Both Hamas and ISIS are viewed as fearmonger bunches by Israel and the US. “Hamas is ISIS, and ISIS is Hamas,” Israeli Head administrator Benjamin Netanyahu expressed at the Assembled Countries in 2014.
Both psychological oppressor associations, as indicated by the report, use jihad and self-destruction assaults as essential weapons, aggrieve and persecute non-Muslim minorities, execute individuals associated with supporting their adversaries, plan to build up a state-administered by Muslim law, have held onto an area forcibly, teach kids to love passing and pass on as saints in jihad, and endeavour to submit “decimation” against their rivals.
Key Takeaways
- Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic organization with political and military wings, while ISIS is an extremist jihadist group seeking to establish a global caliphate.
- Hamas primarily focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, whereas ISIS has conducted terrorist attacks worldwide.
- International organizations and governments consider Hamas, a terrorist group, but some view it as a legitimate political entity; ISIS has no such political recognition.
Hamas vs ISIS
Hamas is a pragmatic Palestinian resistance organization that is focused on leading a movement to free the Palestinians from oppression under Israel. ISIS stands for Islamic Province of Iraq and Syria, and it is a militant Islamist group and unrecognized quasi-state that follows Sunni Islam.
Hamas, a pro-democracy movement with an Islamist slant, wants to create an Islamist country in what is currently Israel, the Western Bank, and Palestine and is affiliated with the Islamic Society.
Hamas is officially known as Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyya, which translates as Islamic Opposition to Development. Hamas is a particularly energetic manifestation of Palestinian nationalism.
ISIS (Islamic Province of Iraq and Syria) is a Salafist bunch inside Islam that looks to restore the Islamic caliphate and authorize Sharia law all through space. Hamas and its followers are considered “apostates” by ISIS.
ISIS targets misfits in their communities, minorities in their countries, and those who have been discriminated against in a Western environment through its messaging and recruiting process.
Comparison Table
| Parameters Of Comparison | Hamas | ISIS |
|---|---|---|
| Founded In | In 1987, imam Sheikh Ahmed Yasin and his assistant Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi formed the Hamas movement in Gaza. | ISIS was founded in 2003 by the head of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. |
| Strategy Towards Israel | Hamas was attempting to capitalise on increasing Palestinian resentment at Israel’s arrogance. | ISIS has stated that it will conquer Israel and incorporate it into its core caliphate. |
| Objective | The aim of the Hamas Movement was ethnic cleansing of Palestine in order to establish a Jewish contemporary state in historic Palestine. | The extremists want to establish an ultra-conservative caliphate where Shariah, or Islamic law, is rigidly enforced. |
| US response | The US has long attempted to negotiate a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, but numerous factors, including the US’s diminishing interest in fulfilling its traditional position as an honest broker, have harmed the odds of a deal. | Since 2014, the United States has led a coalition of nations that has carried out airstrikes against ISIS and backed Iraqi soldiers combating the extremists. |
| End Results | The Hamas groups declared on Thursday that they had struck an agreement to settle a decade-long feud that had led to an armed confrontation in 2007. | To far, the United States has occasionally achieved big military triumphs, but all of the international terrorist activities that the US has targeted have survived or morphed into new organisations with new identities. |
What is Hamas?
Islamist Obstruction Development Harkat al-Muqawamah is a Hamas acronym. Hamas is a popular Palestinian political party with a large following.
Early on in the Palestinian uprising, Imam Sheik Ahmed Yasin and Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi defined Hamas’ growth in Gaza, shortly after which the organization was founded by Hamas.
Egypt’s Muslim Fraternity formed a tactical branch called the Izz al-Racket al-Qassam Detachments to fight a well-equipped war against Israel in order to liberate ancient Palestine.
In addition, it provided social assistance to Palestinians who had suffered as a result of Israeli military rule. Identifying itself as an “Islamic public freedom and obstruction development in Palestine,” Hamas cites the Quran as its primary source of inspiration.
