One defendant was present before the court while the other three were sentenced in absentia, having fled several years ago and believed to be living in Israel. But some al-Aqsa squads are still active in the enclave – while largely abiding by a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
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Since the beginning of the internal Palestinian split, Hamas hasn’t been coordinating the execution of Palestinian collaborators with Abbas or with the PNA judiciary system in the West Bank.
Israel has also waged three wars on Gaza since 2008, including a devastating 50-day aggression in 2014.
The Gaza Strip has remained largely calm, though violent protests have broken out along the heavily guarded border and a number of Palestinians have been killed during clashes with Israeli forces.
The question of who will manage the border crossing now controlled by Egypt – Hamas or the Palestinian Authority – has been controversial among the Palestinians since Hamas seized control over Gaza in June 2007.
Abu Tharifah said that the Palestinian Authority had formed the committee of Palestinian factions, who urged Hamas to agree to the initiative because “time is not on the Palestinians’ side”.
This is an unusual operation, considering the Israel Defense Forces normally carries out air strikes only in response to rocket fire.
Palestinian heath officials say a 16-year-old has been shot dead after hurling stones at Israeli troops in the West Bank.
Ali, who was born in 1951, ran away from home just months after Israel occupied the Gaza Strip (and the rest of historic Palestine) in 1967, without even informing his parents of his decision.
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“Israel bears the responsibility for this aggression and its repercussions”, Hamas said in a statement.
