GAZA, May 2 (Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Monday condemned the killing by US forces of Osama bin Laden and mourned him as an Arab holy warrior.

We regard this as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood, Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas administration in the Gaza Strip, told reporters.

Though he noted doctrinal differences between bin Laden's al Qaeda and Hamas, Haniyeh said: We condemn the assassination and the killing of an Arab holy warrior. We ask God to offer him mercy with the true believers and the martyrs. (Writing by Dan Williams, Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi)