Municipal elections were held between December 2004 and December 2005, to elect members of local councils in the Palestinian Territories . The elections were approved by President Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), before his death on 11 November 2004. They were administered by the Higher Committee for Local Elections (HCLE), a body established under the authority of the Ministry for Local Government, an institution of the Palestinian National Authority.
74-614: It were the first local elections held by the PNA. Previous municipal elections were held in 1972 and 1976, organized by the Israeli occupation power. The elections were scheduled to take place in five rounds, but the fifth was not carried out, because of the situation in Palestinian Territories after the formation of a Hamas -led government. Approximately 25% of Palestinians lived in districts that did not have elections. In
148-409: A truce (for a period of 10–100 years ) based on the 1967 borders are seen by many as being consistent with a two-state solution , while others state that Hamas retains the long-term objective of establishing one state in former Mandatory Palestine . While the 1988 Hamas charter was widely described as antisemitic , Hamas's 2017 charter removed the antisemitic language and said Hamas's struggle
222-678: A "clash with the enemies", a "struggle against Zionism" and "conflict with Israel". They wrote that 'Palestine', that is all of the territory that belonged to the British Mandate for Palestine (that is, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea ), should be "liberated" from " Zionism " and transformed into an Islamic Waqf (Islamic charitable endowment ) in which "followers of all religions can coexist in security and safety". Practically speaking, Hamas
296-547: A 10-year hudna in return for complete withdrawal from all territories captured in the Six-Day War , the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, and the "right of return" for all Palestinian refugees. Rantissi gave interviews with European reporters and said the hudna was limited to ten years and represented a decision by the movement because it was "difficult to liberate all our land at this stage;
370-409: A 10-year truce, or hudna , to Israel, contingent on the creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin indicated that such truce could be extended for 30, 40, or even 100 years, but it would never signal a recognition of Israel. A Hamas official explained that having an indefinite truce with Israel doesn't contradict Hamas's lack of recognition of Israel, comparing it to
444-545: A Jew takes my home and expels me from it, I will fight him. I don't fight other countries because I want to be at peace with them, I love all people and wish peace for them, even the Jews. The Jews lived with us all of our lives and we never assaulted them, and they held high positions in government and ministries. But if they take my home and make me a refugee like 4 million Palestinians in exile? Who has more right to this land? The Russian immigrant who left this land 2000 years ago or
518-791: A Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza . Yassin later added, the hudna could be renewed, even for longer periods, but would never signal a recognition of Israel. In 2005, Hamas signed the Palestinian Cairo Declaration , which confirms "the right of the Palestinian people to resistance in order to end the occupation, establish a Palestinian state with full sovereignty with Jerusalem as its capital" (etc.), aiming to reconcile several Palestinian factions but not describing specific steps or strategies towards Israel. In March 2006, after winning an absolute majority in
592-650: A Palestinian state on all of the territory that belonged to the British Mandate for Palestine (that is, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea ). In 2006, Hamas signed the Palestinian Prisoners' Document which supports the quest for a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders. This document also recognized authority of the President of the Palestinian National Authority to negotiate with Israel. Hamas also signed
666-579: A cease-fire would allow for important violence reduction and act as a confidence-building measure to make further conflict resolution and peace negotiations possible; its opponents commonly argued that it would be a mere tactical maneuver enabling Palestinian groups to re-group and muster their strength in preparation for further attacks on Israelis, or Israel to continue expanding settlements, blockading Palestinian towns , and arresting members of such groups. The hudna started on June 29, 2003. In January 2004, senior Hamas leader Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi offered
740-542: A ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war , if humanitarian corridors would be opened, and aid would be allowed into Gaza, Hamas would be "ready for political negotiations for a two-state solution with Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine". Haniyeh also praised the support of movements in Yemen , Iraq , Syria and Lebanon for the Palestinian struggle. In January 2024, Khaled Mashal , top Hamas leader until 2017 and now heading
