.

             Hamas received their initial support from organizations that were already supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. This allowed them to quickly raise funds and gave them access to valuable resources from those organizations that were already established in the Gaza Strip. Sheikh Yassin continued to work diligently in the Gaza Strip, working as a peaceful organization while Israel allowed them to build mosques, libraries, etc. Israel did not want to be viewed as an enemy of any religion, especially Islam. .

             .

             Violent Actions.

             Hamas would conduct their first attack against Israel by kidnapping and killing two Israeli soldiers in 1989. Knowing the threat that Yassin posed towards their control of the Gaza Strip, and Yassin's connections with Hamas, he was arrested shortly after the attacks. Hundreds of Hamas supporters were subsequently deported to Lebanon, and Yassin was sentenced to life in prison. In 1991 Hamas formed an official military sub entity called the Izz ad-Din al_Qassam Brigades (IDQB). This was to become their "muscle and would be responsible for numerous attacks on Israeli interests. In 1993, Hamas became known for numerous suicide bombings, which eventually became their primary method of attack.

             In 1997, Israel tried to kill the then leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, in a failed assassination attempt. The act eventually lead to strained relations between Israel and Palestine. After much deliberation between President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat and Israeli diplomats, the imprisoned Sheikh Yassin was released from Israeli custody. .

             On 22 March 2004, Israeli security forces assassinated Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yasin. His deputy and successor, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, issued a statement implying that Hamas would avenge Yasin's death with attacks on Israel "and on the United States. "The war against Islam is the same war which is launched in Iraq, (Frisch, H.