Hamas is not just a Palestinian movement that can be ignored even after the war is over, but a large and essential part of Palestinian political reality. Hamas is a large segment of the Palestinian people, and its role will not end as long as the occupation continues. Hamas' political role is also linked to developments regarding the future of the political process, whether it is negotiations or even political solutions to the Palestinian issue.
Since its establishment, Hamas has succeeded in overcoming changes that could have weakened or even affected the movement. That is, the movement has an organized and strong internal structure, which helped it to remain steadfast and steadfast in its resistance against the occupation, which made the movement a savior and was considered by the Palestinians as proof of its sincerity and sincerity.
The beginning of Hamas
Hamas began in December 1987, when its first founding statement was officially announced, coinciding with the outbreak of the First Palestinian Intifada. Not only did the movement start in 1987, but preparations began years earlier, the movement was intellectually and organizationally linked to the Muslim Brotherhood movement inside Palestine.
In 1988, Hamas issued its official charter, a 32-article document aimed at clarifying the movement’s image and identity, clarifying its political and religious positions, and calling on the Palestinian people to support it and urge those who agree with it to join its ranks.
Hamas also believes that its conflict with the Israeli occupation was never a border conflict, but a purely existential one. The Movement also views the Israeli entity as the embodiment of colonial projects aimed at ending and destroying the Palestinian people from their land, and believes that negotiating with the occupation is useless, as it believes that what was extracted by force can only be restored by force.
How Hamas evolved
In 2006, Hamas won a major victory in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, winning a large majority, thereby ending the decades-long control of the Palestinian national liberation movement. As a result of this victory, Hamas formed a government headed by Ismail Haniyeh.
This development did not end the challenges Hamas faced, whether from inside Palestine or even from the international community, and these pressures contributed to weakening the government and making it fail. As a result, bloody clashes broke out between Hamas and Fatah, eventually leading to Hamas taking full control of the Gaza Strip.
In this tense situation, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the dissolution of the previously formed national unity government, and tasked Salam Fayyad with forming an emergency government.
On May 1, 2017, Hamas announced the issuance of the General Principles and Policies document, a document that clarified the movement’s positions and political and national orientations. Hence, the document affirmed the adherence of the Movement to the entire territory of Palestine and stressed that it would not give up any part of it, regardless of the length of the Israeli occupation, under any circumstances or under any pressure.
The document had 42 points in 12 titles, dealing with key issues. Most notably, it affirms that the city of Jerusalem will remain the eternal capital of Palestine and that the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and of the entire Islamic Ummah. She also declared that Haykat categorically rejects any project or any attempt aimed at liquidating the Palestinian refugee issue, and also affirmed its refusal to recognize the Israeli occupation.
Furthermore, the document stressed that the complete liberation of Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is an irreversible goal. Resistance to the Israeli occupation by all legitimate means and methods was legitimate. The Palestinian resistance was also considered a strategic option, used to protect national constants and restore Palestinian rights.
Can there be a truce between Hamas and Israel?
It remains unclear whether the truce between Israel and Hamas will continue. Or will the ceasefire in Gaza be implemented permanently, and all detainees still in Gaza be released, or will the war remain renewed, if the agreement fails to be implemented.
Why did the ceasefires fail?
In fact, Israeli leaders are more determined not to end the war, unless Hamas is completely destroyed or driven out of the Gaza Strip and Palestine for good, but the status of Gaza remains ambiguous even after the war is over and is not clear-cut, especially with regard to the status in Gaza policy.
Hamas is also seeking a permanent rather than temporary agreement that would ensure Israel’s exit from the Strip as well as a permanent ceasefire and an end to the war. The Interim Agreement was not enough to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people and the restoration of normal life. A lasting solution was needed that would end the aggression and provide real guarantees.
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