814-448: A fifty-year armistice. Neither Washington nor Israel replied. Nuancing sheikh Ahmed Yassin 's statements before 2004 about a hudna (truce) with Israel (see above), Hamas's (former) senior adviser Ahmed Yousef has said (at unknown date) that a " hudna " (truce, armistice) is more than a ceasefire and "obliges parties to use the period to seek a permanent, non-violent resolution to their differences." On 28 June 2006, Hamas signed
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#1732781057686888-688: A legitimate actor..." However, Kear goes on to note that without expressly stating it Hamas agreed to respect the Oslo Accords, and by extension Israel's existence: "The signing of the 2007 Mecca Agreement also meant that Hamas had met two of the three stipulations set down by Israel and the Quartet: recognising Israel and respecting all previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements." Graham Usher said that while Hamas did not consider Israel to be legitimate, it accepted Israel as political reality. Tareq Baconi explains that Hamas' implicit recognition of Israel
962-456: A letter to US President George W. Bush (via University of Maryland 's Jerome Segal ), stating: "We are so concerned about stability and security in the area that we don't mind having a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders and offering a truce for many years", and asking Bush for a dialogue with the Hamas government. A similar message he sent to Israel's leaders. Haniyeh had reportedly proposed
1036-516: A permanent peace agreement. In 2006, Ismail Haniyeh, shortly after being elected as Prime Minister , sent messages both to US President George W. Bush and to Israel's leaders, offering a long-term truce. Neither Israel nor the United States responded. Haniyeh's proposal reportedly was a fifty-year armistice with Israel, if a Palestinian state is created along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. A Hamas official added that
1110-589: A political party if an independent Palestinian state is established along pre-1967 borders. The Associated Press considered this a "significant concession", but presumed that Israel would not even want to consider this scenario following the October 2023 attack. Hudna A hudna (from the Arabic هدنة meaning "calm" or "quiet") is a truce or armistice . It is sometimes translated as " cease-fire ". In his medieval dictionary of classical Arabic ,
1184-538: A political scientist at Al Azhar University , wrote in 2008 that Hamas talks "of hudna [temporary ceasefire], not of peace or reconciliation with Israel. They believe over time they will be strong enough to liberate all historic Palestine." Several more authors have warned around 2020, that, if Israel would accept such a proposal (a Palestinian state "in the territories of 1967" combined with a long-term truce), Hamas would retain its objective of establishing one state in former Mandatory Palestine . Hamas originally proposed
1258-478: A two-state solution. Ahmed Yassin , the founder of Hamas, said in a 1988 interview, reacting to accusations that 'Hamas hate Jews': "We don't hate Jews and fight Jews because they are Jewish. They are a people of faith and we are a people of faith, and we love all people of faith. If my brother, from my own mother and father and my own faith takes my home and expels me from it, I will fight him. I will fight my cousin if he takes my home and expels me from it. So when
1332-692: Is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islamist political organisation with a military wing called the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades . It has governed the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip since 2007. The Hamas movement was founded by Palestinian Islamic scholar Ahmed Yassin in 1987, after the outbreak of the First Intifada against the Israeli occupation . It emerged from his 1973 Mujama al-Islamiya Islamic charity affiliated with
1406-418: Is and was at war with Israel's army (later also attacking Israeli civilians) since the spring of 1989 , initially as part of the First Intifada , a general protest movement that gradually turned more riotous and violent. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin , founder of Hamas, who died in 2004 ( killed by Israel ), has at unreported date offered Israel a ten-year hudna (truce, armistice) in return for establishment of
1480-424: Is debated. Hamas leaders have emphasized they do not recognize Israel, but indicate they "have a de facto acceptance of its presence". According to some scholars, Hamas accepted the 1967 borders and thus acknowledged the existence of another entity on the other side, implicitly recognizing Israel and "drop[ping] the call for the destruction of Israel from its manifesto." Other scholars believe that Hamas retains
