Introduction

Hamas’s early actions differed from those of other Palestinian factions in several key ways:

Facts

1. Ideological foundation: Hamas was founded as an Islamist organization, rooted in the Muslim Brotherhood, while other major factions like Fatah were secular nationalist groups. This gave Hamas a distinct religious ideology that set it apart.

2. Initial focus on social services: In its early years, Hamas put significant emphasis on providing social services, charity, and religious education to Palestinians. This helped it build grassroots support, in contrast to Fatah’s more political approach.

3. Rejection of peace process: Hamas took a hardline stance against negotiations with Israel, rejecting the Oslo Accords and other peace initiatives that Fatah and the PLO engaged in during the 1990s. Hamas maintained a position of not recognizing Israel’s right to exist.

4. Tactics and targets: Initially, Hamas focused more on attacking Israeli military targets rather than civilians. It was only after 1994 that Hamas began specifically targeting civilians in suicide attacks, in response to the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre. Other factions had engaged in attacks on civilians earlier.

5. Competing with the PLO: From its inception, Hamas positioned itself as an alternative to the PLO and Fatah, challenging their leadership of the Palestinian cause. This led to tensions and sometimes violent clashes between Hamas and Fatah supporters.

6. Grassroots uprising focus: Hamas emerged during the First Intifada and was very much focused on grassroots resistance and the local struggle in Gaza and the West Bank, whereas Fatah and the PLO had a more international orientation at the time.

7. Islamization efforts: In its early years, Hamas campaigned for Islamic social norms, such as promoting the wearing of the hijab and gender segregation. This was not a focus for secular factions like Fatah.

Conclusion

These differences in ideology, tactics, and focus helped Hamas establish itself as a distinct and influential force in Palestinian politics, eventually leading to its electoral victory in 2006 and control of Gaza since 2007.