its one of the very reasons why martyrdom works so well within Islam, its already embedded within the customs of many of the more conservative and radical branches of the Islamic faith. In the eyes of many Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims throughout the region, Hamas provided them with certain advantages, opportunities, and care that no other party has done inside the Palestinian territories. Furthermore, it also proves to be a great tool to generate funding from state sponsors and abroad as well as those within the international community.
However, it comes as no surprise that the Dawah networks and efforts of Hamas run much deeper and are much more sinister by nature than initially meets the eye. We have already established that the main goals of Hamas’ social-religious activities and efforts is to increase its own public reception and endorsements, and secondary, to recruit and mold new fighters from current and future generations. But that alone is not enough, Hamas wants to take it a step further. The organization wants to control the vision, upbringing, values, predispositions, and mindset of the individual. It does so by installing vast networks of indoctrination and propaganda through every layer of society. From a very early age, children in Gaza are taught to hate the State of Israel and the Jewish culture as a whole, often depicting them as the source of all evil within the world and as a target they have to slay as part of their holy duty to their faith. Parents are encouraged to take their children to Hamas rallies where they will be further indoctrinated by the sight of their cheering parents upon the organizations calls to Jihad and the extermination of the Jewish people. In footages of such rallies, you will often see children outfitted with Hamas headbands, toy assault rifles, and flags belonging to the group. This phenomenon can currently also be seen in demonstrations and rallies around Europe and America, as often times you will witness a large number of children being present at such events. This is by no means incidental, in fact its part of their upbringing and indoctrination. For the earlier you expose children to hate and radical ideologies, the more embedded it will remain in their perceptions of life throughout their adult years.
When the children get older, they are often encouraged through schools, universities, mosques, community centers, and sporting groups to join Hamas “summer camps”. Inside these camps, the group will resort to a more militant approach in terms of its propaganda and indoctrination. One example of a consistent message from within these camps is that Jihad is not a mere choice but an obligation of every Muslim, and that it must be the duty of every Muslim and Palestinian to take up arms against the State of Israel and the Jewish people as a whole. During their time in these camps, emphasis is also placed on physical fitness, martial arts, operating basic weapon systems, and basic tactical maneuvers. Those that stand out during such camps are often recruited in a later stage by the organization. The camps also serve as a more widespread call to arms. Attendees are encouraged to introduce friends and family members, and schools and mosques often play a big part in encouraging youngsters to attend these camps. It stands as a testament to Hamas’ ultimate goal, which is to turn the entire population of Gaza into combatants which will in turn provide the group with shelter and support. The fact that much of the arms stockpiles, headquarters, and tunnel networks of the organization are based within or underneath schools, hospitals, mosques, and community buildings stand as an eerie reminder to the effectiveness of these Dawah networks…
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What is Hamas’ End Game?
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Now that we have delved deeper into the modus operandi of the organization, we must ask ourselves the question; what does Hamas wish to achieve in the end? Most of its activities are geared towards the destabilization of the State of Israel, the optimization of weaknesses and vulnerabilities within the enemies’ defenses as well as its social and political structure, and the manipulation of public perception in order to increase their credibility and positive image in Palestine as well as within the international community. But after all, these pursuits can be categorized as mere means to an end. I believe the ultimate goals of Hamas can be outlined in three objectives:
1.????? The organizations complete control over all Palestinians and all Palestinian territories, being recognized as the de facto rulers of the Palestinians by many within the international community.
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2.????? The destabilization of the State of Israel, which in the end will be overthrown by Muslim forces and from its ashes a new Nation of Palestine shall be erected.
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3.????? The extermination of the Jewish people as a whole as well as their “collaborators” in the West. Joining the call for global Jihad and the spreading of Islam to every corner of the world.
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Let us start with number one. In order for Hamas to strengthen its foundation and integration within Palestinian culture it must be recognized as the sole overall ruler and representatives of the Palestinian people. Even though their tones towards their rivals in the Fatah party in the West Bank have gone up and down in waves from hostile to tolerant, the internal conflicts in Gaza of 2007 and 2011 gave us a glimpse of Hamas’ ultimate objective. It wishes no rivals to their rule or message from within the Palestinian social and political frameworks. Fatah may hold control over the West Bank now, but the presence of Hamas is growing rapidly within these areas, even more so due to the extreme violence Palestinians and Arabs in the West Bank face from Jewish settlers who are often backed by the far-right Netanyahu government. If this goal was to be achieved, it would mean that Hamas will have gained the complete and unconditional support of the Palestinian people, calls or conditions laid out by the Israeli government to abolish the organization will fall on deaf ears, and a two-state solution will be nothing short of impossible. One of the strongest appeals Hamas has to the Palestinians is the fact that they present themselves as freedom fighters to their cause, which combined with their Dawah networks will provide them with a strong path into the hearts and minds of the frustrated Palestinian people. If Hamas succeeds in rallying a vast majority of Palestinians to their cause, many in the international community, especially regimes within the Middle East, will undoubtedly recognize Hamas as the sole representatives of the Palestinian people and back them economically, politically, and maybe even militarily. All the while making it harder for Israel and Western governments to neutralize the group.
