Germany is set to ban the public display of flags representing Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group, in response to demonstrations during the recent Gaza conflict that were marred by antisemitism.

The ban, which more broadly prohibits the display of insignia of groups on the EU's terror list, is expected to be approved by the Bundestag next week.

"We don't want the flags of terrorist organisations being waved on German soil," Thorsten Frei, a Christian Democratic Union leader, told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

"This law is a clear show of support to our Jewish citizens," he added. During the most recent escalation of the conflict between Hamas and Israel in May, demonstrations were organised in several of Germany's largest cities, which have significant Palestinian and Arab populations.

While generally peaceful, the protests were marred by people shouting antisemitic slogans and one Berlin gathering descended into attacks on the police.

Some participants were seen waving Hamas flags and those belonging to the far-Left Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which will also be affected by the ban.

In a country highly sensitive to anti-Jewish rhetoric, there were immediate calls for the government to take action against future such demonstrations.

Berlin plans on using section 86a of its penal code, a paragraph originally intended to stop the display of Nazi insignia, to impose the ban.

The Social Democrat-run Justice Ministry is understood to have had reservations about using the paragraph against Hamas, which governs in the Gaza Strip.

A letter sent from the Justice Ministry to the conservative-run Interior Ministry earlier this month said that the proposal "needed to be reworked", citing concerns about its constitutionality.