PA condemns Hamas for reported executions in Gaza

The Palestinian Authority “strongly condemned” the field executions carried out by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement shared by the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA).

The presidency of the Palestinian Authority issued a particularly virulent denunciation of Hamas on Tuesday evening, condemning what it called “on-the-ground executions” carried out in the Gaza Strip in recent days and demanding accountability under Palestinian law.

In a statement released by the Palestinian Authority’s state agency WAFA, the presidency said it “strongly condemns the recent field executions carried out by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which cost the lives of dozens of citizens outside the framework of the law and without a fair trial,” calling these acts “heinous crimes that are totally rejected under any pretext.”

The statement called the reported killings a “gross violation of human rights” and a “grave violation of the rule of law,” saying they reflect “the movement’s determination to impose its authority through force and terror, at a time when the people of Gaza are enduring the hardships of war, destruction and siege.”

He called for an immediate end to the violations, the protection of civilians and the prosecution of “all those involved in these crimes, within the framework of the law and the legitimate Palestinian justice system.”

PA considers Gaza an integral part of the State of Palestine

Underscoring the PA’s claim to national responsibility, the presidency declared that Gaza “is an integral part of the State of Palestine” and argued that restoring “the rule of law and legitimate institutions” to the territory is the only path to ending the chaos and restoring public trust “on the basis of justice, accountability and respect for the dignity of the Palestinian people.”

He held Hamas “fully responsible for these crimes,” saying they harm “the supreme interests of the Palestinian people,” strengthen the group’s control over Gaza, “provide pretexts for occupation,” hinder reconstruction, deepen internal divisions, and “hinder the establishment of a free and independent State of Palestine.”

The PA statement did not specify the number of people believed to have been executed, nor did it provide names or independent documents. Hamas did not immediately respond to the presidency’s condemnation.

The WAFA bulletin emphasized that accountability should take place “within the law” and the “legitimate Palestinian justice system,” signaling the Palestinian Authority’s position that only formally mandated courts can impose criminal sanctions and that any executions carried out without due process violate Palestinian and international standards.