Being part of the region of Tawam or Al-Buraimi Oasis, Hamasa's history dates back thousands of years, and in 2015 was the site of archaeological investigations undertaken by Sultan Qaboos University, the Omani Ministry of Heritage & Culture and Zayed University.

It was described by the explorer Wilfred Thesiger as being involved in the slave trade when he visited in the 1940s.

In 1955, proceedings had taken place in Geneva only to collapse when the British arbitrator, Sir Reader Bullard, objected to Saudi Arabian attempts to influence the tribunal and withdrew – one of the two judges to resign, the other being the Belgian President.

Following the conflict, the British decided to split the territory of Buraimi Oasis, ceding the areas under the Na'im and Al Bu Shamis, Buraimi and Hamasa, to Oman and the territory under Sheikh Zayed, including the village of Al Ain, to Abu Dhabi.

The dispute continued to rumble on for many years to come until settled in 1974 by an agreement, known as the Treaty of Jeddah, between Sheikh Zayed  (then President of the UAE) and Faisal of Saudi Arabia .