The Morrison government will list the entirety of Hamas as a terrorist organisation as part of a sweeping update of Australia’s proscription of extremist groups.
Hamas is a militant and political Palestinian group based in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that opposes Israel's claim to these areas and is dedicated to the establishment of an independent state.
It currently holds a majority in the parliament of the Palestinian National Authority.
The government has also moved to list the National Socialist Order, formerly known as Atomwaffen Division, a nationalist and racist violent extremist group based in the United States.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said the decisions have been made to protect Australians.
“We will continue to focus on keeping Australians safe from terrorism and from violent extremism,” she told reporters.
“The views of Hamas and the violent extremist groups listed today are deeply disturbing and there is no place in Australia for such views.”
The minister said work would be carried out by Attorney-General Michaelia Cash to ensure the rights of people who don't support the terrorist organisations are protected.
It comes after concerns ordinary Palestinians would possibly be caught out under the changes.
"There are protections that are in place when organisations are listed," she said.
The parliamentary committee on intelligence and security recommended in a report in October last year expanding the listing of Hamas to the whole organisation.
Hamas' paramilitary wing, The Brigades, was first listed as a terror organisation in 2003 and has been re-listed ever since.
The government is also adding two Sunni Islamist religiously motivated extremist groups based in Syria - Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Hurras al-Din, also known as al-Qa’idi locally in that country.
In addition, the government has also re-listed the Abu Sayyaf Group, al-Qa’ida, al-Qa’ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb and Jemaah Islamiyah as terrorist organisations.
The listings follow the government's decision to proscribe the entirety of Lebanon-based group Hezbollah as a terrorist group in November last year.
The government currently lists 28 terrorist organisations under the criminal code.
Terrorist organisation offences includes penalties of up to 25 years in jail.
With AAP
