Disturbing footage has surfaced, documenting the public execution of three Palestinian men in Gaza City who were accused of collaborating with Israeli forces. Verified by BBC Verify, the grim event took place on a street near Shifa Hospital, an area currently under intense Israeli military operations.
The videos, which began circulating on Sunday evening, depict a scene of public spectacle involving at least five armed, masked individuals, three blindfolded Palestinian men kneeling on the ground, and a significant crowd of onlookers.
One of the armed men, addressing the crowd, is heard declaring, “The death sentence has been decided for all collaborators.” The disturbing sequence continues with the three men being pushed to the ground and shot multiple times in the back of the head, followed by cheers from the crowd that hailed Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.
A security official from the Hamas-run Gaza government confirmed to Reuters that the executions were carried out by the “Joint Operations Room of the Palestinian resistance.” This event marks a rare instance of a public execution in Gaza being captured on video.
Previous reports have indicated Hamas’s use of violence against dissenters, including the alleged execution of four Palestinians in May for looting aid trucks. In the recent footage, one assailant specifically identified Yasser Abu Shabab as a “major collaborator” targeted for death.
Yasser Abu Shabab is reportedly a prominent figure in a clan that has been armed by the Israeli government and operates in Rafah. His group has presented itself as an opposition to Hamas. However, Abu Shabab has publicly denied receiving weapons from Israel.
In July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged that Israel was arming clans in Gaza who were opposed to Hamas. Meanwhile, a senior officer within Hamas’s security forces indicated to the BBC that Hamas had significantly lost control in Gaza, with armed clans increasingly filling the power vacuum.
Abu Shabab’s group has been actively recruiting via social media, and reports suggest other anti-Hamas factions have emerged in northern Gaza and near Khan Younis.
Amidst these developments, Israeli troops continue their operations in Gaza City, reportedly dismantling Hamas infrastructure and engaging militants. The Israeli military states its objectives are to secure the release of hostages and defeat Hamas fighters, describing Gaza City as the group’s “main stronghold.” However, the offensive has drawn considerable international criticism due to the high civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis it has exacerbated, including a confirmed famine.
The UN humanitarian office has described the situation in Gaza City as “cataclysmic,” with continuous streams of displaced people heading south, while hundreds of thousands remain trapped in the city.
The current Israeli military campaign in Gaza began in response to the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, at least 65,344 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the conflict began.