A Palestinian faction publicly executed two men who were reportedly accused of collaborating with the Israeli military in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, according to Palestinian media.
The two men faced accusations for culpability in the deaths of three Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists earlier this month, the Israeli-based television channel i24NEWS reported.
Both of their bodies can be seen hanging upside down in front of a large crowd. A video posted to X shows Palestinians chanting in celebration over their deaths, gleefully shouting multiple phrases in Arabic.
The local armed group reportedly responsible for the public display was al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, which is affiliated with the Fatah party, according to the Times of Israel. After the two men were killed, the terror coalition posted a cryptic statement, which read, “We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves.”
“We would like to inform you that there is no immunity for any informer or any traitor, and that whoever is proven to be involved in any case of assassination of our fighters, we will attack him, pursue him and impose a death sentence on him,” another group called “Resistance Security” said of the executions.
Before they were made an example of, both unidentified men previously “confessed” on video that they helped the Israel Defense Forces in return for money. One of them claimed to have received about $4,500, while the other was paid about $2,677.
The public executions came during a mass celebration on Friday, after 39 Palestinians were released as part of a four-day cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. In exchange, the terrorist organization freed a total of 24 hostages — composed of 13 Israelis, ten Thais, and one Filipino — on the first day of the temporary cease-fire deal. The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated both sides of the hostage-prisoner release.
A second batch of 14 hostages held by Hamas are set to be released Saturday, while Israel is simultaneously preparing to free 42 Palestinian prisoners.
At least 50 Israeli women and children will be exchanged for at least 150 Palestinian women and minors that are imprisoned in Israel, provided the deal continues without any escalation in the conflict. In the coming days, a mutual cease-fire will remain in effect as Hamas’s hostages and Israel’s prisoners are released and humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip.
Before a deal was struck, Hamas previously freed four out of an estimated 240 hostages taken during its October 7 attack on Israel. This is the first official pause in fighting since the invasion.