Tensions are surging across Gaza following reports and verified footage showing masked Hamas fighters executing detainees in Gaza City, as rival groups clash for control in the aftermath of Israel’s troop withdrawal from several areas of the enclave.
A video shared on Hamas-affiliated social media channels — and verified by CNN to have been filmed in the al-Sabra neighborhood of western Gaza City — depicts armed men, some wearing green Hamas headbands, shooting eight blindfolded detainees in front of a crowd. The identities of the victims remain unconfirmed.
Though the timing of the incident has not been independently verified, damage to nearby buildings indicates it occurred after the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, when Israeli forces had already withdrawn from the area.
Public Executions Stir Outrage and Fear
The footage shows detainees — all adult men — being dragged into a public square, some partially stripped and barefoot, with their hands bound behind their backs. Several appear to be beaten before being lined up and executed by firing squad. Fighters can be heard cheering after the shootings.
Human rights organizations and Palestinian authorities have condemned the incident.
The office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called the killings “heinous crimes” and “a blatant violation of human rights.”
The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), a national watchdog based in Ramallah, described the executions as “grave legal and moral crimes that require urgent condemnation and accountability.”
Hamas Defends the Killings as ‘Security Operations’
In stark contrast, a coalition of armed factions known as the Palestinian Resistance Factions, which includes Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, praised what it termed a “security campaign” carried out by Gaza’s Ministry of Interior and National Security.
The Hamas-linked Radaa security force claimed responsibility, saying it had “neutralized several wanted individuals and outlaws” and that “all legal and judicial procedures” had been completed — a statement widely disputed by observers and rights groups.
Radaa accused the men of collaborating with Israel or engaging in “security and criminal offenses,” but offered no evidence to support the claims.
The group also said it was conducting “wide-ranging operations across Gaza” to arrest “collaborators and individuals operating outside the law.”
Local Clashes and Family Feuds Erupt
The executions appear to have occurred amid days of violent clashes between Hamas forces and the Doghmush family, a powerful clan based in the al-Sabra and Tel al-Hawa neighborhoods.
According to the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, gun battles broke out after Hamas security units attempted to arrest suspected collaborators, resulting in casualties on both sides.
The Doghmush family, in a statement, condemned what it described as a “campaign of intimidation, torture, and house burnings” by Hamas, claiming 28 of its members were executed after being promised safety guarantees.
“What is happening today is a heinous crime committed against a family known for its steadfastness and rejection of collaboration,” the family said, adding that it had already lost hundreds of members during Israel’s military operations.
Regional and International Response
The Israeli Foreign Ministry reposted the execution footage online, saying it proved why “Hamas must go.” The video has since spread widely across social media, drawing condemnation and deepening international concerns about Gaza’s internal instability.
The incident also comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to confirm that his administration had approved Hamas’ role in policing Gaza “for a period of time” following the ceasefire he helped broker between Israel and the group.
“They do want to stop the problems. They’ve been open about it and we gave them approval for a period of time,” Trump said while traveling to the Middle East earlier this week.
Israel, meanwhile, has pressed for the complete disarmament of Hamas as part of any final ceasefire arrangement — a demand that could further complicate security dynamics within the territory.
Gaza’s Fragile Post-War Landscape
The scenes from al-Sabra underscore the fragile state of Gaza’s internal governance following months of war and destruction. With Israeli troops pulling back from several neighborhoods, Hamas appears intent on reestablishing dominance through public displays of power and retribution.
Human rights groups have warned that such acts risk deepening divisions among Palestinian factions and could derail postwar reconstruction efforts if law and order devolve into factional violence.
While Hamas maintains that its operations target “collaborators” and “criminals,” the absence of transparent judicial oversight and the use of public executions raise serious concerns about extrajudicial killings and abuse of power.
Source: CNN – Masked Hamas fighters seen executing men in Gaza City as the group fights with rival powers
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