1554-461: Is in contrast to most Israeli political parties who have long opposed the idea of a Palestinian state . The 1988 Hamas charter proclaims that jihad against Jews is required until Judgement Day. The "governing" 1988 charter of Hamas was said, in 2018, to "openly dedicate(s) Hamas to genocide against the Jewish people", referring to the Hamas 1988 charter, article 7. More authors have characterized
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#17327810576861628-480: Is not the jurisdiction of one faction, nor the government, but a decision for the Palestinian people." Since then until today, spokesmen of Hamas seem to disagree about their attitudes towards Israel, and debates are running as to whether the original 1988 Hamas charter has since March 2006 become obsolete and irrelevant or on the contrary still spells out Hamas's genuine and ultimate goals (see: 1988 Hamas charter, § Relevance ). The March 2006 Hamas legislative program
1702-646: The Lisan al-Arab , Ibn Manzur defined it as: A famous early hudna was the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah between Muhammad and the Quraysh tribe. In English, the term is most frequently used in reference to a ceasefire agreement in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict , particularly one that would involve organizations such as Hamas . The concept was also proposed to reduce violence in the conflict between Israel and
1776-465: The 2006 Palestinian legislative elections , Hamas published its government program in which Hamas claimed sovereignty for the Palestinian territories but did not repeat its claim to all of mandatory Palestine , instead declared their willingness to have contacts with Israel "in all mundane affairs: business, trade, health, and labor". The program further stated: "The question of recognizing Israel
1850-454: The 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel . Hamas has promoted Palestinian nationalism in an Islamic context . While initially seeking a state in all of former Mandatory Palestine it began acquiescing to 1967 borders in the agreements it signed with Fatah in 2005 , 2006 and 2007 . In 2017, Hamas released a new charter that supported a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders without recognizing Israel. Hamas's repeated offers of
1924-679: The Cairo Declaration in 2005, which emphasized the goal of ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a Palestinian state. On 2 May 2017, Khaled Mashal , chief of the Hamas Political Bureau , presented a new Charter, in which Hamas accepted the establishment of a Palestinian state "on the basis of June 4, 1967 " ( West Bank , Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem ) acceptable. But the new Charter did not recognize Israel nor relinquish Palestinian claims to all of historical Palestine. Many scholars saw Hamas' acceptance of
1998-731: The Fatah–Hamas Doha Agreement , agreeing (again) to form an interim national consensus government, which (again) did not materialize. Still in February 2012, according to the Palestinian authority (either the Fatah branch in West Bank or the Hamas branch in Gaza), Hamas forswore the use of violence against Israel ("ceasefire", an Israeli news website called it), followed by a few weeks without violence between Hamas and Israel. But violence between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, in
2072-415: The Hamas Political Bureau (thus Hamas' highest leader), again stated that a state "Israel" living next to "a Palestinian state on the borders of 1967" would be acceptable for Hamas – but only if a referendum among "the Palestinian people" would endorse this arrangement. In November 2010, Ismail Haniyeh , also proposed a Palestinian state on 1967 borders, though added three further conditions: "resolution of
2146-619: The Irish Republican Army 's willingness to accept a permanent armistice with the United Kingdom without recognizing the UK's sovereignty over Northern Ireland. Many scholars maintain that Hamas's goal of establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza is an interim solution, while its long-term goal is a single state in all of mandatory Palestine in which Jews live as citizens. Whether Hamas would recognize Israel
2220-433: The Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip , the status of Jerusalem , Israeli settlements , borders, water rights, the permit regime , Palestinian freedom of movement , and the Palestinian right of return . Hamas has attacked Israeli civilians, including using suicide bombings , as well as launching rockets at Israeli cities. A number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand,
2294-686: The Muslim Brotherhood . In 2006 Palestinian legislative election , Hamas secured a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council by campaigning on promises of a corruption-free government and advocating for resistance as a means to liberate Palestine from Israeli occupation. In the Battle of Gaza (2007) , Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from rival Palestinian faction Fatah , and has since governed
2004–05 Palestinian local elections - Misplaced Pages Continue
