Who represents the Palestinian people?

Since Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, a lot has been said about the militant and political group and whether or not they represent the Palestinian people.

Hamas has been declared a terrorist group by dozens of countries, including the United States. And many Palestinians in Gaza think the political party is corrupt. The Palestinian Liberation Organization, which controls the West Bank and is led by Mahmoud Abbas, has condemned Hamas’s violence.

It’s been over 15 years since the last parliamentary election that brought Hamas to power, one that many Palestinians weren’t old enough to vote in. So how did we get to this stage in Palestinian leadership? And who do Palestinians want to represent them?