Shortly before October 7, 2023, Magnus Ranstorp, one of the world's foremost experts on terrorism and violent extremism, is in Israel to attend a conference on the security situation in the region. Several high-ranking politicians are participating with guests from the UN, EU, Mossad, and IDF. The focus is entirely on Hezbollah. Hamas is not mentioned at all. Weeks later, the catastrophe is a fact, and Hamas has shocked Israel and the entire world with its brutal terror. In this book Ranstorp provides a profound and personal analysis of the movement's history. He meets the organization's top leaders and casts new light on Hamas's driving forces - from its roots in Gaza to its violent emergence as one of the most influential and controversial actors in the Middle East. It is an essential read for anyone interested in counterterrorism and countering violent extremism and an important contribution to our understanding of one of the most complex political conflicts of our time.

Magnus Ranstorp is a renowned authority in research on counterterrorism and countering violent extremism. He currently serves as Strategic Adviser at the Centre for Societal Security at the Swedish Defence University, Sweden. As a pioneer in terrorism studies, he is one of fifteen leading researchers selected by the European Commission to contribute to the EU Knowledge Hub on Prevention of Radicalisation.