On Wednesday, February 5th, the Hamas group, responsible for the terror attack on Israel in October 2023, aligned with the terrorist organizations Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Kashmir. During an event called the ‘Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation ‘Al Aqsa Flood’ Conference’ at the Shaheed Sabir Stadium in Rawalakote, a JeM terrorist declared on stage that Hamas and Pakistani terrorist groups had formed a united front.
“The ‘Mujahideen of Palestine’ and ‘Mujahideen of Kashmir’ have now united. It’s time to shed blood in Delhi and to separate Kashmir from India,” he threatened.
According to reports, the event was attended by Talha Saif, the brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar, along with Jaish commanders Asghar Khan Kashmiri and Masood Ilyas, as well as senior leaders from LeT. Dr. Khalid Al-Qadoumi, Hamas's representative in Iran, also attended, marking the first visit of a Hamas leader to Kashmir. Several Palestinian leaders were also present at the event.
It’s important to note that Pakistan observes "Kashmir Solidarity Day" on February 5th, typically carrying out activities that advance an anti-India agenda. This development highlights Pakistan's significant role in supporting terrorism under the guise of Kashmir solidarity. Groups like JeM and LeT have been responsible for major terrorist attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
On October 7, 2023, Israel experienced one of the most devastating attacks in recent history when hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated from the Gaza Strip. Additionally, Palestinian militants launched large-scale rocket barrages from Gaza towards southern and central Israel, prompting the country to declare a ‘state of war.’
The terrorists also took numerous Israelis hostage, including women, children, and the elderly. Around 1,300 people were killed in the attacks, and disturbing videos showed women being paraded, bruised and naked, in the streets. Many hostages remain in captivity, though some have been released following a recent peace agreement.
While Hamas's operations had been primarily confined to the Middle East, its recent activity in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and growing ties with Pakistan-based terror groups signal an expanding influence in the region. In 2023, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh previously remarked that “the Palestine and Kashmir issues had been a litmus test for advocates of human rights.” He emphasized the need for all Islamists to unite in support of Palestine and Kashmir. Notably, in June 2024, Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed in Tehran.
Hamas: A Derivative of the Regional Muslim Brotherhood
Hamas stands for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, which translates to "Islamic Resistance Movement" in English. It was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian cleric who studied Islamic scholarship in Cairo and became involved with local branches of the Muslim Brotherhood. In the 1960s, Yassin delivered religious sermons in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
In December 1987, Yassin established Hamas as the political extension of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza amid the first intifada—Palestinian uprisings against Israel over alleged atrocities in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem. Initially, Hamas viewed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as a threat to the Muslim Brotherhood and actively sought to counter it. In 1988, Hamas released its charter, advocating for the destruction of Israel and the creation of an Islamic state in historic Palestine.
Since April 1993, Hamas has carried out suicide bombings, with the first attack occurring five months before PLO leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo Accords. This agreement established limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank and Gaza through the Palestinian Authority (PA). However, Hamas opposed these peace efforts and condemned mutual recognition between the PLO and Israel.
In 1997, the United States designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization. During the second intifada in the early 2000s, Hamas led violent resistance, and in 2004, its founder, Yassin, was killed by Israeli forces. Alongside the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Hamas remains one of the major factions in Palestinian territories. Since 2006, Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip after defeating its political rival, Fatah, in elections—although no elections have taken place in the enclave since then.
Previously, Syria hosted Hamas’s leadership, but relations soured after Palestinian refugees participated in the 2011 uprising that led to the Syrian Civil War. Some Hamas leaders now operate from Turkey. Notably, the group behind the October 7th attack on Israel is responsible not only for terrorism in Israel and the Middle East but has also extended its influence into India.
Hamas and SIMI: A Common Vision for an Islamic State in India
The Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), known for its links to Pakistan-based terror groups and the Indian Mujahideen (IM), was banned by the Indian government on September 27, 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks. The organization faced serious charges, including sedition, inciting communal hatred, and orchestrating violence. Reports have previously highlighted SIMI’s ideological alignment with Hamas, as both groups sought to establish an Islamic state in their respective regions and engaged in funding anti-India activities.
SIMI rejected secularism, democracy, and nationalism, considering them anti-Islamic. It actively promoted armed struggle to establish Islamic supremacy, restore the Khalifat (Islamic state or caliphate), and unite the Muslim ummah in India. The group believed that, despite being a minority, Indian Muslims had a duty to ensure the implementation of Shari’ah, failing which they would face divine punishment. SIMI’s objectives closely mirrored those of Hamas concerning Jews in Israel, highlighting ideological similarities between the two organizations.
With a presence across multiple Indian states—including Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Gujarat, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir—SIMI maintained ties with Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and jihadi groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). It was also linked to Hamas, which reportedly provided financial support to SIMI. This was confirmed by Salim Sajid, a former SIMI financial secretary, who revealed Hamas as a key funding source.
Additionally, SIMI received financial aid from Bangladesh’s Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student wing of JeI Bangladesh, and Saudi Arabia’s Jamayyatul Ansar (JA), composed mainly of Indian Muslims working in Saudi Arabia. Other financial contributors included the Consultative Committee of Indian Muslims in the U.S., the International Islamic Federation of Students Organizations (Kuwait), and the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (Riyadh).
Is Hamas Actively Recruiting New Members?
Extremist and terrorist organizations often create front groups to conceal their true identities. Members of these groups frequently align with organizations that share similar ideologies. For instance, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operates under the guise of a so-called charity, Jama’at-ud-Da’wah, while Jaish-e-Mohammed hides behind the People’s Anti-Fascist Front to carry out violent activities in Jammu and Kashmir. More significantly, while connections between Hamas and SIMI—or any other terror group—might seem unlikely due to linguistic, geographic, or political differences, their shared motivation stems from a common ideology: hostility toward non-believers and the pursuit of an Islamic state.
Hamas, after taking control of Gaza, has launched relentless rocket and mortar attacks on Israel. It has also deployed hundreds of incendiary balloons and explosives, causing widespread civilian casualties and destruction. In response, Israel has conducted forceful retaliatory strikes, targeting what it identifies as military infrastructure in Gaza. As a result, Hamas—having suffered heavy losses due to Israeli counter-operations—may now seek to expand its network by collaborating with like-minded extremist groups and advancing anti-India propaganda.
Intelligence reports have previously warned of Hamas’s possible links with radical elements in South Asia. Its longstanding ties with Pakistan and other jihadi organizations supporting anti-India activities cannot be overlooked. The Pakistani military has reportedly trained Hamas terrorists, with its SSG commandos providing specialized training to Hamas’s Air and Naval Wing. Additionally, Pakistan has been a key financial supporter of Hamas. Recently, the country has openly hosted events under the pretext of ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day,’ where known terrorists—responsible for attacks against India—have forged alliances with Hamas.
During one such event, extremist groups openly criticized Indian leadership, making inflammatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist addressing the gathering declared that the ‘Mujahideen of Palestine’ and ‘Mujahideen of Kashmir’ have now united. He further issued a direct threat against India, vowing bloodshed in Delhi and pledging to separate Kashmir from the country.
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