What Happened
- Hamas issued a statement on March 14, 2026, calling on Iran to "avoid targeting neighbouring countries" in its retaliatory military actions against the US-Israeli strikes.
- At the same time, Hamas "affirmed the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws."
- Hamas called on the international community to "work towards halting" the ongoing war immediately.
- The statement reflects Hamas's delicate position: as a recipient of Iranian support for over a decade, it supports Iran's right to self-defence against US-Israeli aggression, but fears that Iran's retaliatory strikes on neighbouring Arab countries — Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait have all been affected by Iranian missile overflights or misfires — are destabilising the broader region and jeopardising Hamas's relations with Arab states.
- Hamas had previously condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war as a "heinous crime."
Static Topic Bridges
Hamas: Ideology, Governance, and Iran Relations
Hamas (Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya — Islamic Resistance Movement) was founded in 1987 during the First Intifada as an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. It won the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections and subsequently took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007. Hamas's political charter, in its 2017 revised version, frames its conflict as one against Zionism and occupation rather than against Jews per se. Hamas has received significant financial and military support from Iran, particularly for weapons procurement and tunnel infrastructure.
- Hamas founded: December 1987, Gaza Strip.
- Hamas designated a terrorist organisation by: US (1997), EU (2003), UK, Australia, Japan, and others.
- 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council elections: Hamas won 74 of 132 seats, defeating Fatah.
- Hamas took control of Gaza in June 2007 after violent clashes with Fatah (Palestinian Authority).
- Iran-Hamas ties: strengthened after 2007; Iran provided financial support estimated at $70–100 million annually at peak.
- The 2023–2024 Gaza War significantly degraded Hamas's military infrastructure.
Connection to this news: Hamas's dual-message — supporting Iran's right to defend while cautioning against spillover attacks — reflects a mature political calculation: Iran's war is existentially important to Hamas's ideology and support network, but regional destabilisation threatens Palestinian diplomatic standing.
The "Axis of Resistance" and Regional Dynamics
The "Axis of Resistance" (Mihwar al-Muqawama) is an Iran-led coalition of state and non-state actors opposed to US and Israeli influence in the Middle East. It includes Iran, the Assad government in Syria (weakened after 2024), Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Houthi forces (Ansar Allah) in Yemen, and various Iraqi armed factions (PMF/Hashd al-Shaabi). The axis is not a formal military alliance but a coordinated network of mutual support and ideological solidarity.
- Hezbollah: established 1982 in Lebanon; estimated 100,000+ rockets and missiles; designated terrorist organisation by US, EU, UK.
- Houthis/Ansar Allah: gained control of northern Yemen including Sanaa by 2015; backed by Iran; conducted Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping attacks from late 2023.
- Iraqi PMF (Popular Mobilisation Forces): established 2014 to fight ISIS; partially integrated into Iraqi state forces; Iran-backed factions within PMF have conducted attacks on US forces.
- Syrian Civil War (2011–ongoing): Iran and Russia backed Assad; Iran lost significant influence after Assad government fell in late 2024.
Connection to this news: Hamas's statement reveals a fracture within the Axis of Resistance: its constituent members have different tolerance levels for escalation. Hamas, which needs Arab-state goodwill for reconstruction and political legitimacy, is more cautious about Iran striking neighbouring Arab countries than Iran's direct commanders might prefer.
Jus ad Bellum and the Right of Self-Defence
The right of self-defence in international law is governed by Article 51 of the UN Charter, which permits states to use force in self-defence against an armed attack until the Security Council takes measures to restore peace. However, the right of self-defence is constrained by the principles of necessity (force used only when no other option exists) and proportionality (force used must be proportionate to the armed attack). Non-state actors like Hamas cannot invoke Article 51 directly but can cite resistance to occupation under contested interpretations of international humanitarian law.
- UN Charter Article 51: "Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence."
- Necessity and proportionality: established as customary international law in the ICJ's Nicaragua case (1986).
- The US-Israel strikes on Iran were justified by their governments under Article 51 (citing Iranian threats and nuclear programme); Iran's retaliatory strikes are similarly framed as self-defence by Tehran.
- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has jurisdiction over state-to-state disputes; the International Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction over individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Connection to this news: Hamas's invocation of Iran's "right to respond to aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws" is a deliberate reference to Article 51 self-defence framing — lending a legal legitimacy argument to Iran's military response while urging restraint on civilian-adjacent regional strikes.
Key Facts & Data
- Hamas statement issued: March 14, 2026
- Hamas founding: December 1987 during First Intifada
- Hamas designation as terrorist organisation: US (1997), EU (2003)
- 2006 Palestinian elections: Hamas won 74/132 seats
- Iran-Hamas financial support: estimated $70–100 million annually at peak
- UN Charter Article 51: governs self-defence right
- ICJ Nicaragua case (1986): established necessity and proportionality as customary law limitations on self-defence
- Axis of Resistance: Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, PIJ, Houthis, Iraqi PMF factions