Executions in Gaza: Hamas reimposes terror to consolidate its power
The Islamist militia promotes extrajudicial violence to demonstrate authority and deter those who question its rule.
BeirutIn the following days to the ceasefire between Hamas and IsraelGaza is experiencing a disturbing return to internal violence that few dare to name. According to various local and diplomatic sources, the Islamist movement has executed dozens of people accused of "collaborating" with the enemy or of committing common crimes. Some of these executions were reportedly carried out in public, in front of crowds, in war-torn neighborhoods. The scene, repeated in different parts of the Strip, is reminiscent of a time when power was asserted through fear rather than legitimacy. A video geolocated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) shows several men kneeling in a Gaza street before being shot dead by individuals wearing Hamas insignia. The authenticity of the footage was confirmed by independent verification teams, although the movement has not explicitly acknowledged the events. In a subsequent statement, the Gaza Interior Ministry merely indicated that "certain criminal elements" had been executed after receiving "a full legal process." This version contrasts with the Palestinian Authority's denunciation in Ramallah, which described the executions as "atrocious crimes" committed "outside of any legal framework."
Western diplomats warn that "these acts are not the result of an isolated impulse, but rather a control strategy." Following the ceasefire agreement, Hamas finds itself in a precarious position. Although it managed to temporarily halt Israeli bombing, it must restore order in a Gaza Strip transformed into a patchwork of rubble, militias, and armed clans. According to the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information CenterThe group has deployed police and fighters in several urban areas to "reimpose governance." In other words, the executions serve a dual purpose: to stage an act of authority and to deter those who question its rule. Moreover, the enemy is no longer just Israel: it also includes Gazans themselves who, out of suspicion or rivalry, are branded as traitors.
The exact death toll varies depending on the source. The Palestinian Authority reported 32 executions between Friday and last Tuesday, while Israeli and Arab media put the figure at several dozen more. Among them were some men accused of espionage and others from influential families who allegedly refused to obey the movement's orders. The Islamist organization justifies its actions under the narrative of resistance. Speaking to Reuters, a Hamas leader acknowledged that they cannot commit to immediate disarmament because "there is still no Palestinian authority capable of guaranteeing internal security." In that logic, the monopoly on violence becomes synonymous with political survival.
A climate of silence
From a humanitarian perspective, these events exacerbate the dilemma for international actors attempting to to sustain the reconstruction of the enclaveEuropean donors and UN agencies face a dilemma: whether to continue funding civilian projects under a regime accused of serious human rights violations. Paris condemned the "summary executions" and called for an independent investigation, while Washington avoided a direct statement, although US officials indicated that "internal stability in Gaza will only be possible under a legitimate authority accountable to its people."
The executions have reinstated a climate of silence. "Nobody talks, nobody trusts anyone," a humanitarian worker from Deir al-Balah explained by telephone to the Lebanese newspaper. Oriente-Le JourThe same squares that served as makeshift shelters weeks ago are now the scene of reprisals. In hospitals and camps, rumors spread faster than ambulances: who has been arrested, who has disappeared, who will be next.
Internal repression reveals the paradox of Hamas: a movement that, in attempting to govern, reproduces the authoritarian mechanisms it claimed to combat. How he wrote Haaretz"The external war is over, but the internal war is just beginning." In the Gaza Strip, where borders are closing and Hunger is multiplying, The line between justice and revenge has become blurred. Hamas's ability to transform its military power into a recognized political authority remains uncertain, and control through force could become its own downfall. Meanwhile, the population continues to pay the price for a power it still doesn't know how to wield without resorting to war.
