Where and what is Hamas today?

In this episode of The World Stage, NUPI Senior Researcher Erik Skare explores the complex history and internal dynamics of Hamas with Jeroen Gunning, Professor at King's College London and a pioneer in the field of critical terrorism studies.

Founded in 1987 as the military wing of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas has grown into a multifaceted movement encompassing political, social, and military dimensions. Gunning details the profound internal tensions between pragmatists and hardliners, the struggle to balance its role as the de facto government in Gaza with its identity as a resistance movement, and how the October 7 attacks have fundamentally reshaped the region’s geopolitical map.

The conversation also examines the power balance between the leadership inside Gaza and the external leadership abroad, as well as the implications of the "terrorist" label for Palestinian unity and the future of governance in the region.

The episode is part of the follow-up to the NUPI symposium "What Now? Israel, Palestine and a Region in Crisis." The symposium was organized by Frode Saugestad in collaboration with NUPI and supported by Fritt Ord.

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