The Palestinian parliament on Sunday denounced the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as "an awful crime."

"The execution of President Saddam Hussein was an awful crime against Islamic and Arab nations," the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) said in a statement.

The PLC also condemned the date of the hanging, saying that executing the ousted Iraqi president on the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha was an "offense."

Earlier, the ruling Hamas movement slammed it as a "political assassination" against Saddam.

"The timing of the assassination was well-studied to harm Arabs and Muslims," Hamas said in a statement, adding that the statement "was to defend Arabs' dignity and feelings rather than defending Saddam."

Meanwhile, the Palestinian people and factions continued to condemn Saddam's execution on Sunday.

Amid cold and rainy weather, several factions set up tents in the Gaza Strip to receive mourners of Saddam.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Office and the Hamas-led government, which has good ties with Iran, made no comment on Saddam's hanging.

Saddam, born on April 28, 1937 and deposed in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, was executed by hanging at dawn on Saturday for crimes against humanity.

Source: Xinhua