Al-Zahar: Comparing Hamas with Islamic State 'a deception'

Hamas's senior leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar said on Wednesday that comparing Hamas with the Islamic State is "a deception" that aims to "incite" the world against the Palestinian resistance movement, Egypt's Al-Mesryoon newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The newspaper quoted a statement by Al-Zahar that was broadcast by Al-Aqsa, a television channel close to Hamas, as saying: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making a connection between Hamas and the Islamic State is a deception, which aims to incite the world against Hamas."

Al-Zahar explained: "Hamas is a national resistance movement and its aim is to liberate Palestine."