Gaza's ruling Hamas Islamists executed five Palestinians on
Sunday, two of them on charges of espionage for Israel that dated back to 2015
and 2009, the Interior Ministry said.
The dawn executions, by hanging or firing squad, were the
first in the Palestinian territories since 2017. Past cases of capital
punishment being carried out in Gaza have drawn criticism from human rights
groups.
The ministry statement did not provide full names for any of
the condemned men. It said three had been convicted of murder. The two
convicted spies, aged 44 and 54, had given Israel information that led to the
killing of Palestinians, it said.
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The Israeli Prime Minister's Office, which oversees the
country's intelligence services, declined comment.
"The execution was carried out after the conclusion of
all legal procedures. The rulings had been final, with implementation
mandatory, after all of the convicted were accorded full rights to defend
themselves," the statement said.
Reuters could not immediately corroborate this.
Palestinian and international human rights groups have
condemned the death penalty and urged Hamas and the Palestinian Authority,
which exercises limited self-government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to
end the practice.
Palestinian law says President Mahmoud Abbas has final word
on whether executions can be carried out. But he has no effective rule in Gaza.
Since Islamist Hamas seized control of Gaza from
Abbas in 2007, its courts have sentenced dozens of Palestinians to death, and
have executed 27 so far, according to human rights groups.
Reuters