On Int'l Day to mark victims of terrorism, Hamas takes aim at Israel

Talk about the tables being turned. For years, Israel lobbied to declare Hamas a terrorist organisation, citing the attacks carried out by the Palestinian resistance group. Now, it's Hamas that is asking the world to see Israeli terrorism on the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.

To mark the international day, which is celebrated on August 21, Hamas issued a statement saying that the Palestinian people have been victims of organised and ongoing terrorism of Israel for over seven decades.

"Israel must be prosecuted at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court," it said.

The US, UK and other allies of Israel label Hamas as a terrorist group. They have imposed restrictions and arrested its members. But in the past ten months, the world has increasingly focused on Israel's war on Gaza, which South Africa and other countries say is a genocide.

Israeli military has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children. Different arms of the United Nations and a host of international organisations including Doctors Without Borders have condemned Israel for destroying hospitals and schools.

Hamas has increasingly come to be seen as a legitimate resistance movement in Muslim countries. A Washington Institute poll from February is a testament to that.

International powers including the US and Qatar are also closely working with Hamas to bring Israel's deadly war to an end.

Honour the real victims of terrorism

The day was established by the United Nations to honour and support the victims and survivors of terrorism and to promote and protect their rights.

It also serves as a reminder of the importance of international solidarity and cooperation in the fight against terrorism while emphasising the need to uphold human rights and the rule of law in counterterrorism efforts.

Hamas has urged the UN and other human rights groups that it is their responsibility to take serious action to expose Israeli terrorism against Palestinians.

The resistance movement emphasised that the international community bears full responsibility for the continuation of the Israeli crimes and its ongoing and escalating "terrorism" in besieged Gaza, the occupied West Bank and the occupied territories.