Hamas gunmen in Gaza
Photo: AFP
Report: Hamas murdering 'collaborators'
Amnesty says Hamas kidnaps, tortures, threatens, and murders Palestinians who oppose regime
Hamas has murdered dozens of Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel and tortured scores of others, British daily 'The Guardian' reported Saturday, naming Amnesty International as its source.
Hamas' Gitmo?
Associated Press
Palestinian Center for Human Rights says Jamil Shakoura died in Gaza hospital from blows to his head sustained at Hamas detention center in Gaza
The report says at least two dozen men have been shot to death by Hamas since the end of Israel's military operation in Gaza, and "scores of others" have been shot in the foot or kneecap, or severely beaten. Amnesty's report lists specific cases of severe beatings and accuses Hamas of "grave human rights abuses".
Hamas is involved in a "campaign of abductions, deliberate and unlawful killings, torture and death threats against those they accuse of 'collaborating' with Israel, as well as opponents and critics", the report says.
Hamas officials have admitted to holding a search for "collaborators" with Israel, but denied that the search had escalated to the violent proportions revealed by the report.
Mowaffaq Alami, a 36-year old who works for an organization that promotes peace between Israel and the Palestinians told the Guardian he had been forced to leave the Strip due to threats on his life, which began before the war. After its hostile takeover of Gaza in 2007, Hamas raided the organization's offices and confiscated a number of computers.
'One Voice' was forced to shut down its offices and its members began to work from home, but Hamas then demanded that all civilian organizations apply for permits. When 'One Voice' refused, their activity in Gaza was halted.
"People are afraid to live normal lives, to express their opinions freely," Alami told the Guardian. "There is no freedom of speech, of movement, of traveling or having real healthcare. Hamas is raising George Bush's policy: those not with us are against us."
He said the majority of Palestinians felt disillusioned with both Hamas and Fatah. "Politicians and the media think that there is a simple division between Gaza and the West Bank, between Hamas and Fatah… The majority of the Palestinian people today are with none of them," he said.
