Militant group to carry out 5 executions in front of mass media

Hamas said on Thursday that it will execute five convicted murderers next week, possibly in front of the mass media as a way to deter criminals.

The Parliament members of the Islamist movement announced on Thursday that they had approved a measure allowing executions to be carried out in Gaza, without having first been ratified by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The announcement is an escalation in the conflict between Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Abbas, who controls the West Bank.

A factor split between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank has been in place since 2007, when Hamas seized sole control of the coastal enclave by violently overpowering security forces answerable to Abbas.

Hamas Attorney-General, Ismail Jabber said that five convicts sentenced to death would be executed next week, while another eight would be executed after the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in July.

He denied it would be done in public, but added it would be possible to carry out the execution in front of the mass media as a way to deter criminals, who consider committing murder.

He did not give details how the executions would be carried out. Normally executions are carried out by police shooting squad.