When Hamas released a political statement in 2017 declaring that ties with the Muslim Fellowship had been severed, it also said that it would recognize a Palestinian state under the 1967 borders, with displaced Palestinians allowed to return to their homes.
The creation of ‘Israel,’ according to the group, is “completely illegal.” As a result of this, it may be distinguished from the PLO, with whom it has no formal partnership agreements.
In 2005, when it ran in civil choices, Hamas became an ideological organization in Palestinian governmental problems and won a landslide victory over Fatah in parliamentary elections in 2006.
Israel has waged three wars against Hamas in the Gaza Strip since 2007. Israel established an impenetrable siege after Hamas won elections that year. The violence has disproportionately affected Gaza’s civilians.
Over 2,200 Palestinians, including 500 children, were murdered in the most recent Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, which lasted 50 days.
What is ISIS?
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an extreme religious group with characteristics of both an insurgency and a totalitarian government, has emerged as the world’s newest scourge.
Even senior US generals admit that military power alone is insufficient to weaken, much alone defeat, a group that presently controls a territory bigger than the United Kingdom.
ISIS’s goal of establishing an autonomous Islamic state, or caliphate, can be defeated only via a comprehensive approach combining diplomatic, economic, political, and other methods.
Civilian action organized around the goal of disrupting and denying the group’s primary sources of power may be a crucial component of that approach. This essay will explore this assertion and propose practical ways to promote peaceful resistance.
Before evaluating the role of civic resistance or any other reaction in confronting ISIS, it is necessary to understand the group’s objectives and capabilities.
ISIS’s primary political objective is to re-establish an Islamic caliphate, which has not existed since the Ottoman Empire‘s demise.
Its approach for achieving this political goal is twofold: first, military conquest in order to assert control over territory, beginning with Iraq and Syria, and second, the establishment of functional government in that area in order to legitimize its religious authority.
Main Differences Between Hamas and ISIS
- Hamas was established in Gaza in 1987 by Imam Sheikh Ahmed Yasin and his aide Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi, while ISIS was founded in 2003 by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.
- Hamas was attempting to capitalise on increasing Palestinian resentment of Israel’s arrogance, whereas ISIS has stated that it will conquer Israel and incorporate it into its core caliphate.
- The aim of the Hamas Movement was ethnic cleansing of Palestine in order to establish a Jewish contemporary state in historic Palestine. On the other hand, ISIS want to establish an ultra-conservative caliphate where Shariah, or Islamic law, is rigidly enforced.
- The US has long attempted to negotiate a settlement to the Hamas-Palestinian issue, but numerous factors, including the US’s diminishing interest in fulfilling its traditional position as an honest broker, have harmed the odds of a deal. On the other hand, Since 2014, the United States has led a coalition of nations that has carried out airstrikes against ISIS and backed Iraqi soldiers combating the extremists.
- The Hamas groups declared on Thursday that they had struck an agreement to settle a decades-long feud that had led to an armed confrontation in 2007 whereas, so far, the United States has occasionally achieved big military triumphs, but all of the international terrorist activities that the US has targeted have survived or morphed into new organisations with new identities.
Last Updated : 09 September, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
I still struggle to see Hamas as just a ‘pragmatic resistance organization’, but the article provides good analysis and comparison.
The use of facts and historical context in this article makes it an essential read for those interested in the history of political conflict.
This article provides a comprehensive comparison between Hamas and ISIS. Their origins and objectives are well explained.
While I appreciate the thoroughness of this piece, it seems to downplay the violence and impact of both organizations on civilian populations.
The detailed comparison table is extremely informative and helps to understand the fundamental differences between Hamas and ISIS.
Very interesting analysis of the geopolitical context of Hamas and ISIS. It is crucial to understand these organizations to comprehend the conflict in the Middle East.
An insightful analysis of two highly complex groups. We must be careful not to engage in oversimplification of the conflict in the Middle East.
The informative analysis can surely be a great resource for understanding the history and dynamics of political movements in the Middle East.