2368-632: The Palestinian National Authority , said: "We have no problem with a sovereign Palestinian state over all our lands within the 1967 borders, living in calm." In February 2007, Hamas signed the Fatah–Hamas Mecca Agreement , stressing "the importance of national unity as basis for (...) confronting the occupation" and "activate and reform the PLO ", but without further details about how to confront or deal with Israel. At
2442-749: The Palestinian National Council or a general referendum "held in the homeland and the Diaspora". Leila Seurat also notes that this document "implicitly recognized the June 1967 borders, agreed on the construction of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as a capital and accepted limitations to the resistance in the territories occupied in 1967", and was produced following consultations with the entire Political Bureau. In an August 2006 interview with The New York Times , Ismail Haniyeh , senior political leader of Hamas and then Prime Minister of
2516-548: The second version of (originally) 'the Palestinians' Prisoners Document' which supports the quest for a Palestinian state "on all territories occupied in 1967". This document also recognized the PLO as "the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people", and states that "the negotiations" should be conducted by PLO and President of the Palestinian National Authority and eventual agreements must be ratified by either
2590-484: The 1967 borders as a tacit acceptance of another entity on the other side while others state that Hamas retains the long-term objective of establishing one state in former Mandatory Palestine . Hamas has repeatedly offered Israel a hudna , Arabic word for armistice , of varying durations (50 years, even a 100 years ). During the hudna both the Israelis and Palestinians would refrain from any violent attacks on
2664-542: The 1980s, it emerged as a powerful political factor, challenging the influence of the PLO , whose Fatah faction it had played a core role in creating. In December 1987, the Brotherhood adopted a more nationalist and activist line under the name of Hamas. Hamas was initially discretely supported by Israel as a counter-balance to the secular PLO . During the 1990s and early 2000s, the organization conducted numerous suicide bombings and other attacks against Israel. In
2738-561: The 1988 charter with those that appear in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion . Hamas has called for the annihilation of Israel, and has stated that to be necessary for creating a pan-Islamic empire. On the other hand, Hamas's 2017 charter removed the anti-Semitic language, saying that their struggle is against Zionism and not Jews, while also advancing goals for a Palestinian state which are seen by many as being consistent with
2812-473: The Arab and Islamic nation". "We are called a nation of martyrs and we are proud to sacrifice martyrs". Hamad called the creation of the Jewish state "illogical": "(...) We are the victims of the occupation. Therefore, nobody should blame us for the things we do". On 1 November 2023, Ismail Haniyeh , then incumbent highest Hamas leader (but assassinated by Israel 31 July 2024 ), stated that if Israel agreed to
2886-479: The Fatah movement from the Gaza Strip, took control there , and since then Hamas occasionally fired rockets from the Gaza Strip on Israel, purportedly to retaliate Israeli aggression against the people of Gaza. In April 2008, former US President Jimmy Carter met with Khaled Mashal , the recognized Hamas leader since 2004. Mashal said to Carter, Hamas would "accept a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders " and accept
2960-584: The Gaza Strip , killing over 42,000 Palestinians, 52% of them women and children according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. On 31 July 2024, Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran , after attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian . In August 2024, Yahya Sinwar , the leader of Hamas in Gaza, was elected chairman of the group, replacing Haniyeh. Per Hamas officials, he
3034-576: The Gaza Strip , with the aim of securing the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel (as part of a prisoner swap). Hamas said its attack was in response to Israel's continued occupation , blockade of Gaza , and settlements expansion , as well as alleged threats to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the plight of Palestinians. There are also reports of sexual violence by Hamas militants, allegations that Hamas has denied. Israel responded by invading
2004–05 Palestinian local elections - Misplaced Pages Continue
3108-570: The Gaza Strip and southern Israel, also involving Hamas, would soon resume . On 1 May 2017, in a press conference in Doha ( Qatar ) presenting a new charter , Khaled Mashal , chief of the Hamas Political Bureau (thus acknowledged as to be highest Hamas leader), declared that, though Hamas considered the establishment of a Palestinian state "on the basis of June 4, 1967 " ( West Bank , Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem being not under Israeli reign) acceptable, Hamas would in that case still not recognise
