Advertisement

Report: Hamas tortured, killed Palestinians during war with Israel

The organization, which controls Gaza, conducted tortures and executions in hospitals and prisons, an Amnesty International report said.

By Ed Adamczyk
The 50-day war in Gaza in 2014 covered the execution of at least 23 alleged Palestinian collaborators with Israel, an Amnesty International report claims. File Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI
The 50-day war in Gaza in 2014 covered the execution of at least 23 alleged Palestinian collaborators with Israel, an Amnesty International report claims. File Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI | License Photo

LONDON, May 27 (UPI) -- Hamas, the Palestinian organization controlling Gaza, tortured and killed at least 23 suspected Israeli collaborators during the 2014 Gaza war, Amnesty International said Wednesday.

The London-based human rights advocacy group said in a 44-page report that Hamas exploited the 50-day war with Israel to "ruthlessly settle scores" with rival group Fatah, the group dominating the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

Advertisement

Hamas conducted "spine-chilling actions, some of which amount to war crimes," said Phillip Luther of Amnesty International.

The report claims dozens of tortures occurred during interrogations within a Gaza hospital, and among those executed were several who were in jail before the war began. It notes 17 extrajudicial executions occurred on a single day, Aug. 22, 2014, and included 11 inmates in Gaza City's Katiba prison who were awaiting appeals of their sentences or awaiting trials.

It also cites comments from the brother of Atta Naijar, a former police officer serving a prison sentence for "collaboration" with Israel when he was killed in August.

Advertisement

"His arms and legs were broken ... his body was as if you'd put it in a bag and smashed it ... His body was riddled with about 30 bullets. He had slaughter marks around his neck, marks of knives ... and from behind the head, there was no brain. Empty... It was difficult for us to carry him ... He was heavy, like when you put meat in a bag; no bones. His bones were smashed. They broke him in the prison."

Salah Bardawil, a Hamas official, decried the Amnesty International report as biased and an attempt to divert attention from alleged Israeli war crimes conducted during the war.

"Amnesty should have investigated the war crimes against humanity committed by Israel instead of criticizing the victims," Bardawil said.

Latest Headlines