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Intra-Palestinian violations

Statistics on the death penalty in the Palestinian Authority and under Hamas control in Gaza

Published: 
1 Jan 2011
Updated: 
8 May 2013
Year Number of death sentences by PA Courts Number of executions by PA Number of death sentences by Hamas Courts in Gaza Number of executions by Hamas  Comments
1995 2 0 not applicable not applicable One was released from prison and one was executed in 2005.
1996 6 0 not applicable not applicable Two sentences were commuted to a life sentence of hard labor. Two were executed in 2005 and one was executed by the Hamas government in 2010.
1997 0 0 not applicable not applicable  
1998 4 2 not applicable not applicable Two were executed in 1998. One was released from prison during an Israeli incursion into the city.
1999 4 1 not applicable not applicable One was executed in 1999. 
2000 6 1 not applicable not applicable One was executed in 2000 and one in 2005. One was released from prison during an Israeli incursion into the city and another was released when the second intifada roke out. The whereabouts of two of the others are unknown.
2001 13 1 not applicable not applicable One was executed in 2001 and one in 2005. Four were murdered while in PA custody. Four escaped from prison during an Israeli incursion into the city. One was released and then died in an accident.
2002 16 3 not applicable not applicable Three were executed in 2002. Four were murdered while in PA custody. One escaped from prison. Two others- having fled from the prison when it was bombed during Operation Cast Lead - were murdered by Palestinians operatives. 
2003 2 0 not applicable not applicable Both prisoners are being held in Gaza Central Prison
2004 10 0 not applicable not applicable One was executed in 2010. Two were executed by the Hamas government in 2011. 
2005 1 5 not applicable not applicable  
2006 0 0 not applicable not applicable  
2007 0 0 0 0  
2008 5 0 2 0 One was murdered by Palestinian operatives after he had escaped from prison during Operation Cast Lead.
2009 1 0 3 0 Two were executed by the Hamas government in 2010 and one was executed by the Hamas government in 2011.
2010 0 0 16 5 One was executed by the Hamas government in 2010. Five were sentenced in absentia. One is an Israeli citizen. Three were executed by the Hamas government in 2012. 
2011 1 0 10 2 Two were executed by the Hamas government in 2012.
2012 0 0 5 6 One was sentenced in absentia. 
2013 0 0 1 0
Total 71 13 37 13
  • 2 death sentences were commuted to prison sentences.
  • 8 were murdered while in PA custody.
  • 3 were murdered by Palestinian operatives after they had escaped from prion during Operation Cast Lead.
  • 10 were released from prison or escaped.
  • 2 are missing.
  • 6 convicts and 1 man whose trial for collaboration with Israel was still underway were murdered by Palestinian operatives after being  taken out of prison during Operation Pillar of Defense.

Source: The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), The Independent Commission on Human Rights (ICHR) and B'Tselem.