Hamas Seeks Federal Court Reversal of Australian Terror Listing Amid Broader Legal Challenge

Palestinian militant group Hamas has intervened in an ongoing Australian Federal Court case initiated by Indigenous activist Uncle Robbie Thorpe, seeking to have its designation as a terrorist organization in Australia revoked. Hamas argues that the terror listing violates international law, impedes ceasefire negotiations, and unlawfully criminalizes the armed struggle of Palestinians against Israeli occupation. The group claims the designation facilitates Israeli actions against Palestinians, including alleged extrajudicial killings and incitement to genocide. Uncle Robbie Thorpe, related to Senator Lidia Thorpe, supports the removal of Hamas from the terror list, asserting that Australia is not positioned to define terrorism in this context. The Australian government, which proscribed Hamas entirely as a terror group in 2022, contests the legal challenge, emphasizing the severity of Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. Hamas' court bid includes claims of procedural unfairness and denial of opportunity to rebut allegations, with the legal argument framed as a defense of Palestinian sovereignty and self-determination.