RH DOSSIER / Armed partner / force

Hamas

Purpose

A Palestinian Islamist political and armed movement with Muslim Brotherhood roots. Its armed wing fights Israel; the organization also developed political, charitable and social-service networks in Gaza. [29]

Size and reach

Fewer than 20,000 fighters in the State Department’s report covering 2024, published May 2026. Subsequent losses and recruitment make that unsuitable as a current census. [29]

Why this alignment

Iran supplies funding, weapons and training. Their opposition to Israel gives them common ground despite different religious traditions; support does not prove Iranian direction of every Hamas attack. [29][9]