Collaboration With Israel: Hamas Executes Three Palestinians, Arrests Seven Others

The AFP is reporting that the armed wing of Hamas has executed three Palestinian individuals for the crime of ‘collaborating with Israel’. While this has not officially come from Hamas themselves, a website affiliated to Hamas know as Al Majd has reported about this. The website quotes a senior Hamas security official who said that seven people have been taken in for questioning for allegedly collaborating with Israel. Three others accused of similar offenses have been shot dead. It is still unclear as to when the executions actually took place. The website additionally also warns others from collaborating with Israel and has threatened them with dire consequences if they do so.

This is the second time this month that Palestinians have been executed by Hamas for collaborating with Israel. On August 6, an unspecified number of people were executed by the armed wing of Hamas for the same crime. The Inquisitr had also reported about this and the number of dead were estimated to be around 30 people. Little over a month ago, on July 13, a man was killed in the middle of the street in the southern Palestinian city of Rafah by gunmen. This is also believed to be a Hamas authorized execution for the same crime – collaborating with Israel. Palestinian law bars any of is citizens to “collaborate” with Israel. This offense is put in the same category as murder and drug trafficking – all of which are punishable by death. The president of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas reportedly approves each of the executions.

The number of executions and arrests of Palestinians allegedly collaborating with Israel have been on the rise since the start of the latest conflict between the two Middle Eastern belligerents on July 8. So far, an estimated 2,075 Palestinians and 67 Israeli’s have died in the conflict. While Hamas blames Israel for bombing and killing innocent women and children, Israel accuses the Hamas of using women and children as human shields.

In related news, the Hamas has recently admitted that it did in fact kidnap and kill the three Israeli teenagers earlier this year. The aforementioned kidnappings by the Hamas was one of the main triggers for the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2014.

[Image Via Wikimedia Commons]