Is Hamas actually ISIS?

The Palestinian militant group responsible for the deaths of over 1,400 Israeli citizens has naturally been conflated with the infamous Islamist terror group as of late. While both groups have committed deplorable acts of violence that must be condemned, it is nevertheless important to maintain a distinction between them. Here’s why.

What is Hamas?

Hamas is an Islamist militant organisation that operates in the Palestinian territories. It was founded in 1987 with the primary goal of liberating Palestine and establishing an independent Palestinian state. 

In 2017, Hamas released its latest political document that outlined its stance on various issues. This document reflects a shift in some of its positions while maintaining its fundamental objectives.

• It condemns the Zionist project that led to the establishment of Israel and the displacement of Palestinians from their land.
• It calls for the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, along the pre-1967 borders, and the return of refugees to their homes.
• It rejects any attempt to settle refugees outside Palestine and calls for compensation for their suffering.
• It defends the legitimacy of resistance, including armed resistance, as a means to protect the rights of Palestinians, with the management of resistance being an integral part of the conflict process.
• It also characterizes the Zionist project as a racist and expansionist endeavor, focusing its conflict with the Zionist project rather than the Jewish people as a whole.

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Hamas and ISIS

The 2017 Hamas charter represents an updated statement of the organization's beliefs and aims, reflecting a somewhat softened stance on certain issues while maintaining its core objective of Palestinian liberation and statehood.

Of course, merely documented words don’t mean enough to demarcate clear differences between the two groups. But here’s where the two differ on fundamentally ideological levels.

While both Hamas and ISIS have employed violent means to achieve their goals that should most definitely condemned, they are both distinct groups with different objectives, governance structures, and regional relationships. 

It is important to analyze each group independently to develop more effective strategies and diplomatic efforts, if not fall prey to an intrinsically Islamophobic rhetoric that conflates the two to begin with. 

Objectives

While both Hamas and ISIS have employed violence, their objectives are fundamentally different. 

Hamas primarily focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the liberation of Palestine, whereas ISIS has aimed to establish a global Islamic caliphate through widespread terrorism. 

Equating the two groups blurs these distinctions and oversimplifies complex geopolitical issues.

Longevity and governance

Hamas has existed for decades and governs the Gaza Strip, while ISIS operates as a non-state actor with no recognized governance structure. 

Treating them as interchangeable disregards their differing roles in regional and global politics.

Public relations and diplomacy

Equating Hamas to ISIS can serve as a rhetorical tool to deflect criticism or garner international support.

 For example, Israel may use this comparison to justify its actions against Hamas, potentially impacting diplomatic efforts and international perceptions. It's important to critically assess each group's actions and motivations independently.

Regional relations

The social-political dynamics in the Middle East are complex. Hamas has political ties with various regional actors, while ISIS is largely isolated. Treating them interchangeably may lead to misjudgments in regional diplomacy and alliances.

Religious differences

Hamas and ISIS also differ religiously in their interpretations of Islam. 

Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist organization with primarily nationalist goals, while ISIS is a transnational extremist group that promotes a radical, distorted form of Sunni Islam, seeking a global Islamic caliphate through violent means.

The Islamic State (IS) considers Hamas to be apostates due to ideological differences and views them as aligned with Shia Iran. 

Also, the Islamic State literally views Hamas as apostates and IS supporters have been pillaging Hamas online since Saturday bc they are tools of Shia Iran and also don’t actually implement sharia according to IS’s interpretations. https://t.co/5C2O7r2d5o

— Aaron Y. Zelin (@azelin) October 12, 2023

IS supporters have been criticizing Hamas online, asserting that they do not implement Sharia law according to IS's interpretations, reflecting the extremist beliefs of IS, which seeks to establish its own strict interpretation of Islamic governance and often denounces other groups it perceives as deviating from its vision.