An Israeli air strike on a Gaza base of Hamas&#39;s military wing killed two people on Saturday, health officials of the territory&#39;s Palestinian Islamist rulers said.&nbsp;Hamas confirms both men as militants, clarifies the name of the first.&nbsp;

The strike on a base in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip, one of several in the early hours, came amid protests across the Palestinian territories against US President Donald Trump&#39;s deeply controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The Hamas health ministry in Gaza named the men as Abdullah al-Atal, 28 and Mohammed al-Safdi, 30.

It said that their bodies &nbsp;were only recovered several hours after the pre-dawn strike on a base of Hamas&#39;s military wing in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip.

The militants did not say if the dead men were its members.

The strike followed three rocket attacks Friday night from Gaza into southern Israel.

&quot;Today... in response to the rockets fired at southern Israeli communities throughout yesterday, Israel air force aircraft targeted four facilities belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the Gaza Strip,&quot; an English-language army statement said on Saturday.

It said the targets were &quot;two weapons manufacturing sites, a weapons warehouse and a military compound.&quot;

&quot;In each target, several components were hit,&quot; it added.

Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities on Friday night wounded 14 people, among them women and children, the Hamas medical services said.&nbsp;

They followed three rocket attacks during Friday&#39;s Palestinian &quot;day of rage&quot; over Trump&#39;s decision.

In one of them, a rocket hit the southern Israeli city of Sderot although Israeli public radio said it did not explode and did not cause any casualties.

The Israeli military said that its Iron Dome air defence system intercepted an earlier rocket fired from the Palestinian enclave.

It said it later detected a second missile launch, but had not found evidence that it had reached Israeli territory.

The military retaliated Friday with air strikes on what it said were two targets.

&quot;In response to the projectiles fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip earlier today, Israel air force aircraft targeted a Hamas training compound and an ammunition warehouse in the Gaza Strip,&quot; an English-language statement said.

Gaza security officials said that both targets were in the vicinity of Beit Lahiya, in the northern part of the strip, close to the border with Israel.

A previously unknown Salafist group calling itself the Salahedin Brigades claimed responsibility for one of the attacks.

But the Israeli army said it held Hamas responsible for all &quot;hostile activity&quot; originating from the territory under its control.

The strike followed three rocket attacks Friday night from Gaza into southern Israel

An Israeli air strike on a Gaza base of Hamas's military wing killed two people on Saturday, health officials of the territory's Palestinian Islamist rulers said. Hamas confirms both men as militants, clarifies the name of the first. The strike on a base in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip, one of several in the early hours, came amid protests across the Palestinian territories against US President Donald Trump's deeply controversial recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The Hamas health ministry in Gaza named the men as Abdullah al-Atal, 28 and Mohammed al-Safdi, 30. It said that their bodies were only recovered several hours after the pre-dawn strike on a base of Hamas's military wing in Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip. The militants did not say if the dead men were its members. The strike followed three rocket attacks Friday night from Gaza into southern Israel. "Today... in response to the rockets fired at southern Israeli communities throughout yesterday, Israel air force aircraft targeted four facilities belonging to the Hamas terror organisation in the Gaza Strip," an English-language army statement said on Saturday. It said the targets were "two weapons manufacturing sites, a weapons warehouse and a military compound." "In each target, several components were hit," it added. Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities on Friday night wounded 14 people, among them women and children, the Hamas medical services said. They followed three rocket attacks during Friday's Palestinian "day of rage" over Trump's decision. In one of them, a rocket hit the southern Israeli city of Sderot although Israeli public radio said it did not explode and did not cause any casualties. The Israeli military said that its Iron Dome air defence system intercepted an earlier rocket fired from the Palestinian enclave. It said it later detected a second missile launch, but had not found evidence that it had reached Israeli territory. The military retaliated Friday with air strikes on what it said were two targets. "In response to the projectiles fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip earlier today, Israel air force aircraft targeted a Hamas training compound and an ammunition warehouse in the Gaza Strip," an English-language statement said. Gaza security officials said that both targets were in the vicinity of Beit Lahiya, in the northern part of the strip, close to the border with Israel. A previously unknown Salafist group calling itself the Salahedin Brigades claimed responsibility for one of the attacks. But the Israeli army said it held Hamas responsible for all "hostile activity" originating from the territory under its control.

Israel air strikes kill 2 Palestinian militants

&nbsp;Israel&#39;s military said its aircraft bombed militant targets in Gaza on Friday (December 8) and the Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 25 people were wounded in the strikes, including six children.

The Israeli military said it had carried out the strikes on a militant training camp and on a weapons depot in response to rockets fired earlier from Gaza at Israeli towns. Witnesses said most of the wounded were residents of a building near the camp.

At least two people were killed in clashes with Israeli troops on Friday when thousands of Palestinians demonstrated against U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital and the Palestinian president said Washington could no longer be a peace broker.

Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian man near the Gaza border, the first confirmed death in two days of unrest. Scores of people were wounded on the &quot;Day of Rage&quot;. A second person later died of their wounds, a Gaza hospital official said.

No casualties were reported after a rocket hit the Israeli town of Sderot, the military said.

The Israeli military said it had carried out the strikes on a militant training camp and on a weapons depot in response to rockets fired earlier from Gaza at Israeli towns.

Israel's military said its aircraft bombed militant targets in Gaza on Friday (December 8) and the Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 25 people were wounded in the strikes, including six children. The Israeli military said it had carried out the strikes on a militant training camp and on a weapons depot in response to rockets fired earlier from Gaza at Israeli towns. Witnesses said most of the wounded were residents of a building near the camp. At least two people were killed in clashes with Israeli troops on Friday when thousands of Palestinians demonstrated against U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the Palestinian president said Washington could no longer be a peace broker. Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian man near the Gaza border, the first confirmed death in two days of unrest. Scores of people were wounded on the "Day of Rage". A second person later died of their wounds, a Gaza hospital official said. No casualties were reported after a rocket hit the Israeli town of Sderot, the military said.

