What do you think?
Rate this book
From Hamas to America: My Story of Defying Terror, Facing the Unimaginable, and Finding Redemption in the Land of Opportunity
From Hamas to America is a gripping memoir that follows the son of Hamas founder, Mosab Hassan, as he breaks away from his culture’s practice of terrorism to becoming a double-agent for Israel to finally fleeing to America and becoming a US citizen, and ultimately finding peace.
“This is my opportunity to share my journey with others, to let go of both the traumas and the triumphs, to find freedom, to proclaim my truth.”
Mosab Hassan Yousef has worn many labels: Hamas terrorist, Green Prince, spy, traitor, hero, Hollywood player, Muslim, Christian, yogi, stateless, refugee, deportee, citizen. But all these labels have one thing in common: they serve someone else’s agenda. Now, for the first time, the New York Times bestselling author of Son of Hamas tells the full truth of his story. In it we see him
•growing up as the son of one of the founders of Hamas,
•being imprisoned and tortured by the Israelis,
•growing to hate the Hamas tactics of rape and violence,
•working with the Israeli intelligence to expose suicide bombers and save lives,
•seeking asylum in the US,
•fighting with Homeland Security to avoid deportation,
•rejecting Islam and converting to Christianity and making international headlines for it,
•becoming a top speaker on Middle Eastern affairs and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict,
•working with Hollywood to tell his story, and
•obtaining US citizenship and discovering the life-saving discipline of yoga.
This is the inspiring story of someone who has been under threat of assassination or imprisonment for most of his life, but who somehow finds the path to freedom and peace. Few will walk in his shoes, but everyone can follow his example and make their own journey to find redemption and peace
“This is my opportunity to share my journey with others, to let go of both the traumas and the triumphs, to find freedom, to proclaim my truth.”
Mosab Hassan Yousef has worn many labels: Hamas terrorist, Green Prince, spy, traitor, hero, Hollywood player, Muslim, Christian, yogi, stateless, refugee, deportee, citizen. But all these labels have one thing in common: they serve someone else’s agenda. Now, for the first time, the New York Times bestselling author of Son of Hamas tells the full truth of his story. In it we see him
•growing up as the son of one of the founders of Hamas,
•being imprisoned and tortured by the Israelis,
•growing to hate the Hamas tactics of rape and violence,
•working with the Israeli intelligence to expose suicide bombers and save lives,
•seeking asylum in the US,
•fighting with Homeland Security to avoid deportation,
•rejecting Islam and converting to Christianity and making international headlines for it,
•becoming a top speaker on Middle Eastern affairs and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict,
•working with Hollywood to tell his story, and
•obtaining US citizenship and discovering the life-saving discipline of yoga.
This is the inspiring story of someone who has been under threat of assassination or imprisonment for most of his life, but who somehow finds the path to freedom and peace. Few will walk in his shoes, but everyone can follow his example and make their own journey to find redemption and peace
304 pages, Hardcover
Published August 6, 2024
98 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Mosab Hassan Yousef
6 books256 followersMosab Hassan Yousef is an ex–Palestinian militant who defected to Israel in 1997, thereafter working as an Israeli spy for the Shin Bet until he moved to the United States in 2007. His father is Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a co-founder of Hamas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 18, 2024
Gripping recount of an unusual Hamas leader’s life experience. Much light is shed on the Middle Eastern conflict from both the Arab and the Israeli perspective through this first person account. The addition of a Christian perspective makes this story truly unique.
August 21, 2024
This book has more personal detail compared to Son of Hamas, and explains that he is more than the ex-Muslim and Christian convert that I assumed him to be. What I find admirable is how much he managed to achieve in a couple of years in America without a citizenship and family or network of friends to support him. His courage and moral stance is exemplary.
September 27, 2025
Son Of Hamas is way better. This is more like a brief summary but with additional insight into why he basically disappeared after writing the first book. I love Mosab! He is a voice of reason in a very noisy world.
August 18, 2025
A timely read given the current appalling situation in the Middle East. An insight into a complicated situation. Amazing that Mosab lived to tell his story.
July 13, 2025
Mosab Hassan Yousef has to be the interesting human alive right now. He might be the only actual person to have “seen it all” and this memoir proves just that. Readers of Son of Hamas might have felt as I did that the afterword was one of the most fascinating parts of the book. Yousef’s life as a Shin Bet spy is a wild ride in itself but it gets even whacker once he arrives in the US and has to once to again fight to survive in the land of opportunity.
