Executed 12 individuals identified as agents and criminals within the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas statement.
In the midst of a prolonged conflict and humanitarian crisis, Hamas has escalated its executions and severe punishments against suspected collaborators and internal dissenters in the Gaza Strip. The accused crimes mainly involve collaboration with Israel or the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which Hamas has banned and accused of endangering civilians and violating human rights.
Recent reports indicate that Hamas has been targeting civilians allegedly seeking aid from the GHF or involved with any entities seen as cooperating with the enemy. Over 500 people have reportedly died and more than 4,000 have been injured while trying to access aid from the GHF, according to Hamas accusations. Palestinian Authority sources have accused Hamas of murdering civilians at aid distribution centers.
The brutal methods employed by Hamas are evident in cases such as that of Ahmed al-Masri, a protest organizer in northern Gaza, who was abducted from a café, brutally tortured—his feet broken and shot at—and detained for opposing Hamas and inciting dissent.
Hamas's internal security "deterrence" unit, known to have existed for several years, announced carrying out a series of operations last week, resulting in the execution of 12 individuals. The deceased were mainly accused of passing intelligence to Israel, stealing goods, and committing armed robberies. Three of the men were put to death for "serious security offenses that endangered the security and stability of society."
While exact figures are not fully confirmed, the death toll linked to executions and severe punishments related to suspected collaboration is substantial. Hamas carries out executions in the Gaza Strip, but all execution orders must be approved by Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who has imposed a moratorium on executions. However, Hamas no longer recognizes Abbas's legitimacy and has declared that the death penalty in Gaza can be carried out without his consent.
The PA has condemned Hamas’s actions, highlighting internal divisions. Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas criticized Hamas for its deadly crackdown on Gazans and the suppression of protests, emphasizing the detrimental impact on Palestinian unity and civilian lives. The PA continues to distance itself from Hamas’s harsh policies and the ongoing violence in Gaza.
In May of 2023, a military court in the Gaza Strip sentenced several Palestinian Arabs to be executed for providing information to Israel. The operations carried out by Hamas's internal security "deterrence" unit last week were described as "high-quality."
Reports of Hamas's violent crackdowns on suspected collaborators and internal threats have intensified since the outbreak of war in October 2023. This escalation in violence has drawn widespread condemnation, both domestically and internationally. The ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, with no end in sight.
- In the realm of general news and politics, the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip has led to an intensification of war-and-conflicts-related issues, with Hamas's violent crackdown on suspected collaborators and internal threats escalating further.
- Amidst the chaos of the conflict, crime-and-justice topics have also come to the fore, as Hamas's executions and severe punishments against collaborators and dissenters have been met with widespread condemnation domestically and internationally.
