Okay so it is not completely answered in the most finite terms, but we do know much more about “The Others” than we ever did prior to season three.  We know that they are lead by a former Dharma janitor named Ben who willingly participated in mass homicide including the killing of his Father, which he carried out himself!  We know that he came to commit this act after meeting the seemingly ageless Richard Alpert in the jungle.

The Others live in a bucolic little cluster of bungalows and have been trying to reproduce for quite some time.  For some reason, women die after becoming impregnated on the island.  Their interest in Claire surrounded researching her pregnancy.