I was particularly curious to hear his spiritual journey as I was so moved by his “acceptance” of Jesus in the first book. Now after reading both, it is clear that he admires Jesus but does not seem to acknowledge his deity or the gospel. I can appreciate his independence, but I can’t help but be saddened by his experience particularly with American Christianity. Many should read this as a healthy assessment of their own faith and their own church. What is our mission? Is safety our number one priority or following Jesus? How do we respond when a new believer makes a questionable decision? Are we more concerned about marketing or discipleship?
I give 4 and not 5 stars because sometimes it’s hard to judge if I’m hearing arrogance or honesty. Mosab has every reason to be proud of his success but hearing so much about his penthouse parties, sports cars, and the rich Hollywood lifestyle felt weird. It’s also hard to judge if he is recommending or suggesting that his approach to yoga is the missing ingredient in everyone else’s life. As I progressed into this section he seemed to counterintuitively lose track of reality. Most of us cannot even afford to dream of having the wealth to travel, experience the world, or even study yoga in exotic island retreats as he has done. And as much as I advocate for healing and self-awareness, the extremes of this “know thyself” philosophy seems to have isolated him to an extent that is concerning. He ends this book as if he’s finally found peace and joy in his life but just about all of his press appearances post October 7th have given me (maybe just me) the impression that he is still deeply hurt, angry, and troubled.
I am praying hard for Mosab as I do hope he finds rest, peace, and joy for his soul in accepting Jesus as Lord and choosing to follow him. Whether or not he chooses that path, Im still a massive fan and would give anything to share a coffee with him and hear more of his wild stories.
I was particularly curious to hear his spiritual journey as I was so moved by his “acceptance” of Jesus in the first book. Now after reading both, it is clear that he admires Jesus but does not seem to acknowledge his deity or the gospel. I can appreciate his independence, but I can’t help but be saddened by his experience particularly with American Christianity. Many should read this as a healthy assessment of their own faith and their own church. What is our mission? Is safety our number one priority or following Jesus? How do we respond when a new believer makes a questionable decision? Are we more concerned about marketing or discipleship?
I give 4 and not 5 stars because sometimes it’s hard to judge if I’m hearing arrogance or honesty. Mosab has every reason to be proud of his success but hearing so much about his penthouse parties, sports cars, and the rich Hollywood lifestyle felt weird. It’s also hard to judge if he is recommending or suggesting that his approach to yoga is the missing ingredient in everyone else’s life. As I progressed into this section he seemed to counterintuitively lose track of reality. Most of us cannot even afford to dream of having the wealth to travel, experience the world, or even study yoga in exotic island retreats as he has done. And as much as I advocate for healing and self-awareness, the extremes of this “know thyself” philosophy seems to have isolated him to an extent that is concerning. He ends this book as if he’s finally found peace and joy in his life but just about all of his press appearances post October 7th have given me (maybe just me) the impression that he is still deeply hurt, angry, and troubled.
I am praying hard for Mosab as I do hope he finds rest, peace, and joy for his soul in accepting Jesus as Lord and choosing to follow him. Whether or not he chooses that path, Im still a massive fan and would give anything to share a coffee with him and hear more of his wild stories.
August 28, 2024
Interesting memoir, that’s quite difficult to read at times as the author describes the tortuous situations living in the West Bank at the hands of both Israeli and Hamas operatives.
Although the author all but tweeting the American evangelical movement that they are exhibiting the same kind of extremism he experienced in radical Islam that he partially blames for the horrid living conditions of Palestinians was certainly important. Hopefully the “FOX News reactionary style cover” gets this book into the hands of those who need to read it most—that an “American” location of extremism doesn’t make it any less repressive, that “Christian” isn’t some how incapable of doing wrong, and that oppressive religious beliefs ultimately leads to a society that it’s dangerous and violent to live in.
Although the author all but tweeting the American evangelical movement that they are exhibiting the same kind of extremism he experienced in radical Islam that he partially blames for the horrid living conditions of Palestinians was certainly important. Hopefully the “FOX News reactionary style cover” gets this book into the hands of those who need to read it most—that an “American” location of extremism doesn’t make it any less repressive, that “Christian” isn’t some how incapable of doing wrong, and that oppressive religious beliefs ultimately leads to a society that it’s dangerous and violent to live in.
