Hamas terrorist
Photo: Reuters
Hamas court in Gaza sentences 3 to death for alleged spying
Court also upheld sentences of three others for allegedly spying for Israel, bringing total number on death row to 10; past executions have included hangings and shootings.
Hamas military courts in Gaza have sentenced three Palestinians to death for allegedly spying for Israel and upheld the sentences of three others.
Sunday's verdicts raise the number of people on death row to 10, a number likely to increase since others are still appealing their death sentences. The courts have sentenced Gaza residents to death by hanging or shooting for convictions of murder or collaborating with Israel.
Hamas terrorists (Photo: Reuters)
Human rights groups are concerned about the provision of fair trial standards under Hamas, an Islamic militant group which seized power in Gaza in 2007.
Last week, Yahya Sanwar was elected to lead Hamas in the Gaza Strip after internal elections were held for the organization's institutional and leadership positions.
New Hamas leader Yahya Sanwar (Photo: AP)
Sanwar was on the most senior officials released by Israel in the Shalit deal in which hundreds of terrorists and political prisoners were released in exchange for the return of captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
He developed a reputation as being among the most radical in Hamas, calling since his release for further kidnappings of IDF soldiers
The Western-backed Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has issued a small number of death sentences over the years, but none have been approved by President Mahmoud Abbas or carried out.
