The question of how long has Hamas been around is central to understanding the modern geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. While the name Hamas has been a household term for decades, the organization’s history is a complex weave of social activism, religious fundamentalism, and militant resistance. To truly grasp its longevity, one must look beyond the official date of its founding in 1987 and explore the decades of groundwork laid by its predecessor, the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Formative Years and the Muslim Brotherhood Precursor
The ideological and structural foundations of Hamas date back long before the group officially announced its existence. Hamas is an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, an organization founded in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna. The Brotherhood established a presence in the Gaza Strip as early as the 1940s and 1950s. During this era, the movement focused primarily on “dawa,” or social and religious outreach.
For nearly forty years, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood operated as a non-violent social movement. Under the leadership of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a quadriplegic cleric, the group built an extensive network of mosques, schools, clinics, and charities. In 1973, Yassin founded the Mujama al-Islamiya (Islamic Center) in Gaza, which was officially recognized by Israeli authorities at the time as a charity. This period is crucial because it allowed the future leaders of Hamas to embed themselves deeply within the fabric of Palestinian society, providing services that the secular Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) often could not.
The Official Birth of Hamas in 1987
The transition from a social-religious movement to a militant resistance organization occurred in December 1987. This year marked the beginning of the First Intifada, a spontaneous Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. The leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza realized that if they did not participate in the resistance, they would lose their relevance to the secular and leftist factions of the PLO.
On December 14, 1987, the Islamic Resistance Movement was officially founded. The name Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawamah al-IslamiYYah, but the word itself also means “zeal” or “bravery” in Arabic. Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, along with co-founders like Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, drafted the initial framework for the group. By August 1988, Hamas published its official charter, which called for the establishment of an Islamic state in all of historic Palestine and the destruction of Israel.
Evolution Through the 1990s and the Oslo Accords
During the 1990s, the longevity of Hamas was tested as it positioned itself as the primary rival to Yasser Arafat’s Fatah party. When the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993 and 1994, aiming for a two-state solution, Hamas vehemently opposed the peace process. The group argued that any recognition of Israel was a betrayal of Islamic principles.
To derail the peace negotiations, Hamas began a campaign of suicide bombings and large-scale attacks against Israeli targets. This era saw the rise of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the group’s military wing, which was formalized in the early 1990s. The internal tension between the secular Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Islamist Hamas grew during this decade, leading to frequent crackdowns by PA security forces on Hamas members.
The Second Intifada and the Path to Governance
The turn of the millennium brought the Second Intifada (2000–2005), a period of much more intense violence than the first. Hamas played a leading role in this uprising, significantly increasing its popularity among Palestinians who felt that the peace process had failed to deliver independence. The group’s ability to survive Israeli assassinations of its top leaders—including the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi in 2004—demonstrated a resilient and decentralized organizational structure.
In 2005, a major shift occurred when Israel unilaterally withdrew its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip. Shortly after, Hamas made the strategic decision to enter the political arena. In the January 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, Hamas won a surprising landslide victory, securing a majority of seats and ending decades of Fatah dominance. This political success created a crisis in international relations, as many Western nations, including the United States and members of the European Union, had already designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.
The 2007 Takeover and the Siege of Gaza
The period of “dual governance” between Fatah and Hamas was short-lived and bloody. After a year of civil strife and failed unity governments, Hamas launched a violent coup in June 2007, seizing full control of the Gaza Strip and ousting Fatah officials. This resulted in a total political split: Fatah remained in control of the West Bank, while Hamas became the de facto sovereign of Gaza.
Since 2007, Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip under a strict blockade maintained by Israel and Egypt. This era has been defined by a cycle of major military conflicts with Israel, notably in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, and the massive escalation beginning in October 2023. Throughout these nearly two decades of governance, Hamas has managed to maintain its grip on power despite crumbling infrastructure, economic hardship, and repeated wars.
Ideological Shifts and the 2017 Charter
In an attempt to gain more international legitimacy without fully renouncing its roots, Hamas released a new “Document of General Principles and Policies” in 2017. While it did not officially repeal the 1988 charter, the new document softened some of the group’s rhetoric. It suggested a willingness to accept a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders as a “formula of national consensus,” though it still refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist. This move reflected the group’s adaptability and its long-term survival strategy in a shifting regional environment.
The Current State of Longevity
As of early 2026, Hamas has been an official entity for over 38 years. However, if one counts its origins within the Mujama al-Islamiya and the earlier Muslim Brotherhood activities, the movement’s presence in Palestinian life spans over 75 years. Its endurance can be attributed to several factors: its deep-seated social welfare network, its rigid ideological stance that appeals to those disillusioned with secular politics, and its ability to secure regional backing from actors such as Iran and Qatar.
The events of the last few years have placed Hamas under unprecedented pressure. Following the devastating conflict that began in late 2023, much of the group’s infrastructure in Gaza has been targeted. Yet, the history of the organization suggests that it is more than just a military force; it is a political and social ideology that has proven remarkably difficult to eradicate over the last four decades.
FAQs
When exactly was Hamas founded?
Hamas was officially founded on December 14, 1987, during the early days of the First Intifada. It emerged as the militant and political wing of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, which had been active in Gaza for decades prior.
Who was the primary founder of Hamas?
The most prominent founder and spiritual leader was Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. He was a Palestinian cleric who had previously led the Mujama al-Islamiya. Other key co-founders included Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi and Mahmoud al-Zahar.
Is Hamas the same as the Muslim Brotherhood?
Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. While it shares the Brotherhood’s Islamist ideology and was originally governed by its principles, Hamas operates as an independent Palestinian nationalist and militant organization focused specifically on the conflict with Israel.
How did Hamas come to power in Gaza?
Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections in January 2006. Following a period of violent infighting with the rival Fatah party, Hamas took full military control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, leading to the current political division between Gaza and the West Bank.
Why is Hamas designated as a terrorist organization?
Many countries, including the United States, Israel, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union, designate Hamas as a terrorist group. This is due to its history of suicide bombings, indiscriminate rocket fire into civilian areas, and its stated goal in its founding charter to destroy the state of Israel.