Hamas interior ministry officials announced Wednesday that they hung a prisoner, representing the first use of the death penalty for murder crimes since July 2012, according to AFP sources. Hani Mohammed Abu Aliyan was hung October 2nd at 4:30 p.m. for killing Hazem Hassan Barham according to the ministry's statement.
Human rights groups and the international community have urged Hamas to stop using death penalty sentences. Under Palestinian law, murder, drug trafficking, and any collaboration with Israel are all punishable by death.
