Hamas will soon start publicly executing Palestinians who are found guilty of
“collaboration” with Israel, Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hammad announced
Monday.
Hammad, who is in charge of the Hamas security forces in the Gaza
Strip, revealed that his government recently arrested 10 “veteran and
experienced collaborators” with Israel.
Earlier this month, Hamas hanged
a Palestinian man who was convicted of working for Israel as an
informant.
Another two men were executed on the same day for murder and
rape.
The predawn executions were carried out inside a Hamas security
installation in the Gaza Strip. Hamas did not release the identities of the
executed men.
The executions drew sharp condemnations from human rights
groups and the Palestinian Authority, whose representatives said that Hamas was
not authorized to carry out the death penalty without receiving permission from
PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hammad advised collaborators to turn
themselves in “before we lay our hands on them.” He added that his government
was no longer offering clemency to informants who “repent.”
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