For three weeks now, Hamas and Israel have been locked in a deadly battle. Each side points to the other for provoking the conflict, which has left scores -- mainly civilians -- dead. And yet, a cease-fire seems unlikely, in part because the sides don't feel they have accomplished their goals. What are the goals for Hamas, the organization that governs Gaza and is considered a terrorist organization by many Western powers? And what is it willing to settle for to end the bloodshed? What Hamas wants: 1. The destruction of Israel. This mission is written into the preamble of Hamas' founding document: "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it."
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Hamas has a number of stated goals
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Some, like the destruction of Israel, are repudiated globally
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Hamas also wants an end to Israeli control in Gaza
@placeholder controls Gaza's borders, waters and airspace -- and oversees what goods make it into the territory.
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