German minister announces complete ban on Hamas activities

Germany will from Wednesday ban the activities of Hamas, already a designated terrorist organisation in the country, as well as pro-Palestinian group Samidoun, the interior minister announced on Thursday.

"With Hamas, I have today completely banned the activities of a terrorist organisation whose aim is to destroy the state of Israel," Nancy Faeser said in a statement.

Samidoun's German wing will also be disbanded, it added. Faeser said the international network works under the guise of a solidarity group for prisoners to spread anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda.