Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist militant and political organization that originated from the Gaza Strip. It was founded in 1987 as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood during the First Intifada against Israeli occupation. Since 2007, Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip, where it has a strong base of support and operational capability. Its roots and main area of control remain in Gaza, but it also has presence in the West Bank and connections with various regional actors. The group was established with the aim of resisting Israeli occupation and seeks the establishment of an Islamic state in the Palestinian territories, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.