At least 25 wounded in Israeli retaliation strikes in Gaza, two killed after earlier clashes

&nbsp;It didn&#39;t take long&nbsp;after&nbsp;the firework smoke cleared in&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;for some Palestinians to start questioning whether a&nbsp;unity&nbsp;deal&nbsp;between their two most powerful factions would hold.

Thousands took to the streets overnight celebrating the pact between Fatah and Hamas sealed in Cairo. Loudspeakers blasted national songs as youngsters waving&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;and Egyptian flags danced and hugged one another.

&quot;I am happy, no I am the happiest,&quot; Ali Metwaly, a 30-year-old computer engineer, said the morning&nbsp;after. &quot;But I am still afraid it will end in disappointment. My leaders have taught me they can easily disappoint us. I hope they don&#39;t, this time.&quot;

Under the reconciliation pact, Hamas is handing over administrative control of&nbsp;Gaza, including the Rafah border crossing - once the main gateway to the world for the two million&nbsp;Palestinians in the territory - to a government backed by the mainstream Fatah party.

A decade ago, Hamas forces seized the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;Strip from Fatah forces in a brief civil war. Past Egyptian mediation attempts to reconcile the two rivals failed to achieve lasting results. The latest clinched its elusive agreement&nbsp;after&nbsp;an economic squeeze on Hamas.

Analysts said the&nbsp;deal&nbsp;is more likely to stick than earlier ones, given Hamas&rsquo;s growing isolation and realisation of how hard&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;- its economy hobbled by border blockades and infrastructure shattered by wars with Israel - was to govern and rebuild.

For Huwaida al-Hadidi, a 34-year-old mother-of-seven, economic relief cannot come soon enough.

Like about 250,000 other people in the territory, her husband is unemployed. Unable to pay their rent, the family has been living in a tent since their landlord evicted them three days ago.

&quot;Now that they signed a reconciliation&nbsp;deal, God-willing the blockade will be lifted and people will find work and be able to earn a living for their children,&quot; she said.

DETAILS POSTPONED

Control of the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;border crossings with Israel and Egypt by the Fatah-dominated&nbsp;PalestinianAuthority, which exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank, could allow freer movement of people and goods across the frontier.

And under the agreement, about 3,000 Fatah security officers are to join the&nbsp;Gaza&nbsp;police force, although Hamas would remain the most powerful armed&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;faction, with around 25,000 well-equipped militants.

Hamas and Fatah are also debating a potential date for presidential and legislative elections and reforms of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which is in charge of long-stalled peace efforts with Israel.

The last&nbsp;Palestinian&nbsp;legislative election was in 2006 when Hamas scored a surprise victory. That triggered the political rupture between Hamas and Fatah, which eventually led to their short civil war in&nbsp;Gaza.

Palestinian&nbsp;political commentator Mustafa Ibraham said with major issues, such as an election date and agreement on a common political agenda, still outstanding,&nbsp;Palestinians should be cautious.

&quot;Important details were postponed and open for interpretation and disagreement,&quot; he said in a Facebook post.

Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008 and is considered a terrorist group by the West, has said it will not abandon the &quot;arms of resistance&quot;. Israel has said Hamas must disarm, or the reconciliation will be meaningless.

Thousands took to the streets overnight celebrating the pact between Fatah and Hamas sealed in Cairo. Loudspeakers blasted national songs as youngsters waving?Palestinian?and Egyptian flags danced and hugged one another

It didn't take long after the firework smoke cleared in Gaza for some Palestinians to start questioning whether a unity deal between their two most powerful factions would hold. Thousands took to the streets overnight celebrating the pact between Fatah and Hamas sealed in Cairo. Loudspeakers blasted national songs as youngsters waving Palestinian and Egyptian flags danced and hugged one another. "I am happy, no I am the happiest," Ali Metwaly, a 30-year-old computer engineer, said the morning after. "But I am still afraid it will end in disappointment. My leaders have taught me they can easily disappoint us. I hope they don't, this time." Under the reconciliation pact, Hamas is handing over administrative control of Gaza, including the Rafah border crossing - once the main gateway to the world for the two million Palestinians in the territory - to a government backed by the mainstream Fatah party. A decade ago, Hamas forces seized the Gaza Strip from Fatah forces in a brief civil war. Past Egyptian mediation attempts to reconcile the two rivals failed to achieve lasting results. The latest clinched its elusive agreement after an economic squeeze on Hamas. Analysts said the deal is more likely to stick than earlier ones, given Hamas’s growing isolation and realisation of how hard Gaza - its economy hobbled by border blockades and infrastructure shattered by wars with Israel - was to govern and rebuild. For Huwaida al-Hadidi, a 34-year-old mother-of-seven, economic relief cannot come soon enough. Like about 250,000 other people in the territory, her husband is unemployed. Unable to pay their rent, the family has been living in a tent since their landlord evicted them three days ago. "Now that they signed a reconciliation deal, God-willing the blockade will be lifted and people will find work and be able to earn a living for their children," she said. DETAILS POSTPONED Control of the Gaza border crossings with Israel and Egypt by the Fatah-dominated PalestinianAuthority, which exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank, could allow freer movement of people and goods across the frontier. And under the agreement, about 3,000 Fatah security officers are to join the Gaza police force, although Hamas would remain the most powerful armed Palestinian faction, with around 25,000 well-equipped militants. Hamas and Fatah are also debating a potential date for presidential and legislative elections and reforms of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which is in charge of long-stalled peace efforts with Israel. The last Palestinian legislative election was in 2006 when Hamas scored a surprise victory. That triggered the political rupture between Hamas and Fatah, which eventually led to their short civil war in Gaza. Palestinian political commentator Mustafa Ibraham said with major issues, such as an election date and agreement on a common political agenda, still outstanding, Palestinians should be cautious. "Important details were postponed and open for interpretation and disagreement," he said in a Facebook post. Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008 and is considered a terrorist group by the West, has said it will not abandon the "arms of resistance". Israel has said Hamas must disarm, or the reconciliation will be meaningless.

