Hamas fighters strengthened their control over Gaza on Tuesday, carrying out public executions of suspected collaborators and deploying across key routes, in a direct challenge to Israel’s claims that the militants must be disarmed before peace can hold.
Witnesses in Gaza City reported that armed Hamas units executed several men accused of working with Israeli forces. A video circulated late Monday showed fighters dragging seven men into a public square, forcing them to kneel, and shooting them from behind. A Hamas official later confirmed the authenticity of the footage.
Residents said the group’s presence was increasingly visible across the enclave, with fighters taking positions along major roads used for aid deliveries. Palestinian security sources told reporters that dozens of people have been killed in recent days during clashes between Hamas militants and rival factions.
The renewed show of force comes just a week after Israeli troops began pulling back from urban areas under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal. However, violence flared again on Tuesday, with Gaza health officials reporting that Israeli drone fire killed five people as they inspected damaged homes east of Gaza City. Another air strike near Khan Younis killed one person and wounded another.
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Hamas accused Israel of violating the fragile ceasefire agreement, claiming that Israeli forces had continued air and drone strikes in areas meant to be demilitarised under the truce. The group described the attacks as “clear aggression” and warned that such actions could trigger a full-scale resumption of hostilities.
In response, the Israeli military defended its operations, stating that troops had opened fire only after several individuals crossed designated ceasefire lines and approached their positions despite multiple warnings to retreat. According to the military, the movement of these individuals was perceived as a threat, prompting what it described as “measured defensive action.”
The renewed tensions have deepened mistrust between both sides just days after international mediators celebrated the ceasefire as a possible turning point. Aid agencies and U.N. officials have since voiced concern that continued violations could derail the fragile calm and worsen the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where thousands remain displaced and infrastructure lies in ruins.