Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah Explained
Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization, is funded by Iran and openly seeks the destruction of Israel. The unprovoked attack primarily targeted civilians, including a music festival where over 260 attendees lost their lives. Since 2005, Hamas, along with other terrorist groups in Gaza, has launched over 20,000 rockets and mortars at Israel, executed more than one hundred suicide bombings, and constructed dozens of terror tunnels into Israeli communities—all at the expense of the people of Gaza.
As the largest state sponsor of terror, Iran views Hamas as a proxy and employs the terrorist organization to further its ultimate goal of destroying Israel. Iran and Hamas collaborate to hinder Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation efforts, with Tehran providing upwards of $70 million annually in financial and military support to Hamas.
Previous violence in Israel has been linked to a sharp increase in antisemitism in the United States. ADL reported that 2022 marked the highest level of antisemitic incidents in the US since they began tracking in 1979.
- Hamas and Gaza's history explained; watch here and here.
- Briefing 1-pager on Hamas; see here.
- What Is U.S. Policy on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; see here.
- What Hamas is Hiding; see here.
- What to Know About Media Bias in Coverage of Hamas’ Attack on Israel; see here.
- Hezbollah, Hamas, and More: Iran’s Terror Network Around the Globe; see here.
- Maps of the Middle East and the Gaza Strip; see here.