Joy mixed with caution in Gaza after Palestinian unity deal

Palestinian militant factions denied on Saturday a claim by Islamic State that three Palestinian men who carried out a fatal shooting and stabbing attack in Jerusalem were members of the militant group.

Islamic State took responsibility for the attack on Friday, in which one Israeli police officer was killed and another wounded, according to the group&#39;s Amaq news agency.

Israeli security officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment on what the SITE intelligence monitoring group described as the first time Islamic State had claimed responsibility for an attack in Israeli-controlled territory, nor on the attackers&#39; affiliation.

However, a senior official from Hamas, the Islamic group that rules the Gaza Strip, and the People&#39;s Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said the three attackers, who were all shot dead at the scene, were their own members.

&quot;The three hero martyrs who executed the Jerusalem operation have no connection to Daesh (Islamic State), they are affiliated with the PFLP and Hamas,&quot; Hamas&#39; Izzat El-Reshiq wrote on Twitter.

The PFLP published a separate statement in which it identified two of the three attackers as members. &quot;The media office of the PFLP armed wing mourns two of its hero comrades, two freed prisoners,&quot; it said.

Israeli police said on Friday all the assailants were from Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank. Two of the attackers, both from Ramallah, were between the ages of 18 and 19 and the third was a 30-year-old from Hebron, police spokeswoman Luba Simri said.

The assaults took place simultaneously in two areas near the Damascus gate of Jerusalem&#39;s walled old city.

Two Palestinians were shot dead after opening fire at and trying to stab a group of Israeli police officers at one scene, police said. At the other, a Palestinian fatally stabbed a border policewoman before being shot dead by police.

A wave of Palestinian street attacks began in October 2015 but has since slowed. Israel blames the violence on incitement by the Palestinian leadership.

The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, denies that and says assailants have acted out of desperation over Israeli occupation of land sought by Palestinians for a state.

U.S.-brokered peace talks between the sides broke down in 2014. Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War.

Islamic State claimed responsibility first after which Hamas said the three attackers had been their men

Palestinian militant factions denied on Saturday a claim by Islamic State that three Palestinian men who carried out a fatal shooting and stabbing attack in Jerusalem were members of the militant group. Islamic State took responsibility for the attack on Friday, in which one Israeli police officer was killed and another wounded, according to the group's Amaq news agency. Israeli security officials did not respond immediately to requests for comment on what the SITE intelligence monitoring group described as the first time Islamic State had claimed responsibility for an attack in Israeli-controlled territory, nor on the attackers' affiliation. However, a senior official from Hamas, the Islamic group that rules the Gaza Strip, and the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said the three attackers, who were all shot dead at the scene, were their own members. "The three hero martyrs who executed the Jerusalem operation have no connection to Daesh (Islamic State), they are affiliated with the PFLP and Hamas," Hamas' Izzat El-Reshiq wrote on Twitter. The PFLP published a separate statement in which it identified two of the three attackers as members. "The media office of the PFLP armed wing mourns two of its hero comrades, two freed prisoners," it said. Israeli police said on Friday all the assailants were from Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank. Two of the attackers, both from Ramallah, were between the ages of 18 and 19 and the third was a 30-year-old from Hebron, police spokeswoman Luba Simri said. The assaults took place simultaneously in two areas near the Damascus gate of Jerusalem's walled old city. Two Palestinians were shot dead after opening fire at and trying to stab a group of Israeli police officers at one scene, police said. At the other, a Palestinian fatally stabbed a border policewoman before being shot dead by police. A wave of Palestinian street attacks began in October 2015 but has since slowed. Israel blames the violence on incitement by the Palestinian leadership. The Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, denies that and says assailants have acted out of desperation over Israeli occupation of land sought by Palestinians for a state. U.S.-brokered peace talks between the sides broke down in 2014. Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War.

Israeli policewoman stabbing: Islamic State, Hamas fight to claim responsibility

Hamas&#39;s former chief in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, has been elected overall head of the Palestinian Islamist group, succeeding Khaled Meshaal, its official media announced Saturday.

Haniya, seen as a pragmatist within the movement, is expected to remain in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian enclave run by Hamas since 2007, unlike Meshaal who lives in exile in Doha and has completed the maximum two terms in office.

&quot;The Hamas Shura Council on Saturday elected Ismail Haniya as head of the movement&#39;s political bureau,&quot; the Hamas media said.

The 54-year-old with a salt-and-pepper takes charge of Hamas as it seeks to ease its international isolation while not marginalising hardliners within the movement.

On Monday, it unveiled a new policy document easing its stance on Israel after having long called for its destruction.

The document notably accepts the idea of a Palestinian state in territories occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967.

It also says its struggle is not against Jews because of their religion but against Israel as an occupier.

However, Hamas officials said the document in no way amounts to recognition of Israel as demanded by the international community.

(AFP)

Ismail Haniya will succeed Khaled Meshaal, the party said

Hamas's former chief in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, has been elected overall head of the Palestinian Islamist group, succeeding Khaled Meshaal, its official media announced Saturday. Haniya, seen as a pragmatist within the movement, is expected to remain in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian enclave run by Hamas since 2007, unlike Meshaal who lives in exile in Doha and has completed the maximum two terms in office. "The Hamas Shura Council on Saturday elected Ismail Haniya as head of the movement's political bureau," the Hamas media said. The 54-year-old with a salt-and-pepper takes charge of Hamas as it seeks to ease its international isolation while not marginalising hardliners within the movement. On Monday, it unveiled a new policy document easing its stance on Israel after having long called for its destruction. The document notably accepts the idea of a Palestinian state in territories occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967. It also says its struggle is not against Jews because of their religion but against Israel as an occupier. However, Hamas officials said the document in no way amounts to recognition of Israel as demanded by the international community. (AFP)

Former Gaza head Haniya is next Hamas leader

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned the &quot;illegal&quot; detention of two Israeli citizens by Hamas, releasing new details about the men who are believed to be mentally ill.

