Hamas, recognized officially by the U.S. Department of State as a terrorist organization, was founded in 1987 as a part of the Muslim Brotherhood. The group is centered in Palestine and aims to establish a Palestinian Islamic state by destroying the current country of Israel. Hamas is known for suicide bombings and rocket attacks against Israel. Their most powerful zone of influence is the Gaza Strip(the southernmost part of Israel on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, shown in the map below).
Frequent attacks against Israel began in 1994, with a suicide bombing killing 5 in the Israeli city of Hedera. In early 1996, Hamas carried out a series of bombings that killed more than 50 people in cities throughout Israel. In 2003, Hamas claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings on buses that killed nearly 40. Hamas orchestrated an attack in December of 2004 on a checkpoint in the Gaza Strip, 5 were killed.
In 2006, Hamas won a majority in Palestinian elections and were able to swear in a Prime Minister. They continued to attack Israel, now with rockets and mortar strikes. In 2008, a cease-fire was signed between Israel and Hamas, which was broken by Hamas after six months. Attacks against Israel are still being planned by Hamas today.
Hamas is not as powerful as it has been in the past, but it is an atrocity that they were ever able to carry out attacks against innocent people. In 2014 alone, about 450 missile attacks were carried out against Israel. Most of these missiles had civilian targets in their crosshairs. This group is just one of many that terrorize the middle east, where people can not feel safe in their own homes. Something needs to be done to secure the well-being of the citizens of Israel and any country that is under terrorist threat.
Sources:
http://www.nctc.gov/site/groups/hamas.html
http://www.britannica.com/topic/Hamas
Frequent attacks against Israel began in 1994, with a suicide bombing killing 5 in the Israeli city of Hedera. In early 1996, Hamas carried out a series of bombings that killed more than 50 people in cities throughout Israel. In 2003, Hamas claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings on buses that killed nearly 40. Hamas orchestrated an attack in December of 2004 on a checkpoint in the Gaza Strip, 5 were killed.
In 2006, Hamas won a majority in Palestinian elections and were able to swear in a Prime Minister. They continued to attack Israel, now with rockets and mortar strikes. In 2008, a cease-fire was signed between Israel and Hamas, which was broken by Hamas after six months. Attacks against Israel are still being planned by Hamas today.
Hamas is not as powerful as it has been in the past, but it is an atrocity that they were ever able to carry out attacks against innocent people. In 2014 alone, about 450 missile attacks were carried out against Israel. Most of these missiles had civilian targets in their crosshairs. This group is just one of many that terrorize the middle east, where people can not feel safe in their own homes. Something needs to be done to secure the well-being of the citizens of Israel and any country that is under terrorist threat.
Sources:
http://www.nctc.gov/site/groups/hamas.html
http://www.britannica.com/topic/Hamas