New Zealand has officially branded the Palestinian group Hamas as a terrorist entity, expanding its prior identification of Hamas’ military arm to cover the entire organization.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon highlighted that this decision was driven by Hamas’ “brutal” attacks on Israel in October, which he condemned “unequivocally”.
The government also issued travel restrictions to “extremist” Israeli settlers who it claimed had carried out violent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Luxon highlighted that, while New Zealand opposes Hamas’ conduct, this classification does not reflect the larger Palestinian population, emphasizing the distinction between the group and the Palestinian people in Gaza and around the world.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters highlighted the challenge of discriminating between Hamas’s military and political wings, asserting that the entire organization bears responsibility for the October attacks.
In response to the designation, New Zealand has criminalized Hamas’ property and financial operations, as well as frozen any assets the organization may have in the country. However, the government remains committed to providing humanitarian help to civilians in Gaza, as well as consular assistance to New Zealand nationals and permanent residents in the conflict zone.
