Hamas terrorists at Gaza rally (file)
Hamas terrorists at Gaza rally (file)Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

Hamas, the Islamist movement which runs Gaza, on Thursday blasted Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas for attending the funeral of former President Shimon Peres and sending condolences to his family.

The terrorist group, which on Wednesday celebrated Peres’s death and called him a “criminal”, called on Abbas "to reverse his decision to participate in the funeral".

Hamas also said in a statement that "we condemn Abbas's condolences for Shimon Peres, and consider it disregards the blood of the martyrs and the suffering of the Palestinian people."

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu approved Abbas’s request to take part in the funeral on Friday.

Abbas will head a delegation which will include former PA chief negotiator Saeb Erekat and other senior officials who were and still are responsible for contacts with Israel, most of whom worked at various times with Peres.

Many Palestinian Authority Arabs have denounced Peres as a "war criminal" following his death, but Abbas hailed him as a "brave" partner for peace.