This brings us to the organizations second objective, which is the destabilization of the State of Israel. In many ways, the October 7th attacks can be perceived as an indirect result of Israel’s inner social-political turmoil. For a long time, the people of Israel have been divided in regard to the policies executed by the Netanyahu government, especially those on and around the West Bank. Hamas aimed to make optimal use of this inner turmoil by overwhelming the State of Israel with a brutal surprise attack. But this might just be the beginning and nothing compared to what’s in store for them in the future. Let’s say Hamas ultimately does succeed in achieving sole government over the Palestinian territories. Then, a two-state solution will prove to be impossible given the fact that the Israeli government will never recognize Hamas’ legitimacy. This will continue to spark tensions even more and will leave the Israeli population even more conflicted and frustrated in the wake of a problem that seems to be never ending. Hamas will look to take advantage of this eventual inner turmoil by sabotaging communal relations within the West Bank as well as uprisings throughout the Palestinian territories and Israel itself. Its ultimate hope will then be to leave the State of Israel vulnerable to an attack with its security services overwhelmed and preoccupied. But you can be assured that by that time an attack can easily take the shape of an all-round attempted surprise invasion on a scale last seen in the early days of the Yom Kippur War (1973), backed up by Hezbollah, Iran, Syria, and perhaps a host of other militaries or militant groups from the region. In such a “Holy War”, the united Muslim forces will seek the complete destruction of the State of Israel and from its ashes will seek to build a new Nation of Palestine which will come under direct control of Hamas and its sponsors.
This scenario will eventually take us to the group’s last, and in my eyes, ultimate objective, which is the initiation of a global Jihad in which the group will aim to exterminate the entirety of the Jewish population as well as call on its supporters and allies across the globe to waste war against the West. The events of the past few weeks have reinforced my believe that this is indeed the group’s ultimate objective. It wishes to ignite a fire in the Middle East from which there is no turning back, one that will draw in nations such as Iran, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, as well as western militaries such as the United States. If this were to happen, the potential geopolitical destabilization that follows might embolden other nations such as North Korea, China, Pakistan, India, Saudi-Arabia, and Russia to act out and seek to gain advantage from the ensuing chaos which will in turn envelop the world into a widespread global conflict. Hamas knew that Israel’s response to the October 7th attacks would be devastating. In fact, it counted upon it, for it has to be Israel itself that delivers the spark to ignite the flames of regional and global conflict. For now, it seems that only the presence of US Aircraft Carriers within the Mediterranean has convinced other parties such as Hezbollah, the Houthi rebels, and Iran from directly joining the war. But by just listening to the rhetoric from these regimes over the course of the past few weeks teaches us that a catastrophic event such as the one described above is actually closer to reality than one might initially think.
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?Final Thoughts
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This article has become much larger than I originally intended. However, as this war develops, and more and more voices pop up on social media, within talk shows, and on public broadcasts, I realized the world needs to see and understand the true face of this highly efficient and manipulative terrorist organization in order to comment from a position of logic and knowledge upon the developments within the conflict. Over the course of this article, I have tried to summarize my knowledge about Hamas which I have cultivated over almost 15 years of extensively studying and investigating the group, as well as countless other Islamic terrorist and militant organizations. Hamas to me, is the most efficient and refined terrorist organization on the planet and the only one that up until now has truly achieved many of the objectives it originally set out to achieve. Prove of this can simply be found on social media platforms such as X and Facebook, where disinformation and inaccurate intelligence is roaring like a tornado through the feeds of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The public perception in the West has also heavily been influenced by the narratives of Hamas. Institutionalized global news outlets seem to mindlessly repeat the accounts provided to them by the tainted sources of Hamas and their news outlets such as the Al-Aqsa TV Network, the Health Ministry of Gaza, and many NGOs that have been openly supportive to Hamas. To me, it seems that for many commoners and professionals alike, this conflict is too complicated to fully grasp. They act as the perfect prey for Hamas and its efforts of sabotage and propaganda. The more bombs fall on Gaza, the harder it is for such individuals to be confronted by the realities of war, especially those that have lived for decades within the comforts and safety of Western civilization and society. It has softened them and civilized them to a point in which the uncivilized can only be met with outrage and disgust, instead of analytical and logical thinking. And herein lies the very core of Hamas’ power as well as its eerie malevolent nature, for it seeks to weaponize the “good” and consciousness of the global community and turn it against themselves, with most not even knowing that it happens in the first place. For if Hamas can’t have truth or sincerity on its side, emotional response and impulsive bellowing sure as hell makes up for it…
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Software engineer
4 个月You and theIDF are the terrorist organization hamas are freedom fighters.... Even the MauMau were called terrorist...but they were freedom fighters