Hamas has been accused of abducting, torturing, and carrying out summary executions of Palestinians during last year’s conflict in the Gaza Strip in a report published by Amnesty International.
The report claims that during the conflict, at least 23 Palestinians were shot and killed by Hamas, while dozens more were arrested and tortured in collaboration with Israel. Amnesty further said that those targeted were either political rivals of Hamas, or people the militant group had accused of cooperating with Israel.
“In one of the most shocking incidents, six men were publicly executed by Hamas forces outside al-Omari mosque … in front of hundreds of spectators, including children,” the report was quoted by Fox News. “The hooded men were dragged along the floor to kneel by a wall facing the crowd, and then each man was shot in the head individually before being sprayed with bullets fired from an AK-47,” the report quoted referring to the violence that took place on August 22, last year.
Referring to the executions of 23 Palestinians, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa director, Philip Luther, told Fox News, “It is absolutely appalling that, while Israeli forces were inflicting massive death and destruction upon the people in Gaza, Hamas forces took the opportunity to ruthlessly settle scores, carrying out a series of unlawful killings and other grave abuses.”
Amnesty has also claimed that it conducted all the interviews for the said report by relying on a local field worker as its entry in Gaza has been banned by Israel.