Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood: A Troubled Relationship

Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement, is a Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and has been engaged in a deadly conflict with Israel since October 7, 2023.

Hamas claims to be the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and seeks to establish an Islamic state in historic Palestine, including Israel and the occupied territories.

But what is the origin and nature of Hamas’s ideology and political affiliation? How does it relate to the Muslim Brotherhood, the influential transnational Islamist movement that has been banned in Egypt and other countries? And what are the implications of this relationship for the prospects of peace and reconciliation in the region?

Hamas was founded in 1987 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine, following the outbreak of the first intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which originated in Egypt in 1928, is a social and political movement that advocates a conservative interpretation of Islam and opposes secularism and Western influence.

The Muslim Brotherhood has branches and affiliates in many countries across the Middle East and North Africa, and has participated in elections and governance in some of them.

Hamas adopted the Muslim Brotherhood’s ideology of jihad, or holy struggle, against Israel, but also developed its own distinctive identity and agenda.

Hamas’s charter, issued in 1988, declared that “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it” and that “there is no solution for the Palestinian question except through jihad”.

The charter also rejected any political compromise or negotiation with Israel, and affirmed Hamas’s loyalty to the Muslim Brotherhood.

However, over the years, Hamas’s relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood has become more complex and strained.

Hamas has faced criticism from some Muslim Brotherhood leaders and members for its violent tactics, its involvement in governance and politics, and its willingness to engage with other Palestinian factions and regional actors.

Hamas has also sought to distance itself from the Muslim Brotherhood’s troubles in Egypt, where the movement was ousted from power by a military coup in 2013 and declared a terrorist organization by the government.

In 2017, Hamas issued a new document that revised some of its positions and softened some of its rhetoric.

The document accepted for the first time the idea of a Palestinian state within the borders that existed before 1967, although it still rejected recognition of Israel.

The document also stated that Hamas’s struggle was not against Jews as a religious group, but against Zionism as a political project.

Moreover, the document announced that Hamas was ending its association with the Muslim Brotherhood, and that it was “a Palestinian Islamic national liberation and resistance movement”.

The new document was seen by some analysts as an attempt by Hamas to rebrand itself as a more pragmatic and moderate actor, and to improve its relations with other Palestinian factions, such as Fatah, which leads the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank.

The PA is Hamas’s main rival for political legitimacy and representation of the Palestinian people, and has been engaged in a bitter power struggle with Hamas since 2007, when Hamas seized control of Gaza after a brief civil war.

The document was also seen as a way for Hamas to reach out to regional powers, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, which have had tense or hostile relations with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Egypt, in particular, has played a key role in mediating between Israel and Hamas during several rounds of violence and cease fires.

Egypt also controls the Rafah crossing, the only exit point from Gaza that is not under Israeli blockade.

However, despite its apparent shift away from the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas has not completely severed its ties with the movement.

Hamas still maintains contacts and coordination with some Muslim Brotherhood branches and affiliates in other countries, such as Jordan, Qatar, Sudan, and Turkey.

Hamas also receives support and sympathy from some Islamist groups and parties that are inspired by or linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The relationship between Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood is therefore one of ambiguity and ambivalence.

It reflects both historical roots and ideological affinities, as well as pragmatic considerations and strategic adjustments.

It also poses challenges and dilemmas for both sides, as well as for other actors involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The future of this relationship will depend on several factors, such as the outcome of the current escalation between Israel and Hamas; the prospects of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah; the role of Egypt and other regional powers; and the evolution of the Muslim Brotherhood’s status and influence in different countries.