More Hamas officials welcome Albanese’s recognition move, as PM warns against propaganda

Two senior Hamas officials have confirmed the organisation welcomes Australia’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state, as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley doubled down in her criticism of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for being praised by a listed terrorist group.

But Albanese hit back, citing a post in a Hamas Telegram channel disavowing an earlier statement from the group celebrating Australia’s move to recognise a Palestinian state, and told media outlets on Thursday not to promote propaganda from the militant organisation.

Hamas media director Ismail Al-Thawabta used similar language to that of the office of jailed senior Hamas official Hassan Yousef, which provided a statement praising the recognition decision to this masthead on Tuesday.

“We welcome Australia’s decision to recognise the State of Palestine, and consider it a positive step towards the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” Al-Thawabta told the ABC.

A statement on a Telegram channel in Hamas’ name on Thursday had disavowed comments attributed to Yousef in this masthead on Wednesday, saying that he had been “held in poor detention conditions, cut off from the outside world, and has no means of communication with any local or international press outlets”.

The original comments were provided by Yousef’s office in Beitunia, a town near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, which issues statements on his behalf.

Contacted on Thursday, a spokesperson for the office confirmed it had released the statement and that Youssef was still in jail, but said he was expected to be released soon.

With many of its top leaders killed and imprisoned in recent years, and with surviving officials scattered throughout multiple countries, Hamas’ communications can be unco-ordinated and at times contradictory. The group has more and less radical elements, and engages in information warfare to help achieve its military aims.

Al-Thawabta, who is based in Gaza, said in his comments originally provided to the ABC that Australia’s move to recognise a Palestinian state “reflects a growing global awareness of the necessity to end the injustice suffered by our people for decades”.

“We call on the Australian government to translate this recognition into concrete actions — by exerting diplomatic pressure to end the Israeli occupation.”

Al-Thawabta added that “while recognition has come late”, the move was “better late than never”.

Albanese on Monday confirmed that Australia would recognise a state of Palestine at the United Nations next month, following similar moves from France, the United Kingdom and Canada in an international push to revive momentum for a two-state solution.

Albanese told Channel Seven’s Sunrise earlier this week: “Hamas will be totally opposed to this decision. Hamas don’t support two states, they support one state.”

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim, said in a statement quoted by Sky News: “Any efforts from any party to help the Palestinian people to achieve their national goals of independent state and self sovereignty is very welcomed, but the core question is how to implement this and how to oblige Israel to abide international law.”

Calling for the government to go further than recognition, he said such steps needed “teeth” or the region would “continue to stay struggling in the same violent vicious circle”.

Speaking at a press conference in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Albanese said: “Hamas do not want a two-state solution.

“What they want is one state and I notice in the statement that’s made today, they say that the alleged statement from the person yesterday [came from] someone who’s been in prison in Israel since October 2023, and has no means of communication.

“What that should be is a warning to the media of being very careful about the fact that Hamas will engage in propaganda because what is happening is the international community are united about isolating Hamas, about supporting a peaceful way forward.”

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said: “When you have terrorists cheering on your foreign policy, you know that you have got it wrong... I am calling on the Prime Minister to reverse his position because we cannot have recognition of a Palestinian state ahead of a proper peace process and two-state solution process.”

Albanese said the Arab League, which represents 22 nations, had united to say in July that Hamas “must be isolated, it must be disarmed” and that the group should play no role in the governance of Gaza.

“People who look at Gaza can’t just continue to say ‘Well, we’ll just keep doing more of the same’,” Albanese said.

Hamas launched the October 7 attacks in Israel that killed an estimated 1200 people and triggered the war in Gaza.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon said in a statement: “Calling out Hamas propaganda is right. Doing it only when it suits politics is not.

“Hamas always lies: about casualty numbers, about hiding in hospitals and schools, and about who really puts Gazans at risk. Truth is not selective.”

The statement provided by Yousef’s office said: “We welcome Australia’s decision to recognise the State of Palestine, and consider it an important step towards achieving justice for our people and securing their legitimate rights.

“This position reflects political courage and a commitment to the values of justice and the right of peoples to self-determination.

“We call on all countries, especially those that believe in freedom and human dignity, to follow Australia’s example.”

The comments echoed similar recent remarks from Hamas officials, including Ghazi Hamad, who is based in Qatar.

Hamad told Al Jazeera on August 2: “The initiative by several countries to recognise a Palestinian state is one of the fruits of October 7. We proved that victory over Israel is not impossible, and our weapons are a symbol of Palestinian dignity.”

Hamad also said: “Without our weapons, no one would be looking in our direction.”

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