Hamas carries out public executions after returning to the streets of Gaza independent.co.uk

Click to Donate

Every dollar goes to help the people of Palestine

Hamas security forces have returned to Gaza’s streets, clashing with armed groups and killing alleged gangsters in a bid to restore law and order where Israeli troops withdrew.

This show of force, welcomed by some Palestinians after months of lawlessness, could now threaten the fragile ceasefire, especially as all living hostages from Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack have been released.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said the war will not end until Hamas has been dismantled, and US president Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan calls for Hamas to disarm and hand power over to an internationally supervised body that has yet to be formed.

Hamas has not fully accepted those terms, saying more negotiations are needed. It says it is willing to hand over power to other Palestinians but will not allow chaos to prevail during the transition. Israelis fear that as long as Hamas is armed, it will exercise influence in Gaza – and could rebuild its military capabilities – even if an independent body exercises nominal rule.

Trump said Tuesday that Hamas “did take out a couple of gangs that were very bad,” and killed a number of gang members. “That didn't bother me much, to be honest with you,” he said.