The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (Arabic: كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام; named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, often shortened to Al-Qassam Brigades) is the military wing of the Palestinian Islamist political organisation Hamas. Created in 1992, under the direction of Yahya Ayyash, the primary objective of the group was to build a coherent military organisation to support the goals of Hamas, which was at the time concerned with blocking the Oslo Accords negotiations. From 1994 to 2000, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades carried out a number of attacks against both Israeli soldiers and civilians.
At the beginning of the Second Intifada, the group became a central target of Israel. The group's strength and its ability to carry out complex and lethal attacks surprised many observers. The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades operated several cells in the West Bank, but most of them were destroyed by 2004 following numerous Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) operations in the region. In contrast, Hamas retained a forceful presence in the Gaza Strip, generally considered its stronghold.
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades is listed as a terrorist organisation by the European Union, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Read more about Izz Ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades: Name, Organization and Structure, Operations and Activities, Armed Strength, List of Brigades Attacks Against Israel, Leaders Killed By Israel