Gaza, Palestine – In an incident that sparked a wave of popular and official outrage, the Palestinian Saftawi family vowed to pursue those responsible for the killing of their son, Hisham Saftawi, a freed prisoner.
Hamas members are accused of carrying out a “field execution” inside a family home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
The family said in a statement that “a large force from the Qassam Brigades,” Hamas’s military wing, stormed Hisham al-Saftawi’s home and opened fire on him.
Which led to his death, adding that the attackers “violated the sanctity of the home and assaulted the women and children,” considering what happened “a violation of Palestinian blood and a blatant assault on the dignity of the family and society.”
The family confirmed that they would not hold a funeral until the perpetrators are brought to justice, adding, “In our view, whoever shot Hisham is a murderer, and we will pursue this right through all legitimate means, both legal and tribal.”
Al-Habash: “Hamas’ message to citizens is either obedience or death.”
In the first official response, Mahmoud al-Habbash, advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said that what happened constitutes a new crime committed by Hamas against the Palestinian people.
Al-Habash wrote in a Facebook post: “Hamas’ message to the citizens of Gaza: Either we rule you as we please, or we kill you as we please… Hisham Al-Saftawi was killed only because he opposed Hamas and its policies.”
He added that these crimes “cannot be ignored or tolerated,” calling for all those who tamper with the lives of Palestinians outside the framework of the law to be held accountable.
Fatah Movement: “A heinous crime and an extension of the occupation project”
For its part, the Fatah movement condemned what it described as a “heinous crime” committed by Hamas militias, considering the killings and intimidation taking place in the Gaza Strip an extension of the war of extermination against the Palestinian people.
The movement said in a statement: “Hamas is overcoming all the dangers facing our people in order to impose its security hegemony by force, which essentially serves the Israeli occupation’s project to dismantle the unity of the people and tear apart their national fabric.”
International documentation of extrajudicial executions
This incident comes as part of a security campaign launched by Hamas over the past few weeks. The Ministry of Interior in Gaza announced that it aims to “restore order” and “eliminate chaos” following the deterioration of the security situation after two years of war.
During this campaign, international media and organizations documented public executions in the streets of the Gaza Strip, targeting Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel or committing crimes of looting and robbery, without transparent judicial standards or the possibility of independent verification of the allegations.
In this context, the Palestinian presidency described these executions as “heinous crimes” that undermine the rule of law and the unity of Palestinian institutions, calling for the protection of civilians and for those responsible to be held accountable in accordance with international standards.
The fate of the investigation into Hisham al-Saftawi’s killing, and his family’s demands for “retribution,” remain a real test for Hamas and its institutions in Gaza, at a time when human rights and international criticism of the deteriorating state of public freedoms in the Strip is mounting.
