Palestinian activists in the West Bank reported that they executed two men accused of collaborating with Israeli authorities and hung their bodies as a warning, highlighting increasing concerns over rising extremism amid the ongoing war in Gaza. A statement from the Tulkarm Brigade, a group based in Tulkarm city in the West Bank linked to Fatah movement, proclaimed, "No collaborator or traitor is immune." It added that anyone who collaborates with Israel "will be pursued and held accountable. The warned has been warned."
Footage shared on the Tulkarm Brigade's Telegram account appeared to show a man confessing to working with Israeli security forces and providing details about his activities. Other footage, which Reuters could not verify, showed two bodies hanging on a wall and an electric pole in front of angry crowds.
In the Tulkarm refugee camp, executions of "spies for Israel" were reported. The statement warned collaborators with Israeli security forces, saying, "December 5 is the last deadline for repentance and turning away from the wrongdoings and crimes you are committing."
The Independent Commission for Human Rights, a Palestinian rights group, issued a statement criticizing the extrajudicial killings, but held Israeli authorities responsible for recruiting Palestinian agents. The statement read, "The Independent Commission holds the occupation authorities accountable for their crimes, including the recruitment of agents."
There has been no comment yet from the Palestinian Authority, which has limited control over the West Bank, nor from Israeli security forces. This incident represents another indication of the growing tension in the West Bank, which has seen an uptick in violence since the onset of the war in Gaza. Public executions of Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel have been rare in recent years but were more common during the Second Intifada two decades ago.
