Jeremy Corbyn refuses to label Hamas a ‘terror group’ during explosive Piers Morgan grilling

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Jeremy Corbyn failed to answer whether Hamas is a ‘terrorist group’ during an explosive interview with Piers Morgan, in which the Uncensored host asked the former Labour leader 15 times.

Corbyn, 74, was questioned on his views amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, after attackers killed hundreds of Israelis and took many others hostage on October 7.

Tensions have since escalated amid retaliatory attacks, with Gazan health officials reporting that the number of Palestinian people killed has surpassed 11,000.

Follow the latest Israel-Hamas updates on our live blog.

During a discussion on Monday’s Uncensored, Corbyn called the attack – which he said he’d previously condemned – ‘abominable’ and ‘appalling’, but failed to describe Hamas as a ‘terrorist group’.

The militant wing of Hamas was proscribed as a terror group by the UK government in 2001, before the designation was extended to cover the entire organisation in 2021.

‘And you think Israel can do peace with people who did that?’ Morgan asked, leaving Corbyn frustrated as he replied: ‘If you want to have a discussion, fine. But if you want to shout at me that’s your prerogative, your TV. Your show.’ 

Morgan, 58, then repeatedly questioned whether Corbyn agreed with calling Hamas a terrorist group.

Jeremy Corbyn refused to call Hamas a ‘terror group’ during the explosive interview (Picture: TalkTV / Piers Morgan Uncensored)

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‘Listen, I do not approve, support or welcome Hamas,’ the Islington North MP said, but failed to directly answer the question with a yes or no.

‘Are they a terror group?’ Morgan continuously repeated, with Corbyn at first replying, ‘Everybody knows what they are’, before going on to express frustration at the host’s interrogation, asking: ‘Is it possible to have a rational discussion?’

At one point, Morgan said it was ‘very telling’ that Corbyn refused to directly answer the question, adding: ‘And you wonder why people think you had a problem with Jewish people.’

The ex-leader was kicked out of Labour in 2020 by his successor Keir Starmer, after he said the issue of anti-Semitism in the party had been ‘dramatically overstated’ in a damning report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

He has since sat in the House of Commons as an Independent MP.

Jeremy Corbyn was grilled during the explosive interview (Picture: TalkTV)

When asked by Morgan whether he condemned Hamas’ actions on October 7, he replied: ‘Of course I have, at every speech I’ve made I’ve utterly condemned the killing on October 7th and it was the taking of innocent life.

‘It was totally wrong under any circumstances.

‘You don’t bring back the tragedy of those 1,400 deaths by killing 10,000 in Gaza. You have to have a process that leads to a ceasefire.’

In 2009, the then-Labour backbencher said he had invited ‘our friends from Hamas’ to speak at an event in parliament – words he later said he regretted.

After saying he is ‘not a friend’ of Hamas, Corbyn told Morgan ‘it’s not up to your or me’ when asked whether he would keep the group in power in Gaza.

At the end of the heated discussion, Morgan asked his other guest, former Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, if Hamas was a terror group.

McCluskey replied: ‘Of course.’

Piers Morgan grew increasingly frustrated at the lack of response (Picture: TalkTV)

Corbyn was among hundreds of thousands who attended Saturday’s pro-Palestine marches in London.

He told Morgan the demonstrations had seen an enormous crowd of peaceful protesters of all walks of life and religions calling for an immediate ceasefire, and said there were placards calling for the release of hostages.

Last month, Corbyn called for what he described as Israel’s war crimes to be condemned as he addressed thousands at a rally in London.

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‘There are many who say that nobody should be here today because they’ll be condoning terrible things,’ he went on.

‘None of us are here to condone killing. None of us are here to condone occupation.

‘None of us are here to allow this assault on the people of Gaza and the people of the West Bank to go on.

‘Today, as we wave the Palestinian flag, let’s hear it for the people of the West Bank, for the people of Gaza, for the people of the refugee camps, and say very bluntly to our political leaders in this country: “Do not condone war crimes, do not condone the starvation and the denial of medicine to desperate people in Gaza or anywhere else”.

‘If you believe in international law, if you believe in human rights, then you must condemn what is happening now in Gaza by the Israeli army.’

Piers Morgan Uncensored airs weekdays from 8pm on TalkTV.

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