Friday, August 22, 2014

Wearing black hoods Hamas executes 18 of its own citizens suspected of collaborating with Israel, 11 killed in Gaza police station, 7 in front of central Gaza mosque-BBC

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8/22/14, "Gaza: Hamas says 18 suspected informants executed," BBC

Hamas executions, 8/22/14, Reuters
"Hamas sources in Gaza say 18 people suspected of collaborating with Israel have been executed.

The killings came after an Israeli airstrike left three senior Hamas leaders dead on Thursday.

Officials in Gaza say at least two more Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes overnight, and Israel said more rockets were fired from Gaza. More than 2,070 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 66 Israelis, mostly troops, have been killed in six weeks.

A Thai national in Israel was also killed by rocket fire early on in the conflict. No-one was injured by the rockets which hit Israel on Friday morning.

Hostilities between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza resumed on Tuesday, scuppering efforts in Cairo to achieve a long-term ceasefire deal.

Hamas has insisted on a lifting of the economic blockade of Gaza as part of any longer-term deal.

Israel has vowed to pursue its campaign until "full security" is achieved through the disarmament of Hamas and other groups in Gaza.

'Forced by circumstances'
 
Hamas sources said Friday's executions had been carried out by what it called the Resistance, which may suggest the involvement of other armed Palestinian factions.

Hamas officials told Reuters that the first 11 executions were carried out at an abandoned police station.

Witnesses said another seven people were shot by men in Hamas uniforms outside the Al-Umari mosque in central Gaza.

After the first 11 executions, Hamas warned that "the same punishment will be imposed soon on others".

It added that "the current circumstances forced us to take such decisions", suggesting a link between the executions and the killing of the three senior Hamas leaders.

Image above: "Aug. 22, 2014: Hamas militants grab Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel, before executing them in Gaza City. (REUTERS)," via Fox News, "Hamas kills 18 suspected Israel informants".
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IBT article mentions the first 11 executed:

8/22/14, "Gaza Strip: Hamas Kills 11 Suspected Informers for Israel," IBTimes, G. Mezzofiore

"The armed wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam brigades, has executed 11 Palestinians who were accused of collaborating with Israel during the Gaza war, according to
an Associated Press report.

The killings, which reportedly took place in Gaza City
Police HQcame after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed
three senior Hamas commanders - Raed al-Attar,
Mohammed Abu Shammala and Osama Abu Atah - in air
strikes on Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian militant group vowed revenge for the targeting
of its leaders. A security official told AP that the 11 men were
previously sentenced by Gaza courts.

Under Palestinian law, being an Israeli informer is 
punishable by deathIn May, Hamas announced the
execution of two men accused of being collaborators.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is supposed
to approve all executions.
But Hamas has controlled the Strip since winning
elections in the enclave
in 2007."...













Image: "Hamas vowed revenge after
Israel's air strike that killed
three of its senior commanders:
(L-R) Raed al-Attar, Mohammed
Abu Shammala and Osama Abu Atah (pictured) (Reuters)"



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