August 18, 2024
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: INTERESTING SUBJECT… OVERTAKEN… BY BANAL… NARCISSISM!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The author Yousef… starts off telling his life story which began as the son of one of the founders of Hamas in an extremely strict Muslim family… and how he learned to hate Hamas and what it stood for. The killings… the rapes… OF MEN AND WOMEN… the honor killings… using women as slaves. His Father was constantly in prison… and he himself… also served multiple stretches in prison. Yousef was also raped at an early age.
In the midst of his prison terms and attempting to survive in life itself… he became involved on the wrong end of the law with Israeli Intelligence… and before… during… and after… prison terms… beatings… and being protected by Israel… he became a double agent for Israel. His dream was to get out of the Middle East and to America. When he makes it to America… the entire style of writing and storytelling changes… unfortunately for the worse.
Everything now becomes how unbelievably great and special the author is. Over and over the reader is told… how many expensive cars he owns… an expensive motorcycle… penthouses and houses… how billionaire after billionaire… yearn to meet him as he now gives speeches… brought about by his interview and subsequent article by an Israeli journalist… stating he was quitting Islam for Christianity. The author states that “MOST OF THE PALESTINIANS I KNEW BELIEVED… AND STILL DO… THAT ANYONE WHO LEAVES ISLAM SHOULD BE EXECUTED. THAT IS NOT VERY ENCOURAGING FOR ADVOCATES OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.”
This public testimony leads to one major religious group after another seeking his counsel and “wisdom”. Like water bursting through a demolished dam… Yousef states every single crowd loves and adores him… the richest and most well connected in the world beg to meet him… he’s invited to live in their homes… he’s offered large sums of money… just for being “him”! And above all else… beautiful women… let me repeat…ALL BEAUTIFUL WOMEN… no matter where or what location… WANT HIM! He imbibes in alcohol and drugs… and women. He has religious leaders who put him on a pedestal next to saints… and then they all seem to knife him in the back. All the while… now he’s being attacked by the United States government who wants to deport him.
In between all his aggrandizing about his popularity… possessions… and of course… beautiful women… he also starts semi-bragging about everyone and everything… that isn’t madly in love with him and offering him a king’s ransom and dwelling… that is out to do him in… “I WAS LIVING WITH THE THREAT OF SHIN BET, DEPORTATION, THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), AND POTENTIAL HAMAS ASSASSINS.”
Once he finally is clear from being deported… he then starts bragging about only traveling the world with a single back pack of clothes… doing the greatest yoga for hour upon hour per day… living on some beautiful remote island being half Maharishi Mahesh Yogi… and half Hugh Hefner.
When I was growing up… my dear departed Mother… would always tell me… “RICK… DON’T BREAK YOUR ARM… PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK!” Well… if my dear Mother’s adage were to be applied to the author… he would have a thousand casts on his arms… and be in traction… in intensive care. He had to be looking in a mirror the entire time he was dictating his story to his co-author!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The author Yousef… starts off telling his life story which began as the son of one of the founders of Hamas in an extremely strict Muslim family… and how he learned to hate Hamas and what it stood for. The killings… the rapes… OF MEN AND WOMEN… the honor killings… using women as slaves. His Father was constantly in prison… and he himself… also served multiple stretches in prison. Yousef was also raped at an early age.
In the midst of his prison terms and attempting to survive in life itself… he became involved on the wrong end of the law with Israeli Intelligence… and before… during… and after… prison terms… beatings… and being protected by Israel… he became a double agent for Israel. His dream was to get out of the Middle East and to America. When he makes it to America… the entire style of writing and storytelling changes… unfortunately for the worse.
Everything now becomes how unbelievably great and special the author is. Over and over the reader is told… how many expensive cars he owns… an expensive motorcycle… penthouses and houses… how billionaire after billionaire… yearn to meet him as he now gives speeches… brought about by his interview and subsequent article by an Israeli journalist… stating he was quitting Islam for Christianity. The author states that “MOST OF THE PALESTINIANS I KNEW BELIEVED… AND STILL DO… THAT ANYONE WHO LEAVES ISLAM SHOULD BE EXECUTED. THAT IS NOT VERY ENCOURAGING FOR ADVOCATES OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.”
