Intra-Palestinian violations

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

Published: 
1 Jan 2011
Updated: 
17 Apr 2012
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 Irrelevant Irrelevant One was released from prison and one was executed in 2005.
1996 6 0 Irrelevant Irrelevant Two sentences were reduced to life at hard labor. Two were executed in 2005 and one was executed in 2010..
1997 0 0 Irrelevant Irrelevant  
1998 4 2 Irrelevant Irrelevant Two were executed in 1998. One was released from prison during an Israeli incursion into the city.
1999 4 1 Irrelevant Irrelevant One was executed in 1999. 
2000 6 1 Irrelevant Irrelevant 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 with the outbreak of the second intifada. The whereabouts of two of the others is unknown.
2001 13 1 Irrelevant Irrelevant 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 killed in an accident.
2002 16 3 Irrelevant Irrelevant Three were executed in 2002. Four were murdered while in PA custody. One escaped from prison. Two were murdered after escaping during operation "Cast Lead".
2003 2 0 Irrelevant Irrelevant Both prisoners are held in Gaza Central Prison
2004 10 0 Irrelevant Irrelevant One was executed in 2010. Two were executed in 2011. 
2005 1 5 Irrelevant Irrelevant  
2006 0 0 Irrelevant Irrelevant  
2007 0 0 0 0  
2008 5 0 2 0 One was murdered by gunmen after escaping during operation "Cast Lead".
2009 1 0 2 0 Two were executed in 2010.
2010 0 0 16 5 One was executed in 2010. Two were executed in 2012. Five were sentenced In absentia, including one Israeli citizen. 
2011 1 0 8 2  One was executed in 2012.
2012 0 0 4 3 One was sentenced In absentia. 
Total 71 13 32 10
  • 2 death sentences were commuted to prison sentences.
  • 8 persons sentenced to death were murdered while in PA custody.
  • 3 were murdered by gunmen after escaping during operation "Cast Lead".
  • 10 persons sentenced to death were released from prison or escaped.
  • 2 persons sentenced to death are missing.

1) Data updated to 30 Nov. 2011

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

warning: implode() [function.implode]: Invalid arguments passed in /var/www/www.btselem.org/htdocs/sites/all/themes/btselem/template.php on line 140.