3182-478: The Hamas diaspora office – in contradiction with Haniyeh's proclamation from November 2023 – repeated his stance from 1 May 2017: a (preliminary) Palestinian state "on the 1967 borders", that is "21 per cent of Palestine", would be accepted by Hamas but not as the permanent "two-state solution" which "The West" since a long time envisions and promotes; "our Palestinian project" remains "our right in Palestine from
3256-630: The Palestinian legislative election of January 2006, Hamas gained a large majority of seats in the Palestinian Parliament , defeating the ruling Fatah party. After the elections, conflicts arose between Hamas and Fatah, which they were unable to resolve. In June 2007, Hamas defeated Fatah in a series of violent clashes , and since that time Hamas has governed the Gaza portion of the Palestinian Territories , while at
3330-466: The Palestinians by a Queen's University Belfast Professor in the period of 1999–2003 as a result of protracted negotiations with the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and abroad in countries like Lebanon and Syria. Some others claim that Israeli businessman Eyal Erlich in 2001, after seeing a hudna being declared in order to calm a feud in Jordan (cf. Haaretz , January 2, 2002); introduced
3404-675: The United Kingdom, and the United States have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization . In 2018, a motion at the United Nations to condemn Hamas was rejected. Hamas is an acronym of the Arabic phrase حركة المقاومة الإسلامية or Ḥarakah al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah , meaning "Islamic Resistance Movement". This acronym, HMS, was glossed in the 1988 Hamas Covenant by the Arabic word ḥamās ( حماس ) which itself means "zeal", "strength", or "bravery". Hamas
3478-535: The armistice would renew automatically each time. In mid-2006, University of Maryland 's Jerome Segal suggested that a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and a truce for many years could be considered Hamas's de facto recognition of Israel. A similar proposal was once again offered by Hamas to Israel in November 2006. In November 2008, in a meeting, on Gaza Strip soil, with 11 European members of parliaments, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh re-stated that Hamas
3552-661: The borders of 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and the resolution of the issue of refugees," but only if such arrangement would be endorsed by "a referendum" held among all Palestinians: in Gaza, West Bank, and the diaspora. In May 2011, Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement in Cairo , agreeing to form a ('national unity') government and appoint the Ministers "in consensus between them", but it contained no remarks about how to confront or deal with Israel. In February 2012, Hamas and Fatah signed
3626-655: The first two rounds, council members were elected by Bloc voting election system, and the third and fourth by Party-list proportional representation . The Jerusalem electoral district was divided into two zones: In Beit Jala , six seats went to the United Beit Jala list ( Fatah and one member of the Palestinian People's Party ), five seats went to Sons of the Land ( PFLP and independents), one seat went to Independent Beit Jala Group and one candidate
3700-442: The idea, unsuccessfully, that Israel should suggest a mutual hudna as a prelude to a more lasting peace. Despite the Israeli government's rejection of the idea, in summer 2003—following many years of negotiation and facilitation from European advisors and diplomats along with pressure from Abu Mazen and Egypt — Hamas and Islamic Jihad unilaterally declared a 45-day ceasefire, or hudna . Its proponents commonly argued that such
3774-454: The issue of refugees ", "the release of Palestinian prisoners", and "Jerusalem as its capital"; and he made the same reservation as Mashal in May 2010 had made, that a Palestinian referendum needed to endorse this arrangement. On December 1, 2010, Ismail Haniyeh (senior Hamas leader, see above), in a news conference in Gaza , repeated his November 2010 message: "We accept a Palestinian state on
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#17327810576863848-820: The long-term objective of establishing one state in former Mandatory Palestine . Mousa Abu Marzook , then the vice-president of Hamas' Political Bureau, explained in 2011, that while Hamas did not recognize Israel as a state, it considered the existence of Israel as " amr waqi " (or fait accompli , meaning something that has happened and cannot be changed). He called this " de facto recognition" of Israel. According to Martin Kear, Israel treats "any form of resistance from Palestinians as acts of terrorism", and therefore responds to any resistance with extraordinary force. In contrast, writes Kear, Hamas operationalizes "...its resistance to Israeli occupation through its invocation of jihad ... Accordingly, Hamas refuses to recognise Israel as
