Khaled Mashaal
Khaled MashaalReuters

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal on Sunday night phoned the family of the terrorist who murdered two Israelis at Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem and praised their son’s actions.

According to Channel 10 News, Mashaal told the family, “I congratulate you. With the attack he defended the Palestinian people.”

Mashaal added, “The Palestinian people are proud of his heroism, he serves as an example to his contemporaries. Hamas will continue the jihad until the liberation of Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the defilement of the occupation.”

Throughout the day on Sunday, Arabs in Jerusalem celebrated the attack and the deaths of the two Israelis, Levana Malichi and Yosef Kirma.

In one incident, a 24-year old law student at Hebrew University reported that Jerusalem Arabs at a café had publicly rejoiced over the attack.

Police later made several arrests of Arabs who expressed support for the attack.

Hamas continues to incite to violence against Israelis, and just recently declared that the current wave of terrorist violence, which it refers to as the “Al-Quds Intifada”, will continue until the end of the “Israeli occupation”.

The group has been vigorously involved in inciting terrorism during the current wave of violence, often mimicking Islamic State's style with propaganda clips staging beheadings and suicide bombings.