A History of Hamas

Throughline

NPR

Documentary, History, Society & Culture

4.7 • 15K Ratings

🗓️ 9 October 2025

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With peace talks once again underway between Israel and Hamas, and hopes again growing for a permanent ceasefire, we’re bringing you our episode on the origins of Hamas: where it came from, how its influence grew, and what it represents. Next week, our episode on Benjamin Netanyahu and the rise of Israel’s right wing. This episode first ran in November 2023.

We've done episodes on Hamas, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, and more. Find them all in our series, "The Cycle".

To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Before Gwendolyn Christie was cast as Breanne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, she had a hard time finding a good role.
0:07.5	The feedback she'd always get was the same, and it wasn't particularly helpful.
0:11.3	Because you're too tall and you're too unconventional looking.
0:13.7	And I just thought, gosh, I'm limited.
0:16.6	Gwendolyn Christie from Game of Thrones, Severance, and more on Bullseye for maximumfund.org and NPR.
0:23.6	It has been over two years since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
0:31.4	The attack killed around 1,200 people.
0:34.7	250 people were taken hostage.
0:36.6	In response, Israel bombarded and invaded Gaza.
0:42.1	According to Gaza health officials, more than 66,000 Palestinians have been killed in what an
0:48.9	independent UN inquiry has classified as genocide. Since the start of the conflict, we've heard from many of you,
0:57.3	our listeners, with questions about Hamas. Who are they? What do they want? And how do we get here?
1:04.5	So in the weeks following the October 7th, 2023 attack, we talked to experts on all sides to answer those questions, people who know
1:13.5	the history deeply and have even participated in it. This episode first aired in November
1:19.7	2023, and we wanted to bring it back to you again now to look back at the origins and
1:25.5	influence of Hamas. Next week, we'll bring you our episode about the rise of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli right wing.
1:34.2	Today, we'll start in 1987 with the event that birthed Hamas.
1:44.0	Music In December 1987, a military truck, driven by an Israeli citizen collided with another vehicle in Gaza near the Jabaliyya refugee camp.
2:00.5	Four Palestinians died.
2:02.7	Authorities explained it as an accident,
2:05.2	but many Palestinians viewed it as an act of revenge
2:08.2	for the killing of an Israeli man in Gaza days earlier.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.