Extra-Judicial Killings

A crowd in Gaza watches the summary executions - photo by Reuters

Now here's a sight you don't see every day - a suspected criminal (collaborator) with a mask over his head being led away by a man, presumably from Hamas, who also has a mask over his head while two others hold off a small group of civilians, most likely the first chap's family.    

Soon afterwards 18 Palestinians were executed by fellow Muslims, albeit Hamas Muslims, yet on what evidence no one seems to know or be willing to say at least, so these must go down as extra judicial killings which were carried out without a trial or due process of any kind.

In other words, the same kind of 'justice' meted out by Israel in dropping bombs or firing rockets at the military leaders of Hamas in Gaza with whom, they say, Israel is at war.

So while I have long supported the cause of the Palestinian people, I have no time for Hamas which I regard as part of the problem, as they really don't want peace just like the extremists on the Israeli side of the divide.

Gaza: Hamas says 18 suspected informants executed

Images emerged of some of the suspected collaborators being led to their executions

Hamas sources in Gaza say 18 people suspected of collaborating with Israel have been executed.

The killings came after an Israeli air strike killed three senior Hamas leaders on Thursday. Two more Palestinians died in overnight strikes.

Israel says there has been fire from Gaza - including a strike on Friday that killed a four-year-old boy.

More than 2,070 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 67 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.

The four-year-old Israeli boy was killed in a mortar attack on a southern village along the Gaza border, officials say.

Speaking after the death was confirmed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas would "pay a heavy price for the crime".

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.

Israeli tanks have held their position just outside the Gaza Strip

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.