Hamas criticise Israeli minister's threat to demolish tomb of Palestinian nationalist leader

Hamas have criticised threats by far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir to destroy the tomb of Palestinian nationalist leader Ezzedine al-Qassam, for whom Hamas names their armed wing.

Ben Gvir posted a video on X showing him accompanying security forces as they dismantled a prayer tent next to the grave of Qassam, who was a prominent Palestinian leader in the armed uprising against the British and Zionism in 1930s Palestine.

"The tomb of arch-terrorist Ezzedine al-Qassam in Nesher must be removed. And yesterday at dawn, we took the first step," Ben Gvir wrote on X.

Qassam's grave is situated near Haifa in what is now northern Israel and has been a target for vandalism over the years.

Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi called Ben Gvir's threat "an unprecedented level of transgression against sanctity and desecration of holy sites, and a violation of the sanctity of graves".

"Targeting the grave of al-Qassam... is not merely an attack on a grave, but rather an attempt to erase the memory of a nation and remove a testament to our ongoing struggle," he said in a statement.

"Extremism has become an official, declared policy, requiring international action to curb this barbarity."