3922-439: The new Hamas stance. On 19 June 2008, Hamas and Israel agreed to a six-month cease-fire, which Hamas declared finished at 18 December amidst mutual accusations of breaching the agreed conditions. Meanwhile, in November 2008, in a meeting with 11 European members of parliaments, Hamas senior official Ismail Haniyeh repeated what he had written in June 2006 to U.S. President George W. Bush but with one extra condition: Hamas
3996-414: The occupation of West Bank and Gaza Strip and release all Palestinian prisoners . But the 1999 proposal omitted two difficult issues: the issue of Palestinian refugees and the recognition of Israel. The idea was that Israel and Hamas would use the period of calm to continue negotiating these two difficult issues until they reached a final peace agreement, at which point the temporary peace would convert into
4070-530: The one who left 40 years ago? We don't hate the Jews, we only ask for them to give us our rights." In its early days , Hamas functioned as a social-religious charity center . Its members armed themselves for the ongoing resistance against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories , and in August 1988 published their first charter in which Hamas stated that "Israel" should be "eliminated" through
4144-889: The other of responsibility. In late December 2008, Israel attacked Gaza , withdrawing its forces in mid-January 2009. Since 2009, Hamas has faced multiple military confrontations with Israel, notably the 2012 and 2014 Gaza Wars, leading to substantial casualties. Hamas has maintained control over Gaza, often clashing with the Palestinian Authority led by Fatah. Efforts at reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah have seen limited success. Hamas continued to face international isolation and blockades, while engaging in sporadic rocket attacks and tunnel construction activities against Israel. On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other Palestinian militants attacked Israel killing nearly 1,200 Israelis, about two thirds of them civilians. Approximately 250 Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken back to
4218-462: The other. Under Islamic international law , a hudna is a binding and the Qur'an prohibits its violation. Hamas's spokesperson, Ahmed Yousef , said that a "hudna" is more than a ceasefire and it "obliges parties to use the period to seek a permanent, non-violent resolution to their differences." Hamas first proposed Israel with a hudna, long-term armistice, in 1999. In exchange Israel would have to end
4292-444: The presumed multiple number of indirect deaths). A number of conflicting statements since then were made by Hamas senior leaders regarding the Hamas policy towards Israel. On 24 October, Ghazi Hamad —member of the decision-making Hamas Political Bureau —explained the 7 October attack: "Israel is a country that has no place on our land. We must remove that country because it constitutes a security, military and political catastrophe to
4366-467: The right of Israel "to live as a neighbour" if such a deal would be approved by a referendum among the "Palestinians". Nevertheless, Mashal did not offer a unilateral ceasefire (as Carter had suggested him to do). The US State Department showed utter indifference for Mashal's new stance; Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert even refused to meet with Carter in Jerusalem , not to mention paying attention to
4440-446: The same time they were ousted from government positions in the West Bank . Israel and Egypt then imposed an economic blockade on Gaza and largely sealed their borders with the territory. After acquiring control of Gaza, Hamas-affiliated and other militias launched rocket attacks upon Israel, which Hamas ceased in June 2008 following an Egyptian -brokered ceasefire. The ceasefire broke down late in 2008, with each side accusing
4514-605: The sea to the river ", which Hamas will not give up, therefore Hamas will not recognise the legitimacy of "the usurping entity [Israel]". Hamas Member of Parliament Khalil al-Hayya , also deputy chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, told the Associated Press in April 2024 that Hamas is willing to agree to a truce of five years or more with Israel and that it would lay down its weapons and convert into
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#17327810576864588-514: The sea to the river ." In 2022, Yahya Sinwar cautioned Israelis that Hamas would one day "march through your walls to uproot your regime." In a flash attack on 7 October 2023 , Hamas and associates murdered 767 civilians and killed a further 376 security personnel of the state of Israel . Israel retaliated with warfare in the Gaza Strip , aiming at Hamas militants but also harming much civilian infrastructure and directly killing tens of thousands of civilians, as admitted even by Israel (not counting
4662-522: The statehood of Israel and not relinquish their goal of liberating all of Palestine from " the Zionist project ". Around 2018, a Hamas finance minister has suggested that a "long-term ceasefire as understood by Hamas [ hudna ] and a two-state settlement are the same". In 2021 Hamas organized and financed a conference among 250 Gaza citizens about the future management of the State of Palestine following
