The Resurgence of Hamas Politics, Power, and the Road to the Liberation of Palestine

Table of contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Roots of Hamas: The Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine
1.1. The Beginning - The Muslim Brotherhood Pushes to War
1.2. Palestine as an Islamic Waqf Land
1.3. The Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine from 1948 to the 1980s
1.4. The Muslim Brotherhood’s Ideology Regarding Israel
Conclusion

Chapter 2: The First Twenty Years of Hamas (1987–2006)
2.1. First Steps: The Establishment of Hamas
2.2. Hamas Fighting for its Survival: The Oslo Period
2.3. The Second Intifada: National Unity and Armed Struggle
Conclusion

Chapter 3: Hamas in Government 2006-2023
3.1. From the 2006 Elections to the Shalit Deal in 2011
3.2. The Gaza Wars: Toward Armageddon
3.3. The Arab Spring’s Impact on Hamas, 2011–2017
3.4. "From the River to the Sea": Hamas’s Road to the October 7 War (2017–2023)
Conclusion

Chapter 4: Hamas vs. Fatah: The Internal Palestinian War
4.1. The Origins of the Hamas–Fatah Crisis
4.2. Serving the Enemy? The PA’s Security Coordination with Israel
4.3. Legitimacy Challenges Facing Mahmoud Abbas and the PA
Conclusion

Chapter 5: Hamas’ Unholy Jihad
5.1. Hamas’ jihadist bedfellows
5.2. The Martyrdom Legacy
5.3. Islamic Antisemitism toward Jews and Israel
5.4. The Islamist Vision: Freeing Palestine and Establishing a Caliphate
5.5. The definition of Jihad
5.6. Democracy and Jihad
5.7. Hamas’s Definition of Nationalism
Conclusion

Chapter 6: The end of Israel in Hamas ideology
6.1. The Meaning and Purpose of the Night Journey
6.2. What Is the Land “Whose Surroundings We Have Blessed”?
6.3. The Corruption of the Children of Israel and the Loss of Their Land
6.4. Who Are the “Current-Day Philosophers” Fahmi Mashāira Refers To?
6.5. What Is the “Corruption” of the Children of Israel?
6.6. The Children of Israel’s Control of the Holy Land Is Only Temporary
Conclusion

Chapter 7: Hamas and Its International Relations
7.1. Hamas and Its Relations with States
7.1.1. Iran and Hamas: A Strategic Alliance Rooted in Common Interests
7.1.2. Qatar and Hamas: A Strategic Patronage Relationship
7.1.3. Turkey and Hamas: A Strategic Partnership Rooted in Ideological and Geopolitical Interests
7.1.4. Egypt and Hamas: A Relationship of Pragmatism and Mistrust
7.1.5. Syria and Hamas: A Complex and Evolving Relationship
7.1.6. Hamas and the other Gulf States
7.1.7. Hamas, the European Union, and the United States
7.1.8. Hamas and China: Strategic Ambiguity in a Fragmented Regional Order
7.1.9. Hamas and South Africa: Normative Solidarity and Middle Power Lawfare
7.2. Hamas’ Relations with Other Terrorist Organizations
7.2.1. Hamas and Hezbollah: A Strategic and Military Partnership
7.2.2. Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood: An Ideological and Strategic Connection
7.2.3. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ): A Close but Complex Alliance
Conclusion

Chapter 8: The Da'wah in the service of Hamas
8.1. Islamization of the Gaza Strip society
8.2. Islamization of the youth
8.3. Hamas in the Palestinian Educational System
8.4. The Perception of the Shahada (Death for Allah)
8.5. Hamas and its morality police
Conclusion

Chapter 9: The October 7 War and Aftermath
9.1. The October 7 War and Its Consequences
9.2. Hamas’s Narrative Regarding the Outbreak of the October 7 War
9.3. Leadership Change at the Top of Hamas and the Road to War
9.4. From Shadow War to Missile War: Israel, Iran, and the Twelve-Day War
9.5. What Now for Hamas? Between Claimed Achievements and Palestinian Disaster
Conclusion

Index

Biography

Dr. Shaul Bartal is a Research Associate at the Moshe Dayan Center, Tel Aviv University, and at the Instituto do Oriente, Universidade de Lisboa (ISCSP-ULisboa). He is the author of The Fedayeen Emerge: The Palestine-Israel Conflict, 1949–1956 (2011); Jihad in Palestine (2016); New Forms of Palestinian Terror Against Israel: A Profile of the al-Quds Intifada (2017); and Hamas and Ideology: Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi on the Jews, Zionism, and Israel (2018).

Dr. Teresa de Almeida e Silva is a Full Professor at the Institute of Social and Political Sciences of Universidade de Lisboa (ISCSP-ULisboa). She is the Coordinator of the International Relations Department (ISCSP-ULisboa), Coordinator of the Space Policy and Diplomacy Center (ISCSP-ULisboa), Scientific Coordinator of the Post-Graduation in ‘Intelligence: Theory & Pratice’ (ISCSP-ULisboa) and Collaborating Researcher of the Center for Administration and Public Policy (CAPP-ISCSP), in the “Policy and Government” research line. In Portugal, she has published several books and articles related to Middle Eastern issues.