Is Hamas a Palestinian Militant or Terrorist Group?

Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “The Israel-Hamas conflict and Nusseibeh’s analysis” which was published in the Hindu. The Prime Minister of India urged the world to define and condemn terrorism in one voice, as a divided world can’t find solutions to problems facing humanity.
• There is no current agreement regarding a universal legal definition of terrorism.

Who is Hamas?

• Hamas is a Palestinian Islamist militant group that rules the Gaza Strip. It has been designated as a terrorist group by Israel, and the Western world.
• Hamas militant group is tactically supported by Iran which funds it and provides weapons and training to its members to carry out attacks.

What is the impact of the Israel-Hamas War on civilians?

• In the case of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, both sides are behaving immorally and unethically, pushing ordinary citizens into the jaws of death. 
• Hamas is conscious that the state of Israel can never be destroyed and Israel equally knows that the ideology behind Hamas cannot be eliminated, nor can Hamas as an entity. Only innocent civilians would pay heavily.

What is the difference between militant and Terrorist? 

Here is a table outlining the difference between a militant and a terrorist:

Also read: Terrorism in Any Form Against Humanity: PM

What is a comprehensive convention on international terrorism?

• It provides a legal framework that binds all signatories to deny funds and safe havens to terrorist groups.
• Hurdles in Adoption of CCIT
  • Conclusion and ratification of the CCIT remains deadlocked.
  • Opposition over the “definition of terrorism” (the most divisive of the issues) and seeking exclusions to safeguard their strategic interests.
  • The US demands to exclude acts committed by states’ military forces during peacetime.
  • The Organization of Islamic Countries demands the exclusion of national liberation movements, especially in the context of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. 
  • The Latin American countries want a comprehensive definition of Terrorism, foreign interventions as ‘State terrorism’ and inclusion of International human rights laws.

Conclusion:

The complexities of defining terrorism remains a global challenge, particularly in distinguishing between a militant group like Hamas and groups universally designated as terrorists. Thus, to counter global  terrorism in all forms, countries must agree upon a definition of terrorism and rise above narrow self-interest and break the prism of good and bad terrorism.