Palestinian terror group Hamas has announced the appointment of its first female spokesman, Isra al-Modallal, a former graduate of Bradford’s Grange College of Technology.

The appointment is being seen as a liberalising move by the hard line group as though al-Modallal wears a traditional headscarf she also uses makeup, listens to non-Islamic music and will even shake hands with men – all activities which Hamas has proscribed in the past.

In an interview with The Telegraph al-Modallal said: “My main job is to present a proper and human image of the Palestinian issue.

“Most people in Britain don’t even know Palestine. I had to say that I was from Israel so they would recognise it was an occupied place. They would say where is Palestine – is it in Africa or Japan? Some of my school friends would say, where is Palestine on the map and when I opened the map there was no Palestine, only Israel.

“Of course that upset me. I have a country, I'm a refugee and I cannot find my country on the map. I had to have this big discussion with them that Palestine is under Israeli occupation."