Hamas Announces Execution of 13 Convicts in Public

The Hamas movement, which governs the Gaza Strip, has announced its intention to carry out the death sentences of thirteen other Palestinians in public. Hamas stated that it prefers to "implement Islamic rulings" over adhering to requests from human rights organizations and Mahmoud Abbas, the leader of the Palestinian Authority, to refrain from executing death sentences. The convicts were accused of "murder." According to Israeli media, at the request of the Hamas prosecutor in Gaza, the executions are set to take place "with as many attendees as possible," but no date has been set yet. Ismail Jaber, the prosecutor of Hamas's Sharia Court in Gaza, told reporters on Sunday, June 2, that the sentences must be public to serve as a "lesson." According to the Hamas prosecutor, "families of the Palestinian victims" are putting pressure on the Gaza judiciary and demanding "Islamic retribution." The Palestinian Authority in Ramallah emphasized that the approval of death sentences falls within Mahmoud Abbas's authority, but Hamas representatives bypassed Abbas's powers with a resolution in the Gaza parliament on Wednesday, June 5. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed doubts that universal standards for fair trial were observed regarding the thirteen convicts. Human Rights Watch also condemned the death sentences as unjust, emphasizing the torture of the accused and calling on Hamas to refrain from carrying out the executions. According to the New York Times, Hamas executed Mahmoud Ishtawi, 34, one of its main field commanders, three and a half months ago on charges of sexual relations with men, although his ruling referred to "immoral behavior." Ishtawi was the commander of the tunnel-digging section in Hamas's military branch, but regional media reported that he was suspected of collaborating with Israel and "revealing" some of these tunnels. Shortly after the 51-day operation against the Israeli army in the summer of 2014, Hamas executed former spokesman Ayman Taha on two charges of "espionage" and "corruption." Additionally, according to the Guardian, during the war two years ago, Hamas executed 23 Palestinians, including three women, in public on charges of collaboration and "informing" for Israel, without trial. Some of the mentioned executions took place at the end of Friday prayers in front of a mosque, amid the encouragement of Hamas's agitated supporters. The executions of Palestinians during the two-year war occurred just hours after they were pulled from their homes and following severe public beatings. The execution of these Palestinians particularly followed the bombing of the building where the family of Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas's military branch, lived, which resulted in the deaths of his wife and child.