The Islamist movement which runs Gaza is believed to have held Hisham al-Sayed and Avraham Mengistu since April 2015 and September 2014 respectively, after they sneaked into the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

Both men suffer from serious mental health issues, the report said.

Hamas media has claimed the two were soldiers, but HRW said Mengistu was rejected from Israel&#39;s military on medical grounds and Sayed was discharged after a few months.

HRW said a third Israeli citizen, Jumaa Abu Ghanima, entered Gaza in July 2016, but there is no further information on him and it is unclear if he was arrested or joined a militant group.

Hamas has never officially confirmed it is holding Sayed and Mengistu, but videos the group has published on social media have included their images.

The Islamist group, which took control of Gaza in 2007, has not released any details on their condition or allowed rights groups to visit them.

Israel bans its nationals from entering Gaza for security reasons.

HRW said Hamas is demanding the release of a number of its members from Israeli jails before it will release information about the men.

&quot;No demand can justify disappearing and bartering over the lives of men, particularly those with serious mental health conditions,&quot; said Omar Shakir, HRW director for Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Shakir said Hamas should either release the men or provide evidence of their alleged crimes.

&quot;While they are being detained they must treat them humanely and provide them with contact with their families,&quot; he told AFP.

Sayed&#39;s father Sha&#39;aban said his son, a Bedouin Muslim, has schizophrenia and had previously disappeared to Jordan and even Gaza multiple times, eventually being returned by the authorities.

&quot;We just want to ask Hamas why are they holding him? What is the reason?&quot; he told AFP.

&quot;They say he is a soldier, an officer, in the Israeli army. This is a lie.&quot;

Hamas did not immediately respond to AFP&#39;s request for comment.

HRW said Mengistu, an Israeli Jew of Ethiopian descent, climbed over a fence along the Gaza-Israel border to enter the enclave.

Sayed is believed to have walked across a relatively open area of the heavily fortified border.

Last year, old images of the two men appeared in a Hamas video along with pictures of two soldiers who they claim were kidnapped alive in the 2014 war with the Jewish state.

The Israeli army said the two soldiers were killed, but that Hamas has the bodies.

In 2011 Israel exchanged more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier Hamas had detained for five years.

Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008.

(AFP)

The Islamist movement which runs Gaza is believed to have held Hisham al-Sayed and Avraham Mengistu since April 2015 and September 2014 respectively

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday condemned the "illegal" detention of two Israeli citizens by Hamas, releasing new details about the men who are believed to be mentally ill. The Islamist movement which runs Gaza is believed to have held Hisham al-Sayed and Avraham Mengistu since April 2015 and September 2014 respectively, after they sneaked into the blockaded Palestinian enclave. Both men suffer from serious mental health issues, the report said. Hamas media has claimed the two were soldiers, but HRW said Mengistu was rejected from Israel's military on medical grounds and Sayed was discharged after a few months. HRW said a third Israeli citizen, Jumaa Abu Ghanima, entered Gaza in July 2016, but there is no further information on him and it is unclear if he was arrested or joined a militant group. Hamas has never officially confirmed it is holding Sayed and Mengistu, but videos the group has published on social media have included their images. The Islamist group, which took control of Gaza in 2007, has not released any details on their condition or allowed rights groups to visit them. Israel bans its nationals from entering Gaza for security reasons. HRW said Hamas is demanding the release of a number of its members from Israeli jails before it will release information about the men. "No demand can justify disappearing and bartering over the lives of men, particularly those with serious mental health conditions," said Omar Shakir, HRW director for Israel and the Palestinian territories. Shakir said Hamas should either release the men or provide evidence of their alleged crimes. "While they are being detained they must treat them humanely and provide them with contact with their families," he told AFP. Sayed's father Sha'aban said his son, a Bedouin Muslim, has schizophrenia and had previously disappeared to Jordan and even Gaza multiple times, eventually being returned by the authorities. "We just want to ask Hamas why are they holding him? What is the reason?" he told AFP. "They say he is a soldier, an officer, in the Israeli army. This is a lie." Hamas did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. HRW said Mengistu, an Israeli Jew of Ethiopian descent, climbed over a fence along the Gaza-Israel border to enter the enclave. Sayed is believed to have walked across a relatively open area of the heavily fortified border. Last year, old images of the two men appeared in a Hamas video along with pictures of two soldiers who they claim were kidnapped alive in the 2014 war with the Jewish state. The Israeli army said the two soldiers were killed, but that Hamas has the bodies. In 2011 Israel exchanged more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier Hamas had detained for five years. Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008. (AFP)

Human Rights Watch condemns 'illegal' detention of two Israelis by Hamas

The 26-year-old woman facing a death sentence in Gaza was convicted of killing her husband, but her trial was secret and even her family has distanced themselves publicly from the case.

Her death sentence, the first for a Palestinian woman in more than 20 years, has raised concerns among rights activists in the Gaza Strip, the small enclave run by the&nbsp;Islamist movement Hamas.

They are trying to prevent her death by hanging, while navigating traditional values and Hamas&#39;s strict rule in the territory, hit by three wars with Israel since 2008 and under an Israeli blockade for a decade.

A wall of silence has also surrounded the case.

The family of the woman, identified only as Nahla A, declined to provide her with a lawyer, said Zeinab Al-Ghounimi of the Centre for Women&#39;s Legal Research and Consulting.

&quot;They were afraid of revenge from the husband&#39;s family,&quot; she said, explaining that her organisation had stepped in and helped.

Her lawyer, Bakr Torkmani, said the woman is the mother of a young boy and had been married against her will.

She lived in complete destitution and was repeatedly beaten by her husband, he said.

He hopes &quot;public opinion and media reports will have an impact on the judges after the haste they showed in handing out this death sentence.&quot;

Stabbed in the back?

The woman was arrested on January 31, and Gaza&#39;s attorney general Ismail Jaber has provided an outline of what is alleged to have happened.

Several days before her arrest, she had asked her husband out for some fresh air near their small home in a poor district of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, he said.

