Gaza Survivors Allege Executions and Abuse in Militia-Controlled Areas

Palestinians who say they escaped areas east of Gaza’s so-called Yellow Line have described severe abuses allegedly committed by Israeli-backed armed militias, including extrajudicial killings, physical abuse, forced confinement, drug distribution and exploitation of civilians, according to testimonies collected by Quds Press.

One survivor, Ahmed, 31, said he spent eight months in an area allegedly controlled by a militia headed by Shawqi Abu Nassira. He claimed narcotics were widely distributed and that people attempting to flee or refusing orders could face summary execution. He also alleged abuse and exploitation of children and girls.

Another survivor, Abu Ramzi, said he entered the area after responding to an online job advertisement for street-cleaning work. He alleged that masked men transported him and others to an interrogation facility he believed was operated by the Israeli military. He said detainees were questioned about relatives and people working for Gaza’s governing authorities and that some faced physical abuse.

Abu Ramzi further said that during an Israeli military movement toward the Yellow Line, militia members withdrew and Israeli forces ordered detainees to assemble, handcuffed them and instructed them to walk west without looking back.

Meanwhile, Al-Hares, a platform affiliated with Hamas-run security authorities, warned Gaza residents about armed groups allegedly using food, cigarettes and employment offers to attract civilians and urged people to avoid them.