Hamas authorities execute 3 Palestinians in Gaza for alleged collaboration with Israel, footage shows
Video shows three kneeling men shot in public as a crowd chants; the executions come amid shifting global stances on Palestine’s UN status
Hamas-led authorities in Gaza publicly executed three Palestinian men accused of collaborating with Israel on Sunday, according to footage posted on a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel. The video shows the men kneeling and blindfolded as a trio of gunmen with automatic weapons stand over them, while a fourth person reads in Arabic from a paper. Witnesses or observers described the crowd as cheering; the footage captures the moment a crowd chants a religious phrase as the executions proceed. The men were reportedly shot in the head and upper body, and notes were placed on their corpses. Hamas’ interior ministry described the men as a group of outlaws who betrayed the homeland and collaborated with the occupation. The video was circulated by QudsN on Telegram, with an English-language translation provided to The Telegraph by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.
The footage appeared as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia moved to formally recognize Palestine as a United Nations member state, a shift opposed by both the United States and Israel. Media accounts cited Hamas saying the executions were part of a broader enforcement of its so-called revolutionary law, including punishments for looting and collaboration with Israel. Israel Hayom, an Israeli newspaper, cited Islamic Jihad and the Mujahideen Brigades as having participated in the killings, though the broader conflict line remains contested and subject to propaganda claims from multiple sides.
The incident marks at least the second time this year that Hamas has publicly punished people in Gaza for alleged collaboration or other crimes. In May, Hamas executed six Palestinians accused of looting humanitarian aid and shot another 13 in the legs, according to coverage cited by outlets reporting on the Gaza hospital and security situation. The executions come amid ongoing fighting in Gaza, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continuing to press into urban areas around Gaza City as part of a broader military operation against Hamas.
International attention to the Gaza war has intensified as Western capitals recalibrate their stance on Palestinian statehood and recognition at the UN. While some allies push for recognition to bolster a Palestinian voice in international forums, others warn of destabilization and warning signals for regional security. Human rights observers have called for independent verification of footage and for due process in any alleged criminal proceedings, noting that collective punishment and extrajudicial executions risk escalating cycles of violence and retaliation in an already volatile region. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with aid corridors limited and civilian casualties mounting as the conflict persists.