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Reprisal Attacks in Gaza
Part of the 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict
Date January 21-present, 2009 Location Gaza Strip Result Hamas executes suspected collaborators
Belligerents
Hamas	File:Fateh-logo.jpg Fatah
Casualties and losses
6 members of Fatah killed 35 Palestinians killed 60 shot

Template:Campaignbox Hamas-Fatah Conflict

The 2009 Hamas reprisal attacks took place in the Gaza Strip during and after the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict. They ranged from physical assaults to executions of Palestinians suspected of collaboration with the Israel Defence Forces, as well as members of the Fatah political party.

Collaborators

Many of the recent attacks were against people suspected of being Israeli informants during the war. Hamas has denied its connection to these attacks, although it admitted that it had been making related arrests in an attempt to re-assert its authority over Gaza. According to a Hamas spokesperson, "The internal security service was instructed to track collaborators and hit them hard. They arrested dozens of collaborators who attempted to strike at Hamas by giving information to Israel about the fighters."

Another Hamas official said, "Maybe some of them were killed because they were acting against the population, against the resistance." A report in the Qatar-based newspaper A-Sharq quoted Moussa Abu Marzuk, a high-ranking Hamas official, as confirming that the organisation had killed known collaborators.

Ha'aretz, an Israeli newspaper, reported on January 30 that a number of Palestinian spies working in Gaza for Israel had been "intercepted" by Hamas. The information these agents fed to the Israeli military was said to have been used "carelessly", and this may have led to their exposure and subsequent assassinations or executions.

A human rights group based in Ramallah decried the attacks, releasing a statement that read, "A number of citizens have been extra-judicially executed during and after the Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip... Fire was opened on affected citizens at a close distance. In addition, individuals in official uniform or masked persons opened fire on people's legs, severely beat others, imposed house arrests, and threatened to punish citizens along with their families if they would not comply."

Haidar Ghanem, a Palestinian journalist who was a former employee for the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem, was accused of "collaborating with Israel" during Operation Cast Lead and was executed by Hamas on January 7, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip said over the weekend. According to Jerusalem Post, "the PA state security court had sentenced Ghanem, a father of two, after holding only two brief sessions."

Fatah

In June 2007, Fatah and Hamas had a military conflict which Hamas won. This was after Hamas gained a majority in the Palestinian elections. Since the 23-day Israeli assault on Gaza, Hamas has accused Abbas of backing Israel, calling him a traitor and collaborator.

Fatah said 19 of its officials were executed and many more tortured. Gaza residents say Hamas used schools and other public buildings in Gaza City, and the towns of Khan Yunis and Rafah, as detention centers to interrogate members of Fatah. They said three men have been blinded during questioning and over 60 of them shot in the legs as punishment. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights stated that "Hamas operatives killed six members of Fatah" and that " 35 were shot in the knees or beaten.

Reuters reported that Hamas leadership in Gaza "denied the allegations but said authorities had begun tracking down suspected 'collaborators' with Israel."

See also

• Timeline of the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict
• 2007 Battle of Gaza
• Human rights in the Palestinian National Authority
• Palestinian political violence
• Islamic fundamentalism

References

1. ^ Bengali, Shashank (2009-01-31). "Still in charge, Hamas attacking Fatah rivals". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2009-02-01. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
2. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1230733155685
3. Fatah accuses Hamas of killings
4. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1230733155685
5. ^ McCarthy, Rory (2009-01-30). "Dozens believed dead in reprisal attacks as Hamas retakes control". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
6. "Hamas reasserts control over Gaza". Arab Times. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
7. Macintyre, Donald (2009-01-22). "Hamas admits killing 'Israeli collaborators'". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
8. "Hamas admits to killing collaborators". The First Post. 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-02-01.
9. Harel, Amos (2009-01-30). "Intel sources: Gazan informants intercepted by Hamas during war". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 2009-0201. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
10. "Hamas executes former B'tselem field worker". jpost.com. 2009-1-25. Retrieved 2009-0207. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4650788.stm
12. ^ Hamas executes suspected Fatah traitors in Gaza
13. Fatah accuses Hamas of killings
14. al-Mughrabi, Nidal (2009-01-21). "Hamas asserts control in Gaza, seeks "collaborators"". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-02-01.

• Fatah-Hamas conflict
• Hamas
• Gaza Strip
• 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict
• Palestinian militant groups
• Palestinian political parties
• Palestinian politics