Hamas slams Paraguay for labeling it as terrorist group

GAZA CITY, Palestine

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Thursday condemned Paraguay for its decision of designating the group as an "international terrorist organization."

In its press statement on the Paraguayan decision, the group said: "This decision runs against international law which ensures peoples' right to resist the aggression and occupation with all possible means including the armed struggle. This is confirmed by the UN resolution A/RES/37/43. Therefore, the decision doesn't serve the stability and security in the region, and it will harm the good relations between Palestinian and Paraguayan peoples".

"This decision will also strengthen the Israeli state-terrorism practiced against the Palestinians for decades and provides the occupation with the cover to continue crimes" the statement read.

The Hamas statement also stressed that it is "a Palestinian national resistant movement that struggles for the freedom and independence of its people. It doesn't antagonize any nation and the struggle is only against the Israeli occupation".

The statement concluded calling on Paraguay "to immediately retreat from the decision and to take any needed measures to support the Palestinian struggle for freedom and independence and prosecute the Israeli war criminals".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Paraguay’s decision. Netanyahu said in an earlier statement that Israel is "working so that more countries will also take this important step".

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara