Hamas says Israel vote 'meaningless' for Palestinians

The leader of Gaza's Hamas group said on Friday that Israeli elections do not matter to Palestinians.

Ismail Haniyeh said after Friday prayers that Israel's April 9 vote was merely "a Zionist affair."

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, seeking a fourth consecutive term, is in a heated race with a party of former army chiefs, who have assailed him for his inability to contain rocket threats from Gaza.

Haniyeh said the differences between Israeli parties are "very marginal" when it comes to their policies toward Palestinians.

He added that Palestinians will continue "demanding their right" whoever the elections bring to power.

Since March 2018, Hamas has led weekly border protests against an Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed to isolate Hamas.

At least 263 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the Great Return March protests began last year.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period.

Israel says its actions are necessary to defend its borders and accuses Hamas, the Islamist movement that rules the Gaza Strip, of orchestrating violence there.

But a UN probe has said Israeli soldiers intentionally fired on civilians in what could constitute war crimes.

Israeli snipers have been accused of firing at limbs to permanently disable Palestinian protesters, medical staff, journalists, and activists.