They travelled a short distance by donkey cart before her husband &quot;wanted to relieve himself&quot;, Jaber told AFP in his spacious office cluttered with files.

She is then accused of pulling out the knife she bought several days earlier and &quot;stabbing him in the back several times&quot;, he said.

Authorities say she confessed and that other testimony showed that the killing was premeditated.

She was convicted then sentenced on October 5 after a trial held behind closed doors.

&quot;Once all procedural steps have been completed, we will sign off on the implementation of the sentence,&quot; Jaber said.

She is the first woman to be sentenced to death in the Palestinian territories since 1994, said Hamdi Shaqura of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.

&quot;There is still the possibility of an appeal and we are placing our hopes in future rulings,&quot; he said.

Nahla&#39;s case has also highlighted rights groups&#39; concerns over the continued use of the death penalty in the Palestinian territories -- and especially recent developments in the Gaza Strip.

In May, Jaber announced that a number of death sentences would soon be carried out in criminal cases.

Later that month, three Palestinian men were executed for murder in the strip, drawing condemnation from the UN.

Jaber said at the time that the executions were carried out as a deterrence and to reduce crime.

Rights activists say there is a lack of transparency surrounding such cases and point out there is no evidence the death penalty is more effective in deterring crime than prison.

Son&#39;s visit refused

Under Palestinian law, death sentences can be handed out for those collaborating with Israel, murderers and drug traffickers.

But there are stark differences between the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, the territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by president Mahmud Abbas&#39;s Fatah party.&nbsp;

No execution has been carried out in the West Bank since 2002, while only two were carried out there between 1994 and 2002.

In Gaza, 33 people have been executed since 1994.

Since Hamas took power in the Gaza Strip in 2007, 96 death penalties have been handed out, mostly by military courts and often for spying on behalf of Israel, said Shaqura.

Twenty-one death sentences have been handed out in Gaza in 2016 alone.

Gaza&#39;s attorney general says the sentences are necessary due to &quot;pressure by victims&#39; families&quot; and the need to avoid revenge attacks.

&quot;The aim is not to increase criminality,&quot; he said. &quot;What we want is to reduce it and eliminate it.&quot;

He added that &quot;Palestinian law does not make a distinction between criminals according to their sex.&quot;

Nahla meanwhile remains behind bars at a jail in Gaza City, where the territory&#39;s only women&#39;s prison unit is located.

She would like to be able to see her son, but &quot;her husband&#39;s family refuses&quot;, her lawyer said.

(AFP)

She is the first woman to be sentenced to death in the Palestinian territories since 1994

The 26-year-old woman facing a death sentence in Gaza was convicted of killing her husband, but her trial was secret and even her family has distanced themselves publicly from the case. Her death sentence, the first for a Palestinian woman in more than 20 years, has raised concerns among rights activists in the Gaza Strip, the small enclave run by the Islamist movement Hamas. They are trying to prevent her death by hanging, while navigating traditional values and Hamas's strict rule in the territory, hit by three wars with Israel since 2008 and under an Israeli blockade for a decade. A wall of silence has also surrounded the case. The family of the woman, identified only as Nahla A, declined to provide her with a lawyer, said Zeinab Al-Ghounimi of the Centre for Women's Legal Research and Consulting. "They were afraid of revenge from the husband's family," she said, explaining that her organisation had stepped in and helped. Her lawyer, Bakr Torkmani, said the woman is the mother of a young boy and had been married against her will. She lived in complete destitution and was repeatedly beaten by her husband, he said. He hopes "public opinion and media reports will have an impact on the judges after the haste they showed in handing out this death sentence." Stabbed in the back? The woman was arrested on January 31, and Gaza's attorney general Ismail Jaber has provided an outline of what is alleged to have happened. Several days before her arrest, she had asked her husband out for some fresh air near their small home in a poor district of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, he said. They travelled a short distance by donkey cart before her husband "wanted to relieve himself", Jaber told AFP in his spacious office cluttered with files. She is then accused of pulling out the knife she bought several days earlier and "stabbing him in the back several times", he said. Authorities say she confessed and that other testimony showed that the killing was premeditated. She was convicted then sentenced on October 5 after a trial held behind closed doors. "Once all procedural steps have been completed, we will sign off on the implementation of the sentence," Jaber said. She is the first woman to be sentenced to death in the Palestinian territories since 1994, said Hamdi Shaqura of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. "There is still the possibility of an appeal and we are placing our hopes in future rulings," he said. Nahla's case has also highlighted rights groups' concerns over the continued use of the death penalty in the Palestinian territories -- and especially recent developments in the Gaza Strip. In May, Jaber announced that a number of death sentences would soon be carried out in criminal cases. Later that month, three Palestinian men were executed for murder in the strip, drawing condemnation from the UN. Jaber said at the time that the executions were carried out as a deterrence and to reduce crime. Rights activists say there is a lack of transparency surrounding such cases and point out there is no evidence the death penalty is more effective in deterring crime than prison. Son's visit refused Under Palestinian law, death sentences can be handed out for those collaborating with Israel, murderers and drug traffickers. But there are stark differences between the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, the territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party. No execution has been carried out in the West Bank since 2002, while only two were carried out there between 1994 and 2002. In Gaza, 33 people have been executed since 1994. Since Hamas took power in the Gaza Strip in 2007, 96 death penalties have been handed out, mostly by military courts and often for spying on behalf of Israel, said Shaqura. Twenty-one death sentences have been handed out in Gaza in 2016 alone. Gaza's attorney general says the sentences are necessary due to "pressure by victims' families" and the need to avoid revenge attacks. "The aim is not to increase criminality," he said. "What we want is to reduce it and eliminate it." He added that "Palestinian law does not make a distinction between criminals according to their sex." Nahla meanwhile remains behind bars at a jail in Gaza City, where the territory's only women's prison unit is located. She would like to be able to see her son, but "her husband's family refuses", her lawyer said. (AFP)

Silence, concern surround Gaza woman's death sentence

Six years after a deadly raid on an aid flotilla soured relations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday lauded a highly anticipated deal reached the previous day to restore ties with Turkey. 
 
