- A video showed moments before Hamas gunmen publicly executed three Gazans.
- The footage shows a masked man issuing a warning to "all collaborators"
- Men were later shot dead in front of a crowd by masked gunmen, reports said.
At least three Palestinians were publicly executed by Hamas gunmen in Gaza on Sunday. Hamas-led authorities accused the trio of "collaborating" with Israel, as the group sought to crush rising challenges from Palestinian militias it says are working against it with Israeli support.
A video has emerged on social media showing moments before the executions. The footage shows a masked man issuing a warning to "all collaborators" as the three men kneel on the ground, blindfolded. They were later shot dead in front of a crowd by masked gunmen, reports said.
Hamas this evening executed three Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel
— Shiri_Sabra (@sabra_the) September 21, 2025
About two hours ago, the Hamas SAHM unit gathered a crown to execute, by close-range shooting, 3 Gazans who were accused of being associates of Yasser Abu Shabab and collaborators with Israel.… pic.twitter.com/UTM5i9flII
NDTV could not independently verify the validity of the video. But according to a Reuters report, it was taken in Gaza City as the buildings, road layout, and signs seen in the video matched file and satellite imagery of the area.
Hamas Accepts Killing
The Palestinian security official from the Hamas-run Gaza government said the executions were carried out on Sunday by the "Joint Operations Room of the Palestinian resistance". The videos showed "revolutionary rulings" being implemented against people for security collaboration with Israel, it said.
The executions aimed to send "a clear message and serve as a deterrent to anyone tempted to collaborate with the occupation".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly said in June that Israel is arming clans that oppose Hamas, without saying which. The most prominent anti-Hamas rebel is Yasser Abu Shabab, based in Rafah in southern Gaza, an area controlled by Israel. He has denied receiving Israeli support or contacts with the Israeli army.
The Palestinian security official said some of the men executed on Sunday had ties to Abu Shabab. So far, Abu Shabab's organisation has not issued any statement on the matter.
Hamas Slipping Grip On Gaza?
Per the Reuters report, two years into the Gaza war and with Hamas under relentless Israeli military pressure, small bands of armed Palestinians opposed to the group have surfaced in several parts of Gaza where they have been operating against it.
But Palestinian analysts say Hamas, though weakened, could swiftly suppress rival groups if a ceasefire were reached. However, while the war continues, it struggles to do so -- especially as those groups move freely in Israeli-controlled parts of Gaza.
Abu Shabab's armed group recently advertised on social media for recruits with police and security experience, promising monthly salaries from 3,000 to 5,000 shekels ($890 to $1,500).
Other groups opposed to Hamas have emerged in Beit Lahiya and Shejaia in northern Gaza, and in eastern Khan Younis in the south, sources close to Hamas and residents say.
Palestinian analyst Akram Attallah told Reuters the executions indicate that Hamas is deeply worried, especially as these groups now operate beyond their usual areas and their attacks show more capability and a rising threat to the movement.
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