A process for the selective oxidation of hydrogen sulphide in a hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas to elemental sulphur, wherein the hydrogen sulphide containing feed gas (3), an inert liquid medium (5), and a molecular-oxygen containing gas (4) are supplied to a reaction zone (1) comprising at least one catalytic zone (2) comprising an oxidation catalyst to form elemental sulphur and a gaseous stream depleted in hydrogen sulphide (8), in which process the oxidation catalyst of each catalytic zone (2) is contacted with hydrogen sulphide and/or molecular-oxygen in the presence of inert liquid medium at a temperature in the range of from 120 to 160.degree. C., under such conditions that the elemental sulphur formed is essentially in liquid form and is removed from the reaction zone with the inert liquid medium.