Netanyahu, speaking after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, said the agreement would have major implications for the Israeli economy, with his country seeking export partners for its natural gas. &nbsp;&quot;I think it&#39;s an important step here to normalise relations,&quot; Netanyahu told reporters. 
 
He described it as having &quot;immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I mean positive, immense implications,&quot; he said. 
 
Kerry also hailed the deal as a &quot;positive step&quot;. 
 
&#39;The deal represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey&#39; &nbsp; 
Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim were scheduled to hold separate press conferences in Rome and Ankara on the deal at 1000 GMT.&nbsp; 
 
A senior Turkish official also confirmed the agreement, saying in a reference to the Israeli raid that it &quot;represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey, which assumed a principled and determined stance after the Mavi Marmara attack.&quot; 
 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas spoke on phone last night, with the Turkish leader explaining the agreement`s main points, a statement from the Palestinian presidency said. 
 
Erdogan also met with Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Friday in anticipation of the agreement. 
 
Both Israel, Turkey were pushing to complete the deal &nbsp; 
Both sides have been pushing to complete the deal in recent months, with Israel in search of a potential customer for its offshore gas exports and NATO member Turkey wanting to restore its regional clout, analysts say. 
 
The United States has also pushed for the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation in the fight against extremists from the Islamic State group.&nbsp; 
 
Previously close relations between Israel and Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on the Gaza Strip. 
 
Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds. All of those killed were Turkish nationals. 
 
 
Deal evokes mixed responses in Israel 
Within Israel, the deal was given a mixed response, with one newspaper quoting a soldier from the Mavi Marmara raid as saying &quot;it&#39;s nothing less than spitting in our face.&quot; 
 
The deal includes Israel paying some $20 million into a fund for compensation for the Turkish victims&#39; families.&nbsp;&quot;We were sent to stop a terrorist flotilla. That was the mission,&quot; Maariv quoted the anonymous soldier as saying. 
 
&quot;How is it possible today to pay compensation to terrorists who tried to murder us on board the ship? What message does that send to the rest of the troops?&quot; The deal is to result in the restoration of ambassadors, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. 
 
The talking point: Hamas and Gaza&nbsp; 
Two of Turkey&#39;s key conditions for normalisation &ndash; &nbsp;an apology and compensation &ndash; were largely met earlier, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the main obstacle.Reports in recent days described a compromise on the issue.&nbsp; 
 
Under the reported terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water. 
 
Turkey&#39;s aid to Gaza would also be channelled through the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the reports said. 
 
Turkey has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, from carrying out activities against Israel from its country, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Sunday. 
 
Hamas would continue to be able to operate from Turkey for diplomatic purposes, the paper said. 
 
Netanyahu has also come under pressure within Israel not to agree to the deal if it does not include provisions for Hamas to hand over four missing Israelis, including the remains of two soldiers presumed dead and two civilians believed held alive by Hamas in Gaza.&nbsp; 
 
The Israeli official said Erdogan agreed to instruct &quot;all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israel`s missing citizens.&quot; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

The US also pushed the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation from both in the fight against Islamic State

Six years after a deadly raid on an aid flotilla soured relations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday lauded a highly anticipated deal reached the previous day to restore ties with Turkey. Netanyahu, speaking after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, said the agreement would have major implications for the Israeli economy, with his country seeking export partners for its natural gas. "I think it's an important step here to normalise relations," Netanyahu told reporters. He described it as having "immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly". "I mean positive, immense implications," he said. Kerry also hailed the deal as a "positive step". 'The deal represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey' Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim were scheduled to hold separate press conferences in Rome and Ankara on the deal at 1000 GMT. A senior Turkish official also confirmed the agreement, saying in a reference to the Israeli raid that it "represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey, which assumed a principled and determined stance after the Mavi Marmara attack." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas spoke on phone last night, with the Turkish leader explaining the agreement`s main points, a statement from the Palestinian presidency said. Erdogan also met with Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Friday in anticipation of the agreement. Both Israel, Turkey were pushing to complete the deal Both sides have been pushing to complete the deal in recent months, with Israel in search of a potential customer for its offshore gas exports and NATO member Turkey wanting to restore its regional clout, analysts say. The United States has also pushed for the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation in the fight against extremists from the Islamic State group. Previously close relations between Israel and Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds. All of those killed were Turkish nationals. Deal evokes mixed responses in Israel Within Israel, the deal was given a mixed response, with one newspaper quoting a soldier from the Mavi Marmara raid as saying "it's nothing less than spitting in our face." The deal includes Israel paying some $20 million into a fund for compensation for the Turkish victims' families. "We were sent to stop a terrorist flotilla. That was the mission," Maariv quoted the anonymous soldier as saying. "How is it possible today to pay compensation to terrorists who tried to murder us on board the ship? What message does that send to the rest of the troops?" The deal is to result in the restoration of ambassadors, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. The talking point: Hamas and Gaza Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation – an apology and compensation – were largely met earlier, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the main obstacle.Reports in recent days described a compromise on the issue. Under the reported terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water. Turkey's aid to Gaza would also be channelled through the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the reports said. Turkey has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, from carrying out activities against Israel from its country, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Sunday. Hamas would continue to be able to operate from Turkey for diplomatic purposes, the paper said. Netanyahu has also come under pressure within Israel not to agree to the deal if it does not include provisions for Hamas to hand over four missing Israelis, including the remains of two soldiers presumed dead and two civilians believed held alive by Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli official said Erdogan agreed to instruct "all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israel`s missing citizens." (AFP)

Restoration of ties with Turkey to have positive implications on Israel's economy: Netanyahu

Hamas-ruled Gaza might soon be reconnected with the rest of the world, Israel&rsquo;s transportation said Monday proposing an artificial island.&nbsp; 
 
Asserting that the island will alleviate economic hardship in the blockaded coastal strip, Yisrael Katz said that the eight kilometre island would be linked to Gaza with a five-kilometre bridge.&nbsp; 
 
