Hamas has inspired its fellow Islamist terrorist groups al-Qaeda and Islamic State (Isis) to attack Israelis and Americans since the October 7 attacks, the US director of national intelligence Avril Haines said this week.

Haines told the US Senate intelligence committee in Washington: “Both al-Qaeda and Isis, inspired by Hamas, have directed supporters to conduct attacks against Israeli and US interests. And we have seen how it is inspiring individuals to conduct acts of antisemitism and Islamophobic terror worldwide.”

She went on: “It is likely that the Gaza conflict will have a generational impact on terrorism. The crisis in Gaza is a stark example of how regional developments have the potential of broader and even global implications.”