Many people hear the word Hamas but few really know the history of the group. Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamic paramilitary organization and politicalparty. It also handles socialaffairs and has attained support of civilians by establishing schools, libraries, hospitals and other social services.

Hamas has a main objective to abolish the State of Israel and institute a Palestinian Islamic state.

Founded in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi and Mohammad Taha. The word Hamasfirst appeared in a leaflet accusing the Israeli Intelligence Service of undermining the moral fiber of Palestinian youth.

Since then Hamas has attacked Israel on many occasions.

Hamas calls this battle to obtain this area a political battle and not religious. Although, most of their writings and actions suggest otherwise. Suicide bombings, wild speeches and antisemitic writings all point to a religious battle against Israel.

The West Bank and Gaza Strip have been besieged by these attacks many claimed by Hamas.

Hamas has been tagged as a terrorist group by many nations including the Australia, Jordan, Canada and the United States. The European Union and the United States have enforced restrictive measures on an international level against Hamas. The United States Department of Justice says that Hamas has covert cells on U.S. soil.

FBI's Robert Mueller testified in a Senate Intelligence Committee "It is the FBI's assessment, at this time, that there is a limited threat of a coordinated terrorist attack in the U.S. from Palestinian terrorist organizations, such as HAMAS, the Palestine Islamic Jihad, and the al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade. These groups have maintained a longstanding policy of focusing their attacks on Israeli targets in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

We believe that the primary interest of Palestinian terrorist groups in the U.S. remains the raising of funds to support their regional goals. Of all the Palestinian groups, HAMAS has the largest presence in the U.S. with a robust infrastructure, primarily focused on fundraising, propaganda for the Palestinian cause, and proselytizing.

Although it would be a major strategic shift for HAMAS, its U.S. network is theoretically capable of facilitating acts of terrorism in the U.S."

Although being founded in 1987 Hamas did not start its campaign of terror and violence until 1989. When they lead their first strikes against Israeli soldiers and Palestinian collaborators. Hamas declared to bring an end to the peace process with violent attacks. Since then attacks in Gaza and the Western Bank have increased.

In April of 1994 a Hamas suicide bomber drove a car filled with explosives into a bus killing eight and wounding 50 others.

Since this suicide mission Hamas has claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks against Israeli military as well as innocent civilians. Israeli intelligence has put a stop to many others. Israel decided on disengagement from the Gaza Strip in August 2005. That's when Hamas started to carry out dozens of rocket attacks against civilian targets in southern Israel. Israeli Defence Forces have said that since September 200 Hamas has killed nearly 300 Israelis and wounded thousands more.

Hamas agreed to ceasefire or "tahdia" promising to put an end to terrorist attacks in March of 2005, but according to Israeli sources have continued to plan, carry out and provide support for attacks claimed by other terrorist groups.

Through systematic religious and political indoctrination and social pressure, Hamas leaders recruit young Palestinian men for suicide missions and other attacks. Hamas has also recruited beyond the West Bank and Gaza. According to Israeli sources, Hamas has recruited and operated a number of Israeli Arab terror cells.

In June 2003, Israel indicted five senior officials of the Israeli Arab Islamic Movement, including movement leader Sheikh Ra'ad Salah, on various terrorism-related charges including membership in Hamas and raising funds abroad for Hamas agencies in the West Bank and Gaza. According to Israeli sources, two British Muslim suicide bombers who blew up a pub in Tel Aviv in April 2003 were Hamas recruits dispatched by the Hamas military command in Gaza.

Hamas had success in the January 2006 parliamentary elections, overtaking Fatah, and winning 74 seats in the 132-seat legislature, with Fatah holding 45 seats. Hamas will thus form the next Palestinian Authority government, with Mahmoud Abbas remaining as Palestinian Authority President.

Although the “Oslo II” agreement signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in September 1995, outlining the modalities of Palestinian elections, restrains candidates who have committed or advocated racism, or pursue the implementation of their beliefs by unlawful or non-democratic means from taking part in elections. President Abbas did not prevent Hamas’ participation in the political arena.

In 2005 Hamas began large scale involvement in Palestinian politics, and they did well in the municipal elections held throughout the year, obtaining more than a third of municipal council seats. In Palestinian municipal elections held in December 2005, Hamas gained municipalities with residents residing counting at over one million. While the municipalities governed by Fatah are populated at only about 700,000.

Palestinians believe that Fatah are a weak and corrupt party, with very little action taken. They see Hamas as a welcomed alternative to the kind of politics that they have seen in the past with Fatah. They feel Hamas will offer greater social and economic solutions.

With the 2006 election campaign, Hamas candidates did not did not stray from their commitment to an armed struggle against Israel or their refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist. “We do not recognize the Israeli enemy, nor his right to be our neighbor, nor to stay on the land, nor his ownership of any inch of land. We are interested in restoring our full rights to return all the people of Palestine to the land of Palestine. Our principles are clear, Palestine is a land of Waqf (Islamic trust), which can not be given up.” Hamas leader Mohammad Zahar said.

That brings us to present day January 2009. Israel and Hamas have been slugging it out. but there have been talks of ceasefire. There have been airstrikes, blocks on aid and finances as well as schools being struck, but there have been talks of a ceasefire.

With no real end in sight who knows what will ultimately become of Hamas. One things for sure they will keep fueling fear and indoctrinating hate in the children of the regions they occupy. Showing children's programming clearly situated around implementing their hatred of anything good in the world.