Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization that has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. It was founded in 1987 as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, and it is dedicated to the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Hamas is best known for its armed resistance to Israel, and it has fought four wars against Israel since taking power in Gaza in 2007. Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Mashaal are based in Qatar.
Dozens of countries have designated Hamas a terrorist organization, though some apply this label only to its military wing. Hamas uses improvised explosive devices, short- and long-range rockets and mortars, small arms, kidnapping operations, rocket-propelled grenades, man-portable air defense systems, antitank missiles, and unmanned aircraft systems in attacks against Israeli military forces and civilians. Hamas has launched thousands of rockets at Israel and carried out other deadly attacks.
