From: inteligencialtda
Hamas, or Ramas as referred to in the transcript, emerged as a military confrontation strategy against the State of Israel [01:59:01]. It is a political organization that also implements military confrontation tactics [01:00:01].
Origins and Ideology
Hamas was born in 1987 [01:10:22], emerging as a result of the First Intifada [01:59:46]. Its formation stemmed from a relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt [01:48:58]. The organization’s ideological basis is rooted in the Muslim Brotherhood [02:14:05].
The founding charter of Hamas explicitly states its goals [01:13:18]. For Hamas, the conflict with Israel is religious [01:13:26]. Its charter states that Israel will exist until Islam obliterates it, similar to previous obliterations [01:13:34]. It also states that “our struggle against Jews is very big and very serious, she needs all the effort sincere” [01:13:54]. The organization’s website, hamas.ps, clearly states: “our fight against the Jews is eternal and has to last forever until the day of Resurrection” [02:13:14]. This is seen as a fight against the Jewish people, not against imperialism [02:13:29].
Hamas is fundamentally against the existence of Israel [01:13:16] and rejects a two-state solution [01:13:11]. It is not in favor of dialogue [01:13:14], and seeks the establishment of an Islamic state [02:24:09].
Political and Military Actions
After its emergence, Hamas began to dispute political hegemony with Fatah, the then-leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization [01:59:51]. In 2006, Hamas won the elections across Palestine [02:14:11]. It became hegemonic in Gaza, though not in the West Bank [01:11:17]. Since 2007, Hamas has managed the government in Gaza [01:11:38] [02:18:25].
The organization’s military actions have included suicide attacks [01:58:32] and rocket phenomena dating back to 2001 [02:11:32]. In 2014, Hamas rockets hit electric plants in Gaza, which have since remained unrepaired [02:19:55].
The actions of Hamas on October 7th, such as targeting civilians, are defined as terrorism [01:32:32]. These actions are compared to those of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda [01:33:17]. The Palestinian president has stated that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people [02:05:47].
International Stance and Criticisms
The international community, including organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, considers Hamas to be an organization with specific conduct [02:27:50]. Brazil’s government does not have negotiations with Hamas [02:29:55].
It is argued that Hamas is used by the Zionist state as an excuse for its actions, implying that if Hamas didn’t exist, other organizations would be similarly labeled “terrorists” [01:16:03].
Responses to Hamas’s Actions
Following the October 7th attack, the ongoing situation is described as a “massacre” rather than a war, given the disproportionate use of force [01:12:44]. The death of civilians is condemned unequivocally [01:19:18]. The violence committed by Hamas is seen as moving the Israeli population further away from the possibility of coexistence [01:59:09].
The blockade on Gaza, transforming it into the “largest open-air prison” [02:05:07], is stated to be a consequence of Hamas winning elections and not recognizing past agreements [02:10:47]. This measure, also applied by Egypt, is seen as a protective measure [02:13:43]. It’s noted that Hamas stole kerosene from a hospital [02:23:40] and used water pipes from Gaza to build rockets [02:17:29].
It is asserted that while Hamas’s actions are unforgivable and represent terrorism, they do not bring peace closer to the region [02:05:04]. The Palestinian cause needs to separate and distance itself from Hamas [02:05:51].