New Zealand designates all of Hamas as a ‘terrorist’ entity

New Zealand designates all of Hamas

VoM News Desk | February 29, 2024 | 10:17 AM IST | Breaking News, New Zealand, World | Follow on Google News

New Zealand designates all of Hamas as a ‘terrorist’ entity Image/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

New Zealand designates all of Hamas as a ‘terrorist’ entity

The New Zealand government has designated the entirety of the Hamas organisation as a “terrorist group”, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.

“The terrorist attacks by Hamas in October 2023 were brutal and we have unequivocally condemned them,” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said of the decision.

New Zealand designated the military wing of Hamas as a “terrorist entity” in 2010, but the organisation’s political wing has now been included.

“What happened on 7 October reinforces we can no longer distinguish between the military and political wings of Hamas. The organisation as a whole bears responsibility for these horrific terrorist attacks,” Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.

The designation makes it a criminal offence in New Zealand to provide material support or carry out transactions of any kind with Hamas.

Luxon, however, said that this will target Hamas, “not the provision of private humanitarian support to Palestinian civilians”.

“The designation does not stop New Zealand providing humanitarian and future development assistance to benefit civilians in Gaza,” he said.

Source/Credit: Al Jazeera

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