Ancient Israel had its share of enemies. Yet in Deuteronomy 28, God promised the people of Israel that if they obeyed and kept His commandments, all the enemies that rose up against them would be defeated (vv. 1, 7). We read in the Old Testament how the Lord kept His promise again and again as the small nation defeated the armies around it.

Today, the young, modern nation-state of Israel is once again surrounded by enemies. In particular, with Hezbollah in the north and Hamas to the south, Israel is under constant threat. 

Most of us are not experts on the Middle East, and it is easy to become lost as we hear about the two terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. Here is a basic rundown of these two groups who want nothing more than to wipe Israel off the map.  

Hamas

• Hamas was founded in 1987 as the Islamic Resistance Movement (whose acronym in Arabic is HAMAS). It is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood.

• Numerous countries throughout the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Japan, consider Hamas a terrorist organization.

• Although Hamas has a strong following in the West Bank, it is headquartered in Gaza, the 141-square-mile strip of land bordered by Egypt, the Mediterranean Sea, and Israel. 

In its founding charter or covenant, Hamas stated, “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it just as it obliterated others before it.”

• Iran is its largest financial backer. But because Iran is Shia Muslim and Hamas is Sunni Muslim, Iran considers Hamas not a proxy but an ally.

• In its founding charter or covenant, Hamas stated, “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it just as it obliterated others before it.”

• In 2005, Israel completely withdrew its military, police, and citizens from Gaza. The following year, the Palestinians held elections, and Hamas defeated Fatah. 

• In 2007 after Fatah and Hamas failed to come to an agreement of power, Hamas came into power in Gaza. It was at this time Israel and Egypt built extensive border walls with Gaza. 

• As documented by the United Nations and other international organizations, since 2007, Hamas has used its own citizens as human shields when being attacked by Israel. 

• Hamas has carried out attacks on Israeli citizens, police, and military since its inception. This pattern of violence culminated in the October 7, 2023, attacks that killed more than 1,200 in a single day. 

Hezbollah

• Hezbollah, or “Party of God,” was established in 1982 in response to Israel entering Lebanon to end Palestinian-led terrorist attacks on the Galilee region in Operation Peace for Galilee.

Since Hezbollah is Shia Muslim like Iran, it is considered a proxy of Iran and is primarily funded by that nation.

• Since Hezbollah is Shia Muslim like Iran, it is considered a proxy of Iran and is primarily funded by that nation. It is in agreement with Iran to eliminate Israel.

• Hezbollah was a major player in the later part of the Lebanese civil war that ended in 1990.

• Israel officially withdrew from Lebanon in 2000, but Hezbollah continued to attack Israel.

• In 2006, Hezbollah terrorists crossed into Israel, killing and kidnapping Israeli soldiers. Israel responded with military strikes into Lebanon. 

• Hezbollah lost parliamentary majority in Lebanon in 2022 but remains stronger than Lebanon’s own military, thanks to Iran’s financial backing. 

• After October 7, 2023, many believed Hezbollah would attack from the north with the same force as Hamas did from the south. Although Hezbollah has launched thousands of rockets into Israel since then, the group has not responded in full force. 

From a human perspective, Hamas and Hezbollah have the strength to destroy Israel. But we know from His Word that God is Israel’s Protector and Deliverer (Psalm 59). Please do not cease praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).

About the Author

Sarah Fern

Sarah is the Media Content Strategist for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. She lives in the Knoxville, TN area with her husband, Martin, and their son.