Palestinian group rejects accusations it committed atrocities and lays out motivation for attack two years ago in 42-page document

Hamas repeated previous assertions that killing civilians was against its “religion, morality and education; and we avoid it whenever we can”.

“The resistance did not target any hospital, school, or house of worship; it did not kill a single journalist or any member of ambulance crews. We challenge [Israel] to prove otherwise,” it said.

It added that media reports, including from Israeli outlets, have revealed that Israel’s military bombed areas in southern Israel where Israeli civilians were intermixed with Hamas fighters, in what Hamas said was an example of the Hannibal Directive.

Hamas called for an impartial investigation into civilian deaths on 7 October, as well as one into crimes committed by Israel against Palestinians, including the war on Gaza.