Aiming to lift the economic blockade it imposed on Palestinian enclave nearly a decade ago, the USD 5-billion artificial island would be set up with a seaport, hotels and airport off the Gaza strip. Israel is actively seeking investors while Katz insisted that the project will not be funded by Israel.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I do not think it is right to lock up two million people without any connection to the world,&rdquo; Katz told the foreign reporters adding, &ldquo;Israel has no interest to make life harder for the population there. But because of security concerns we can&#39;t build an airport or seaport in Gaza.&rdquo; 
 
The proposal, however, has been dubbed as &lsquo;dubious&rsquo; and politically motivated by the Palestinian authority.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Israel is actively looking for foreign investors for the proposed project

Hamas-ruled Gaza might soon be reconnected with the rest of the world, Israel’s transportation said Monday proposing an artificial island. Asserting that the island will alleviate economic hardship in the blockaded coastal strip, Yisrael Katz said that the eight kilometre island would be linked to Gaza with a five-kilometre bridge. Aiming to lift the economic blockade it imposed on Palestinian enclave nearly a decade ago, the USD 5-billion artificial island would be set up with a seaport, hotels and airport off the Gaza strip. Israel is actively seeking investors while Katz insisted that the project will not be funded by Israel. "I do not think it is right to lock up two million people without any connection to the world,” Katz told the foreign reporters adding, “Israel has no interest to make life harder for the population there. But because of security concerns we can't build an airport or seaport in Gaza.” The proposal, however, has been dubbed as ‘dubious’ and politically motivated by the Palestinian authority.

Offshore seaport to soon reconnect Gaza with world

Instead of going to school, Walid and Ibrahim spend hours each day rummaging through houses destroyed in Gaza&#39;s wars in search of scrap to raise a few shekels for their families. 
 
They were once good students but Walid Maaruf, 11, and Ibrahim Ghaben, 12, had to quit school and earn a living when their fathers lost their jobs. 
 
Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fought three wars since 2008, including a devastating 50-day conflict in 2014 in the Mediterranean territory. 
 
Residents have lived under a punitive Israeli blockade imposed 10 years ago and their options are further limited by Egypt, which has largely kept its border with Gaza closed since 2013. 
 
Nearly half the enclave&#39;s 1.9 million inhabitants live under the poverty line, with 80 per cent surviving on humanitarian aid. 
 
Unemployment has risen dramatically to reach around 45 per cent -- one of the highest in the world -- forcing many children to become breadwinners. 
 
On Sunday, the International Labour Organization marks World Day Against Child Labour, an initiative that has seen the number of child labourers drop to 168 million from 246 million in 2000. 
 
But in Gaza the trend has been upward. 
 
According to Palestinian estimates, child labour has doubled over the past five years, with 9,700 children aged between 10 and 17 now working in the enclave. 
 
&quot;My father is unemployed, he used to gather stones and scrap metal... but now I work,&quot; said Ibrahim who earns about 20 shekels ($5) a day -- toiling six to 12 hours -- to feed his family of nine. 
 
The boy, who looks much older than his age, said he and his father used to transport their find on a donkey-drawn cart, &quot;but the donkey died&quot;. 
 
All day long, often under a searing sun or howling wind, boys like Walid and Ibrahim scour flashpoint Beit Lahiya -- near the border fence with Israel in northern Gaza -- for scrap to sell to recycling firms. 
 
The area is attractive because of potential finds of lead from Israeli munitions. 
 
&quot;Most of the children who work do so in neighbourhoods along the border fence, and these are the poorest areas,&quot; said psychologist Aida Kassab from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. 
 
&quot;Sometimes these children are only five and yet they are forced to do a job which is not appropriate for their age, their physical or psychological state,&quot; said Kassab. 
 
Akram Saeed, 14, said he spent years gathering scrap but now he wants a way out and would like to &quot;learn a useful skill&quot; to improve the condition of his four siblings and parents. 
 
Help came in the form of a Swiss children&#39;s relief agency, Terre des Hommes, which helps families send their children back to school or to attend vocational courses. 
 
&quot;The phenomenon of children who work reflects the economic and social situation of the Gaza Strip,&quot; said Khitam Abu Hamad, who represents the NGO in Gaza. 
 
&quot;There is no job market in Gaza,&quot; she said. 
 
Palestinian law bans children under 15 from working but &quot;it is rarely applied&quot;, said Iyad Abu Hujayr of the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution. 
 
He said enforcement has been hampered by divisions between the Islamist movement Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organisation which rules Gaza, and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. 
 
These divisions have also allowed abuse by some employers who often force children to work for 12 hours a day for as little as 20 shekels, he said. 
 
And the situation is far from improving, said Hyam al-Jarjawi, who is in charge of children&#39;s affairs at the Hamas-run ministry of social affairs. 
 
She said with each war &quot;there is more poverty, and the number of child labourers increases&quot;.

Child labour has doubled over the past five years, with 9,700 children aged between 10 and 17 working to feed their families

