Dozens believed dead in reprisal attacks as Hamas retakes control

[oberliner]

Evidence is emerging of a wave of reprisal attacks and killings inside Gaza that have left dozens dead and more wounded in the wake of Israel's war.

Among the dead are Palestinians suspected of collaborating with the Israeli military. Others include criminals who were among the 600 prisoners to escape from Gaza City's main jail when it was bombed as the war began. Their attackers are thought to be their victims' relatives.

During and after the war, there have also been attacks on security officials from Fatah, the bitter rival of Hamas, the Islamist movement in control of the Gaza Strip. One witness told the Guardian how her brother, a Fatah military intelligence officer, was shot three times in the legs in an apparent punishment attack by gunmen from Hamas's armed wing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/30/hamas-reprisal-attacks

[aquart]

1. How could anyone have been "collaborating"?

The Israeli stormtroopers just bombed and killed whoever was in their path, right? Why would anyone assist that?

[Chulanowa]

2. Politics, lack of choice?

When a bunch of men with guns appear on your doorstep and inform you that you will now be "helping" them, well, what can you do? This is one tactic that Israel did use. And yes, Hamas is quite in the wrong for targeting victims of this sort of coercion.

There's also the fact that Hamas' political rivals, Fatah, will pretty much suck any offered appendage in order to be re-installed into the government of Gaza. They've already tried to instigate a coup and have conducted a few assassinations.

As for the escaped prisoners being killed... Well, after the sort of shit Gaza just went through, one kind of expects there to be all sorts of nasty business going on in general. Perhaps we could cross the streams and ask hte Gun Forum what they think about that particular situation.

[oberliner]

4. Or perhaps they aren't actually "collaborators" and Hamas is just eliminating political rivals?

Have you considered that possibility?

[LeftishBrit]

6. Indeed

Generally speaking it's easier to kill people if you can regard and portray them as 'collaborators', 'terrorists', 'traitors', etc.

[Vegasaurus]

7. Hamas's inability to have political dialogue will be their suicide nt

[Shaktimaan]

8. he was being sarcastic np

[Thothmes]

3. In many cases, the Israelis knew

exactly which house/apartment, or which automobile that senior Hamas officials would be in. How did the get that information?

[Vegasaurus]

5. Hamas cannot even find unity with their own brethren

they murder anyone who disagrees with them.

What kind of "government' is this?

There will never, ever be peace, as long as Hamas runs Gaza (into the ground).