Human Rights Watch has condemned Hamas' execution of one of its own fighters after the Palestinian militant group's military wing said the killing was carried out at the weekend, AFP reports.
"The Al-Qassam Brigades announce that the death penalty pronounced against its member Mahmud Eshtawi has been applied today," the group said in a statement.
Responding to the announcement, Sari Bashi, the Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, called it "another extra-judicial killing by forces linked to Hamas".
"If Hamas really cares about defending the rights of Palestinian people, it will act to punish and prevent the killing of any Palestinian in rogue procedures outside the semblance of law and justice," said Bashi.
Hamas has long carried out executions against those accused of spying in the Gaza Strip, including in public squares in the Palestinian territory and often without transparent trials.
However this killing appeared to be the first time Al-Qassam itself had sentenced one of its own through a court martial and executed him.
Al-Qassam did not provide details on the accusations against him, other than to say that "the Brigades' military and Islamic judicial committee issued the sentence because he violated rules and ethics."