This public testimony leads to one major religious group after another seeking his counsel and “wisdom”. Like water bursting through a demolished dam… Yousef states every single crowd loves and adores him… the richest and most well connected in the world beg to meet him… he’s invited to live in their homes… he’s offered large sums of money… just for being “him”! And above all else… beautiful women… let me repeat…ALL BEAUTIFUL WOMEN… no matter where or what location… WANT HIM! He imbibes in alcohol and drugs… and women. He has religious leaders who put him on a pedestal next to saints… and then they all seem to knife him in the back. All the while… now he’s being attacked by the United States government who wants to deport him.
In between all his aggrandizing about his popularity… possessions… and of course… beautiful women… he also starts semi-bragging about everyone and everything… that isn’t madly in love with him and offering him a king’s ransom and dwelling… that is out to do him in… “I WAS LIVING WITH THE THREAT OF SHIN BET, DEPORTATION, THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), AND POTENTIAL HAMAS ASSASSINS.”
Once he finally is clear from being deported… he then starts bragging about only traveling the world with a single back pack of clothes… doing the greatest yoga for hour upon hour per day… living on some beautiful remote island being half Maharishi Mahesh Yogi… and half Hugh Hefner.
When I was growing up… my dear departed Mother… would always tell me… “RICK… DON’T BREAK YOUR ARM… PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK!” Well… if my dear Mother’s adage were to be applied to the author… he would have a thousand casts on his arms… and be in traction… in intensive care. He had to be looking in a mirror the entire time he was dictating his story to his co-author!
August 28, 2024
What Yousef did in the service of Israel was completely commendable and self sacrificing. You can read about all that in Son of Hamas. I never really understood myself why exactly he turned on Islam and Palestine, and I continue to wonder if the full story is being told. Because Israel was not nice to him in that prison. But what happened when he got to the United States is disturbing. I don't quite understand what took place between the Christian at the end of Son of Hamas to the person he became in From Hamas to America. There were many people who thought he was Christian in belief, and had clearly regarded him as such until recently, and he's not. He looks up to Jesus as a teacher, but not as a Saviour. He doesn't have a lot of regard, from what I could tell, for a deity of any kind other than possibly himself and some of the Yogis hanging around his island. I never heard of Yousef until the beginning of the Israeli war with Hamas in 2023, but others who had heard of him clearly thought he had a Christian belief system, judging from his Twitter and the comments that were first being made on there. I think everyone has now figured out that he doesn't. If this book is good for something, other than interest in what transpired after his leaving Palestine, it has clarified his actual views in the religious realm currently, which seem to revolve around being your own deity and a yoga fan, with a Christ consciousness....?? That's how I read it anyways. I seriously doubt it would be easy to unravel the psyche of a person who experienced that much violence and abuse at an early age. I'm sure to go from Palestine to America and the ridiculous culture here was enough to confuse anyone.
September 15, 2025
Mosab Hassan Yousef was born in the West Bank and was part of a strict Muslim family where his father was a leading political figure and a founder of Hamas. Never able to reconcile himself with the killings he witnessed, Hassan rebelled against Hamas, became a double agent, and risked his life to fight terrorism. Eventually, he found his way to the United States. He was homeless and broke, but found refuge in a church. Through his new found friends and some speaking engagements he made enough money to sustain. His incredible story was so popular and mesmerizing, more speaking engagements poured in. He was not impressed with the mega-churches, finding them money grabbers and hiding their own sins that violate their religious laws. His first book was a success and led to more speaking engagements, appearances on TV and a documentary of his life. Soon he was living as a Hollywood elite with a mansion, sports toys, and more money than he knew what to do with. But he was disillusioned, not happy, and almost had a nervous breakdown. He left it all giving most of it to charity to live the simple life. A studio apartment, traveling with only a backpack, and spending his time in nature, hiking biking and doing yoga. After years of being deported hung over his head, he was finally granted citizenship. A truly amazing story and I wish him the best.
December 1, 2025
This book is for anyone who wants to be more knowledgeable about Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. The author Moasab Hassan Yousef was raised in Ramallah (West Bank) and is the son of a Hamas founder. He grew up hating the Hamas tactics of rape and violence. He was imprisoned by and evenutally worked for Israeli intelligence Shin Bet as a double agent. He evenutally sought asylum in the US, faced deportation and then fought to obtain US citizenship. Mosab rejected Islam and converted to Christianity but would not sell his soul to either religion. He is highly sought after for his speaking engagements on Middle Eastern conflicts.
