Since its inception in late 1987, Hamas has focused on women's activities, acknowledging the role of women in upbringing the individual, family and community. Hamas’ interest in women’s affairs has been evident since the early stages of the movement’s formation, when women occupied regulatory positions. Hamas formed the women’s work committee in the late 1980s as a regulatory committee like any other in the movement, with its own budget and public activities.

Rajaa al-Halabi, the head of the women's movement within Hamas, told Al-Monitor, “Hamas views women as a main pillar of Palestinian society, and not as subordinate to men. Since the movement’s inception, women have assumed advanced positions in Hamas and have left their marks in the various organizational committees, thanks to the directives of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of the movement, who allowed in 1987 their access to senior positions within Hamas.”

Women play an essential role in Hamas both in terms of encouraging other women to support the movement or carrying out social tasks such as paying visits to citizens’ houses and spreading Hamas’ concepts among female workers and university students via the female wing of Hamas’ student arm, the Islamic Bloc.

Women within Hamas are capable of achieving significant popular mobilization and promote a religious discourse influencing Palestinian women in general, particularly those living in rural areas and refugee camps. Palestinians' conservative heritage goes in line with the religious dimensions of Hamas' political discourse.