Hamas fighters at a parade in Gaza City. (Image from May 2021)
(dpa) Hamas, the ruling party in the Gaza Strip, executed five Palestinians on Sunday. Three of the men had been convicted of collaborating with Israel and two of murder, according to the Interior Ministry, which is controlled by the Islamist organization. Three of the convicts were reportedly hanged and two shot. They were the first executions in the coastal strip since 2017.
In the past, Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel or of murder have been executed several times in the Gaza Strip. Human rights organizations had criticized this.
Hamas is the second largest Palestinian organization after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah. In 2007, she violently seized power in the Gaza Strip. It is classified as a terrorist organization by the US, the EU and Israel.