The executions were carried out publicly before cheering crowds, some of whom filmed the events. Among those killed was Ahmad Zidan al-Tarabin, reportedly responsible for recruiting agents for the Abu Shabab militia.
Palestinian sources said the killings targeted individuals suspected of “treason” or of maintaining ties with foreign entities.
The executions came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump said during his flight to Israel on Air Force One that he had given Hamas approval to manage internal security in Gaza “as it sees fit.”
“They do want to stop the problems, and they’ve been open about it, and we gave them approval for a period of time,” Trump said. “You have close to 2 million people going back to buildings that have been demolished, and a lot of bad things can happen. So we want it to be — we want it to be safe. I think it’s going to be fine. Who knows for sure.”
On Sunday, reports from Gaza said 52 members of the powerful Dagmoush clan were killed in violent clashes with Hamas’ internal security forces. Twelve Hamas terrorists were also killed, including the son of senior Hamas official Bassem Naim. Hamas gunmen reportedly used ambulances to storm the neighborhood where the heavily armed clan lives — a family that, according to some reports, has cooperated with Israel.
“It’s a massacre,” one clan member’s daughter said. “They’re dragging people away, children are screaming and dying, they’re burning our houses. What did we do wrong?”
After the ceasefire was announced, Hamas said it would not allow a security vacuum in Gaza. Under the Trump peace plan, Hamas was not supposed to govern the enclave and was expected to disarm — something the terror group has refused to do. Hamas reportedly agreed not to directly govern if local Palestinian forces take over, rejecting any foreign presence.
Israeli officials have acknowledged in recent months that Israel has provided limited support and weapons to several militias in Gaza. One of them is led by Yasser Abu Shabab, who operates in Rafah. Hamas claimed in recent days that it killed one of Abu Shabab’s close associates and was pursuing Abu Shabab himself.
Another militia, led by the al-Mujaida clan in Khan Younis, is headed by Hossam al-Astal, who told the Israeli news outlet Ynet that Hamas has grown weaker and “no longer holds significant power.”
His militia gained attention recently when the IDF struck a Hamas cell that tried to attack his fighters in Khan Younis. According to Palestinian reports, more than 22 Hamas terrorists were killed. Al-Astal said the attack exposed Hamas’ growing weakness.
Al-Astal established his militia in the Kizan al-Najjar neighborhood of Khan Younis, presenting himself as a “savior” from Hamas rule and inviting residents to relocate to the area, which was evacuated by Israeli forces and placed under his control. He said the neighborhood is under his direct authority and that he coordinates with Abu Shabab’s militia, which controls parts of eastern Rafah and eastern Khan Younis, though it operates independently.
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