Terrifying footage shows Hamas gunmen lining up a group of men moments before a public execution in front of a cheering crowd as the militant group attempts to stamp its authority in Gaza
Hamas executes ‘collaborators and lawbreakers’ in Gaza
Hamas death squads have been carrying out public executions of enemies within Gaza as they attempt to wrestle back control after the ceasefire with Israel.
In one shocking video, a row of gunmen can be seen aiming their firearms towards a line of eight blindfolded men, who have been forced to kneel on the ground in front of a jeering crowd. Moment later, they were shot dead. Hamas militants accused the men of collaborating with Israel.
Dozens more people are thought to have been killed since last weekend amid a power struggle between Hamas and rival clans – but Donald Trump has downplayed news of the clashes, telling reporters it ”didn’t bother me much”.
The Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank, condemned the executions a as “heinous crimes” and urged a return of legitimate Palestinian leadership to prevent further chaos in Gaza.
While Hamas enjoyed firm control of Gaza prior to the conflict, powerful local families and armed gangs stepped into the void that emerged in the region during Israel’s two-year bombardment. Some have been accused of hijacking humanitarian aid and selling it for profit, contributing to the starvation crisis.
Over the weekend, Hamas-led fighters exchanged fire with an armed group in Gaza City affiliated with the powerful Doghmush family after the killing of Mohammed Aqel, a Hamas militant, on Friday.
Mr Aqel’s family said in a statement that armed men had kidnapped him, robbed him and killed him. Another family, the al-Muqaid, said the gang ambushed five of its members when they returned to their homes and robbed them, killing one and leaving another in intensive care.
The Doghmush family initially denounced the gang and distanced itself from their actions. Two days later, it issued another statement condemning Hamas’ executions, saying there was no need for “this brutality.”
Today, the Hamas-affiliated security force Radaa said it had been ”conducting a comprehensive security operation” across all areas of the Gaza Strip for several days, which it said targeted “those involved in collaboration with the occupation and its mercenaries and anyone who shelters them.”
Another statement on a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel on Wednesday said that the executions were carried out “after the completion of all legal and judicial procedures“, and that all detainees had either been collaborating with Israel or had committed other security-related offences, though no further details were given.
It comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded that Hamas honour the ceasefire agreement and return all 28 bodies of deceased hostages still in Gaza.
Four bodies were handed over by Hamas yesterday after Israel threatened to cut aid, but the IDF has since said that one of the bodies is not that of a hostage.
“We will not compromise on this and will not stop our efforts until we return the last deceased hostage, until the last one,“ Netanyahu said.