Hamas' police in Gaza. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90) (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)
Hamas police Gaza

In a move that further undermines the rule of the Palestinian Authority and in violation of basic human rights, Hamas executed three men accused of murder.

The Hamas terror organization, Gaza’s Islamic rulers, executed three Palestinians convicted of murder without the required approval of Palestinian Authority (PA) head Mahmoud Abbas.

Another 10 convicts were also sentenced to death last week, and await the carrying out of their sentence.

The Interior Ministry says the executions took place Tuesday at the central prison after the families of the murder victims rejected the possibility of a last-minute pardon.

It’s the first time Hamas applied the death penalty since a unified government was installed after an agreement with Abbas’ Fatah party in 2014. Hamas remained the de facto authority, preventing the government from extending control over Gaza.

During the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, the Islamic terror group extra-judicially killed 23 Palestinians suspected of spying for Israel. Since 2007, Hamas has executed 19 others convicted of murder or collaboration.

International and local rights group had urged Hamas not to carry out executions and slammed the terror group for human rights violations.

By: AP and United with Israel Staff