Secret documents from Hamas have revealed that they tortured and executed their own "terrorists" who allegedly had same-sex relations, a report from The New York Post said.
The Hamas militants also had same-sex relations with male Israeli victims of the October 7 attack, raping them in captivity.
The Palestinian militant outfit reportedly had a list of recruits who failed to comply with its "morality checks" by engaging in homosexuality for which, they had to pay a heavy price, showed the documents that the Israel Defense Forces recovered, The Post reported.
‘Sodomy, horrifically raped’
The "crimes" were allegedly committed by 94 recruits of Hamas, including charges of lumping together "homosexual conversations, flirting with girls without a legal relationship and sodomy". Critical allegations of child rape and torture were also stated.
The allegations involved recruits to Hamas' intelligence, army, and the outfit's interior ministry. They say that the new members were eventually dismissed as "unacceptable" with the group due to their actions.
One of the allegations said," He (one of the accused Hamas fighters) constantly curses God. Information was received that he sexually harassed a young child."
The NY Post cited another allegation, "He has romantic relationships on Facebook. He never prays. He is behaviourally and morally deviant," it said using Hamas' word for gay.
{{/usCountry}}The NY Post cited another allegation, "He has romantic relationships on Facebook. He never prays. He is behaviourally and morally deviant," it said using Hamas' word for gay.
{{/usCountry}}Though it is unclear as to what happened to these "unacceptable" Hamas recruits, it is known that homosexuality is illegal in Gaza, and can lead to years in prison and even death.
Mahmoud Ishtiwi, a former Hamas commander, was executed in 2016 after he was accused of engaging in homosexuality. His confession and testimony of the brutality that he was subjected to were also mentioned in the secret documents.
Religious leaders, in the documents, said, "Committing the crime of sodomy in a hideous manner while he is married to two women. This is more heinous than adultery and it has been described as obscenity in the Quran more than once. Sodomy receives its punishment at the very least, which is stoning to death."
Hamas executed Ishtiwi by shooting three bullets in his chest after keeping him in prison and torturing him for around a year. During his time in prison, he was also hung by his hands and legs for hours, The Post reported.
Multiple instances of rape and sexual assault on Israeli men during the October 7 attacks, at the hands of male Hamas fighters, were also reported. The hostages taken by the militant outfit from Israel were also reportedly raped.
A source cited by the media outlet said that homosexuality is "deeply against" Hamas' religion, saying that it would bring them "much shame".
Eve Harow, One Israel Fund Director of Education and an Israeli activist, told the outlet that Hamas' violence knows no bounds and those who don't conform to their ideology within their society face "persecution, imprisonment or even execution".