Hamas has filed a legal petition asking the U.K. government to remove it from the country’s list of proscribed terrorist organizations. The group argues the label is politically motivated and undermines Britain’s role as a neutral mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Mousa Abu Marzouk, head of Hamas’s international relations office, described the group as a “Palestinian Islamic liberation and resistance movement,” claiming it poses no threat to the United Kingdom. He also accused Britain of siding with Zionist policies.
The petition challenges the U.K.'s Terrorism Act 2000, calling its definitions broad and inconsistently applied. Hamas’s legal team argues the ban restricts free speech and violates international law.
The United Kingdom first banned Hamas’s military wing in 2001 and extended the designation to its political arm in 2021. The United States, Canada, the European Union and Australia also classify Hamas as a terrorist organization. In total, over 15 countries have officially designated the group as such, citing its involvement in armed attacks, rocket fire against civilians and ties to Iran.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale surprise attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people—mostly civilians—and taking more than 240 hostages. The attack was the deadliest on Israeli soil in decades and triggered a months-long war in Gaza, resulting in widespread destruction and heavy casualties on both sides. The incident significantly hardened international stances against the group.
Responding to the legal challenge, Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said Hamas is a “brutal, Iranian-backed terrorist organization” that threatens regional stability.
The U.K. Home Office has not yet commented on the case.