Instead of going to school, Walid and Ibrahim spend hours each day rummaging through houses destroyed in Gaza's wars in search of scrap to raise a few shekels for their families. They were once good students but Walid Maaruf, 11, and Ibrahim Ghaben, 12, had to quit school and earn a living when their fathers lost their jobs. Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have fought three wars since 2008, including a devastating 50-day conflict in 2014 in the Mediterranean territory. Residents have lived under a punitive Israeli blockade imposed 10 years ago and their options are further limited by Egypt, which has largely kept its border with Gaza closed since 2013. Nearly half the enclave's 1.9 million inhabitants live under the poverty line, with 80 per cent surviving on humanitarian aid. Unemployment has risen dramatically to reach around 45 per cent -- one of the highest in the world -- forcing many children to become breadwinners. On Sunday, the International Labour Organization marks World Day Against Child Labour, an initiative that has seen the number of child labourers drop to 168 million from 246 million in 2000. But in Gaza the trend has been upward. According to Palestinian estimates, child labour has doubled over the past five years, with 9,700 children aged between 10 and 17 now working in the enclave. "My father is unemployed, he used to gather stones and scrap metal... but now I work," said Ibrahim who earns about 20 shekels ($5) a day -- toiling six to 12 hours -- to feed his family of nine. The boy, who looks much older than his age, said he and his father used to transport their find on a donkey-drawn cart, "but the donkey died". All day long, often under a searing sun or howling wind, boys like Walid and Ibrahim scour flashpoint Beit Lahiya -- near the border fence with Israel in northern Gaza -- for scrap to sell to recycling firms. The area is attractive because of potential finds of lead from Israeli munitions. "Most of the children who work do so in neighbourhoods along the border fence, and these are the poorest areas," said psychologist Aida Kassab from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. "Sometimes these children are only five and yet they are forced to do a job which is not appropriate for their age, their physical or psychological state," said Kassab. Akram Saeed, 14, said he spent years gathering scrap but now he wants a way out and would like to "learn a useful skill" to improve the condition of his four siblings and parents. Help came in the form of a Swiss children's relief agency, Terre des Hommes, which helps families send their children back to school or to attend vocational courses. "The phenomenon of children who work reflects the economic and social situation of the Gaza Strip," said Khitam Abu Hamad, who represents the NGO in Gaza. "There is no job market in Gaza," she said. Palestinian law bans children under 15 from working but "it is rarely applied", said Iyad Abu Hujayr of the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution. He said enforcement has been hampered by divisions between the Islamist movement Hamas, a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organisation which rules Gaza, and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. These divisions have also allowed abuse by some employers who often force children to work for 12 hours a day for as little as 20 shekels, he said. And the situation is far from improving, said Hyam al-Jarjawi, who is in charge of children's affairs at the Hamas-run ministry of social affairs. She said with each war "there is more poverty, and the number of child labourers increases".

Wars and poverty force Gaza children to work

Security forces from the Islamist group&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;executed three convicted Palestinians at dawn today, a move condemned by local and international human rights groups and likely to lead to deeper division among Palestinian factions.

The three were found guilty of murder in separate cases and sentenced to death after a trial and all appeals were exhausted,&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;said. Two were executed by firing squad and the third, a policeman, was hanged, security sources said.

&quot;To achieve public deterrence and block crime, the relevant authorities implemented at dawn today&nbsp;execution rulings against three convicted of horrifying murders,&quot; the general prosecutor&#39;s office in Gaza said in a statement.

Hamas, which has been in control of Gaza since 2007, had been under pressure not to carry out the executions, with the European Union and United Nations joining in calls from human rights groups for the decision to be set aside.

Under Palestinian law, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has to agree to the use of the death penalty. Because of splits between&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;and Abbas&#39;s Fatah party, the Islamists did not receive approval from the president for the sentence.

The policeman put to death was employed by the Palestinian Authority, the Fatah-led administration based in the West Bank, which has ever diminishing influence in Gaza.

In a statement, the Palestinian Authority said the executions were illegal.

&quot;Carrying out the executions represents a flagrant violation of the Palestinian basic law,&quot; Ahmed Brak, the attorney general based in Ramallah, told Reuters.

He said those who participated in the executions were complicit in murder and would be subject to law at the &quot;local and international level&quot;.

Human rights groups last week demanded that&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;hold off on the executions, but the Gaza-based attorney general said the sentences could be carried out.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said enforcing the death sentence without the Palestinian president&#39;s ratification constituted extra-judicial execution. International human rights groups condemned the decision.

&quot;The death penalty is an inherently cruel and irreversible punishment in all circumstances,&quot; said Sari Bashi, the director for Israel and Palestine at Human Rights Watch.

&quot;It&#39;s particularly egregious to execute defendants sentenced in Gaza, whose court system is rife with coercion, torture and compromised procedures,&quot; she added.

In recent weeks there have been several murders in Gaza, leading to pressure on&nbsp;Hamas&nbsp;to crack down on perpetrators.

Islamist militant group Hamas executed three convicted Palestinians

Security forces from the Islamist group Hamas executed three convicted Palestinians at dawn today, a move condemned by local and international human rights groups and likely to lead to deeper division among Palestinian factions. The three were found guilty of murder in separate cases and sentenced to death after a trial and all appeals were exhausted, Hamas said. Two were executed by firing squad and the third, a policeman, was hanged, security sources said. "To achieve public deterrence and block crime, the relevant authorities implemented at dawn today execution rulings against three convicted of horrifying murders," the general prosecutor's office in Gaza said in a statement. Hamas, which has been in control of Gaza since 2007, had been under pressure not to carry out the executions, with the European Union and United Nations joining in calls from human rights groups for the decision to be set aside. Under Palestinian law, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has to agree to the use of the death penalty. Because of splits between Hamas and Abbas's Fatah party, the Islamists did not receive approval from the president for the sentence. The policeman put to death was employed by the Palestinian Authority, the Fatah-led administration based in the West Bank, which has ever diminishing influence in Gaza. In a statement, the Palestinian Authority said the executions were illegal. "Carrying out the executions represents a flagrant violation of the Palestinian basic law," Ahmed Brak, the attorney general based in Ramallah, told Reuters. He said those who participated in the executions were complicit in murder and would be subject to law at the "local and international level". Human rights groups last week demanded that Hamas hold off on the executions, but the Gaza-based attorney general said the sentences could be carried out. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said enforcing the death sentence without the Palestinian president's ratification constituted extra-judicial execution. International human rights groups condemned the decision. "The death penalty is an inherently cruel and irreversible punishment in all circumstances," said Sari Bashi, the director for Israel and Palestine at Human Rights Watch. "It's particularly egregious to execute defendants sentenced in Gaza, whose court system is rife with coercion, torture and compromised procedures," she added. In recent weeks there have been several murders in Gaza, leading to pressure on Hamas to crack down on perpetrators.

Hamas executes three convicted Palestinians in Gaza

gaza

Gaza, News on Gaza, stories on Gaza, articles on Gaza, Gaza stories at Wion, Gaza news, Gaza latest news