Netanyahu: "Hamas is the Islamic State"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon that Hamas is committing war crimes and using civilians as human shields.

“The world saw yesterday [when 18 Palestinians were executed for suspected collaboration with Israel] that Hamas, like the Islamic State, carries out mass public executions. In addition, Hamas, like the Islamic State, it persecutes and oppresses minorities," he is reported as saying by the Times of Israel.

“The ideology of these two groups calls for Islamic caliphates and both use the same murderous methods — Hamas is the Islamic State, the Islamic State is Hamas,” he said.

Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal earlier dismissed accusations his group are similar to IS when he said "we are not a religious, violent group." IS have previously accused Hamas of being "unbelievers" as they do not subscribe to their ideology.