Hamas will soon start publicly executing Palestinians who are found guilty of “collaboration” with Israel, Hamas Interior Minister Fathi Hammad announced Monday.

Hammad, who is in charge of the Hamas security forces in the Gaza Strip, revealed that his government recently arrested 10 “veteran and experienced collaborators” with Israel.

Earlier this month, Hamas hanged a Palestinian man who was convicted of working for Israel as an informant.

Another two men were executed on the same day for murder and rape.

The predawn executions were carried out inside a Hamas security installation in the Gaza Strip. Hamas did not release the identities of the executed men.

The executions drew sharp condemnations from human rights groups and the Palestinian Authority, whose representatives said that Hamas was not authorized to carry out the death penalty without receiving permission from PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hammad advised collaborators to turn themselves in “before we lay our hands on them.” He added that his government was no longer offering clemency to informants who “repent.” (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 04/24/12)