In Hamas: A Beginner’s Guide, Palestinian scholar Khaled Hroub, one of the leading experts on the movement, provides a short and accessible introduction to Hamas, written in a question-and-answer format.

Hroub explains Hamas’ origins in the Muslim Brotherhood and the first intifada, its ideology and charter, its relationship with the PLO and Fatah, its social and charitable work, its armed wing and use of suicide attacks, its position on Israel and a two-state solution, and its 2006 election victory. Balanced and clear, the book is a useful starting point for anyone wanting to understand the movement.