Hamas hangs three suspected 'Israel' collaborators despite promising 'amnesty'

Hamas hangs three suspected 'Israel' collaborators despite promising 'amnesty'
The executions were carried following the killing of a Hamas official in Gaza last month by suspected Israel collaborators.
2 min read
06 April, 2017

Hamas ordered the hanging of three men accused of collaborating with Israel on Thursday, days after they promised amnesty to "collaborators" if they were to turn themselves in.

The executions were carried out after Hamas called for "revenge" following the killing of one of its officials in Gaza on 24 March, after it had publically blamed Israel for conducting the execution.

A deputy of Hamas' Gaza branch's leader Khalil al-Haya, had promised retaliation, but did not specify how Hamas would respond to the attack.

On Tuesday, Hamas assured that anyone involved in the killing of Mazen Fuqahaa who turned themselves in between 4 April and 11 April would be given amnesty.

It is unclear whether there was substantial evidence to prove the three men had actually collaborated with Israel.

Hamas' Gaza branch has increased its hard-line punishments against Israeli collaborators, and other forms of political dissent after Yahya Sinwar was elected as the Gaza branch’s chief.

Sinwar is notorious for being Hamas' "spymaster" and for his staunch advocacy of "violent resistance" against Israel.

He was sentenced to serve four life sentences in 1988 by Israel before being released in October 2011 among over a thousand other Palestinian prisoners under a prisoner exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit - an Israeli soldier captured in June 2006 by Hamas.

Agencies contributed to this report