Throughline A History of Hamas
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Oct 9, 2025 Martin Keir, a lecturer at the University of Sydney and author on Hamas, and Khalid El-Gindi, an expert on Palestinian affairs, dive deep into the origins and evolution of Hamas. They discuss how grassroots protests during the First Intifada fueled its emergence and the defining aims in its 1988 charter. The conversation highlights Hamas's identity as an Islamist movement, the impact of historical events on its formation, and the shifting dynamics of Israeli-Palestinian relations over the decades.
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Charter Versus Practice
- The 1988 Hamas charter framed armed jihad and rejection of negotiation as central tactics.
- Yet Martin Keir notes the charter was insular and later rarely invoked by Hamas leadership.
Yassin's Social Center Became Hamas
- Sheikh Ahmed Yassin built al-Mujama al-Islami as a Gaza social welfare center that later evolved into Hamas.
- Israel initially licensed the Islamic Center, which later became a base for organized resistance activities.
Local Presence Boosted Support
- Hamas gained local credibility because its leaders lived among Gazans and provided services under occupation.
- That grassroots presence contrasted with Fatah leaders in diaspora and boosted Hamas's appeal.
