What is Hamas and ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’?

• Hamas launches surprise rocket attack on Israel.
• Over 5,000 rockets fired, resulting in at least 40 casualties.
• Hamas has been involved in numerous rounds of conflict with Israel since 2007.

In a shocking turn of events, the Palestinian group Hamas, formally known as the Islamic Resistance Movement, launched a surprise attack from the Gaza Strip into Israel, marking one of the most serious escalations in the Israel-Palestinian conflict in recent years.

The assault, named “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” unleashed a barrage of over 5,000 rockets on southern Israel, resulting in at least 40 casualties and leaving hundreds more injured, according to reports from Al Jazeera.

Hamas: Origins and Ideology

Hamas was founded in 1987 during the first Palestinian Intifada, or uprising, with its acronym standing for “Harakah al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah.” The group shares its Islamic ideology with the Muslim Brotherhood, which originated in Egypt during the 1920s. Hamas came into power in the Gaza Strip in 2007 after a brief civil conflict with forces loyal to Fatah, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, who is based in the West Bank and also heads the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Hamas’s ascent followed its victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, the last such elections held. This electoral success was met with accusations of conspiracy by both sides, with Hamas labeling it a coup, while Abbas described it as such.

A History of Conflict

Since its takeover of Gaza, Hamas has been involved in numerous rounds of conflict with Israel. These conflicts often involve rocket attacks by Hamas from Gaza into Israel and Israeli airstrikes and bombardments of Gaza. Hamas’s refusal to recognize Israel and its opposition to the Oslo peace accords negotiated between Israel and the PLO in the mid-1990s have been consistent sources of tension in the region.

Hamas’s Position on Israel

Hamas’s founding charter in 1988 explicitly called for the destruction of Israel, but over the years, its leaders have occasionally offered the prospect of a long-term truce, known as a Hudna in Arabic, with Israel. This would be contingent on the establishment of a viable Palestinian state encompassing all territories occupied by Israel during the 1967 war.

Regional Alliances and Influence

Hamas is part of a broader regional alliance that includes Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. This alliance shares a common opposition to U.S. policy in the Middle East and Israel. While its primary power base is in Gaza, Hamas has supporters across Palestinian territories and maintains leaders dispersed across the Middle East, including countries like Qatar.

As the situation continues to unfold, the international community is closely monitoring developments and seeking avenues for de-escalation in this deeply entrenched and volatile conflict that has once again erupted in violence.

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