4736-476: The takeover of Israel which was predicted to come soon. According to the conclusions of the conference, the Jewish Israeli fighters would be killed, while the peaceful individuals could be integrated or be allowed to leave. At the same time the highly skilled and educated would be prevented from leaving. In 2020 Ismail Haniyeh said in an interview that one of the principles of Hamas was "Palestine from
4810-405: The territory separately from the Palestinian National Authority . After Hamas's takeover, Israel significantly intensified existing movement restrictions and imposed a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip . Egypt began its blockade of Gaza in 2007. This was followed by multiple wars with Israel, including those in 2008–09 , 2012 , 2014 , 2021 , and an ongoing one since 2023 , which began with
4884-488: The time of signing that 2007 agreement, Mousa Abu Marzook , Deputy Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau , underlined his view of the Hamas position: "I can recognize the presence of Israel as a fait accompli (amr wâqi') or, as the French say, a de facto recognition, but this does not mean that I recognize Israel as a state". More Hamas leaders, through the years, have made similar statements. In June 2007, Hamas ousted
4958-501: The violent language against all Jews in the original Hamas charter as genocidal , incitement to genocide , or antisemitic . The charter attributes collective responsibility to Jews, not just Israelis, for various global issues, including both World Wars. The American Interest magazine has wrote that the charter "echoes" Nazi propaganda in claiming that Jews profited during World War II . Jeffrey Goldberg , editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, has compared statements in
5032-450: Was elected as an independent. The top candidate of the Sons of the Land list was Nadir Antoun Issa Abu Ashma, while the top candidate of the United Beit Jala list was Raji George Jadallah Zeidan. Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement , abbreviated Hamas (an Arabic acronym from Arabic : حركة المقاومة الإسلامية , romanized : Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah ),
5106-483: Was elected due to his considerable popularity in the Arab and Islamic worlds following the 7 October attacks and his strong connections with Iran and the " Axis of Resistance ," an informal Iranian-led political and military coalition. On 16 October 2024, IDF troops killed Sinwar during a routine patrol and a chance encounter in southern Rafah. Hamas' policy towards Israel has evolved. Historically, Hamas envisioned
5180-530: Was established in 1987, and allegedly has its origins in Egypt 's Muslim Brotherhood movement, which had been active in the Gaza Strip since the 1950s and gained influence through a network of mosques and various charitable and social organizations. Unlike other Palestinian factions, after the Israeli occupation of Gaza in 1967 , the Brotherhood in Gaza refused to join the resistance boycott against Israel. In
5254-401: Was further explained on 6 June 2006 by Hamas' MP Riad Mustafa: "Hamas will never recognize Israel", but if a popular Palestinian referendum would endorse a peace agreement including recognition of Israel, "we would of course accept their verdict". Also on 6 June 2006, Ismail Haniyeh , senior political leader of Hamas and at that time Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority , sent
5328-473: Was willing to accept a Palestinian state "in the territories of 1967 " ( Gaza Strip and West Bank ), and offered Israel a long-term truce if Israel recognized the Palestinians' national rights ; and stated that Israel rejected this proposal. A Hamas finance minister around 2018 contended that such a "long-term ceasefire as understood by Hamas and a two-state settlement are the same". Mkhaimer Abusada,
5402-641: Was willing to accept a Palestinian state "in the territories of 1967 " and offered Israel a long-term truce if Israel recognized the Palestinians' national rights – which he said Israel had declined. In September 2009, Ismail Haniyeh , head of the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip , wrote to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon – like he had told the New York Times in August 2006: "We would never thwart efforts to create an independent Palestinian state with borders [from] June 4, 1967, with Jerusalem as its capital." In May 2010, Khaled Mashal , chairman of
5476-477: Was with Zionists , not Jews. It has been debated whether the charter has reflected an actual change in policy. In terms of foreign policy, Hamas has historically sought out relations with Egypt, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey; some of its relations have been impacted by the Arab Spring . Hamas and Israel have engaged in protracted armed conflict . Key aspects of the conflict include
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