I liked the book as Mosab speaks his truth and accepts the consequences facing terror, imprisonment, beatings and being disowned by his Palestinian family. He doesn't sugar coat anything and his loyalities lie with himself. His goal is peace for Arab and Jewish children so they can live beside each other as neighbours and not hate each other. I'm looking forward to reading his first book "Son of Hamas".
I liked the book as Mosab speaks his truth and accepts the consequences facing terror, imprisonment, beatings and being disowned by his Palestinian family. He doesn't sugar coat anything and his loyalities lie with himself. His goal is peace for Arab and Jewish children so they can live beside each other as neighbours and not hate each other. I'm looking forward to reading his first book "Son of Hamas".
March 15, 2025
I loved the first book and I admire Mosab and all he does and has done for Israel, but this was not what I expected at all. I thought we will hear more of his story from his time in Israel, as the first book was very mild and vague at times, but there was more information about his luxury cars he had in America than what actually happened during his time as a spy. Honestly, with all the new info in this book, it just feels like a money grab trying to squeeze every last drop from this story (which doesn't sound like he really needs it).
August 21, 2024
He is lost and still trying to find himself.
I heard he is a Christian. He is not. I think he is proud and judgmental. But he has a challenging and helpful questioning mind in his searching. I felt like tossing the book several times but it is worth finishing. I pray Mousab finds the truth, which is Jeaua!
I heard he is a Christian. He is not. I think he is proud and judgmental. But he has a challenging and helpful questioning mind in his searching. I felt like tossing the book several times but it is worth finishing. I pray Mousab finds the truth, which is Jeaua!
January 12, 2025
Crazy memoir detailing the author’s personal experiences being the son of a Hamas co-founder, escaping death and the lifestyle he was born into, working with intelligence on the other side and seeking refuge to start a new life away from it all. Insanely insightful, engaging and informative. Highly recommend
January 23, 2025
Through this you understand not only more about the war and struggle of the individuals within, but of these large cascading networks that work because of sheer luck, and fortune. Seeing the Shin Bet & the IDFs torture tactics are extremely detailed and go into a level that some viewers may find graphic
December 16, 2025
I ve read this book after have finished the first one. The first half of the book is a reviewing of some parts of the first book, and it is really good, because the author gets deeper in explaining more detailed things which appears in the first book but with a different perspective, and you can add more information to the context and how things worked for him when he was working for the Shin Bet. Anyway, if you havent read the first book, its also ok to read this one, but I strongly recommend you to read the first one before this one.
About the critics commenting that it only talks about author's stay in America, and explaining his life there, I think they are completely wrong, so this is only an small part of it, and these readers havent read the entire book.
About the critics commenting that it only talks about author's stay in America, and explaining his life there, I think they are completely wrong, so this is only an small part of it, and these readers havent read the entire book.
March 25, 2025
A fun read of a conversion of a radical Islamist living in Gaza to a Jesus Christ and America-loving patriot.
You’ll get to see the insider view of the hamas, Israeli intelligence, and Yousef’s American journey.
God works in mysterious ways. Praise belongs to Jesus!
You’ll get to see the insider view of the hamas, Israeli intelligence, and Yousef’s American journey.
God works in mysterious ways. Praise belongs to Jesus!
October 30, 2025
We owe Mosab a great deal for risking his life to reveal the truth about Islam and Hamas; killing, violence and hatred as a belief system and way of life only leads to wasted lives based on false teachings.
January 14, 2025
fantastic
February 9, 2025
He is a fascinating person and his story is truly incredible.
Read
March 22, 2025DNF-read the first 20 pages or so but didn’t like his style of writing and often generalized way of describing his Palestinian upbringing.
June 14, 2025
This book picks up where his last book left off. The author's journey is full of trials. Again, the fact that he chooses peace, forgiveness, and letting go is admirable.
August 3, 2025
Mosab is a fierce advocate of peace and truth; I am so happy to hear he is a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025. He deserves one. His story is very inspiring.
November 2, 2025
No one denies that the conflict in the middle east is COMPLICATED but I cannot imagine trying to straddle the line between terrorism, espionage, and freedom. Fascinating read.
October 6, 2025
A more detailed account of Mosab’s journey to the USA!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews