In a white cap and T-shirt, he strolls around the kitchen while talking to NRK on WhatsApp. Houssam al-Astal and his men have their headquarters not far from the Israeli military posts in Khan Younis, in the south of the gaza Strip.
During the war he supported Israel. Now he lives protected by the so-called yellow line. It consists of large yellow concrete blocks that the Israeli army has laid from north to south across Gaza. The blocks mark the area to which Israeli forces have withdrawn under the ceasefire agreement.
Here, Houssam al-Astal and his men are provided with both food, water and othre things in an area close to the Israeli army. the men are equipped with machine guns and drive around in what appear to be former Israeli pickup trucks.
– There has been enough war. I want peace with Israel,with the United States,and the rest of the world for the sake of Gaza’s women and children and our future. 18 years of war is enough, says al-Astal to NRK.
Hunted by Hamas
Table of Contents
But al-Astal is a wanted man. Groups that have collaborated with the enemy during the war are hunted by Hamas. The message in a video from Gaza City is not to be misunderstood. People are executed in the open street.
– those who carry out these executions are terrorist gangs. I have turned to Donald Trump and the free world to help us arrest the Hamas leadership, which supports these terrorist gangs in Gaza, says al-Astal.
In Khan Younis, the team that NRK collaborates with in Gaza meets a spokesman for Hamas. 32 people were killed in the execution carried out by Hamas in Gaza City. They were informers, he says.
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Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed this summer that Israel has also provided arms support to militant groups in Gaza. Al-Astal says they are still constantly fighting with Hamas.But he denies that he has received weapons from Israel. In a hard-pressed population in Gaza,al-Astal and similar militia groups do not have much support. Cooperation with the occupying power is something few people have anything to spare. Hamam Al-Hatab meets NRK’s team among the ruins of Khan Younis. He says that it is indeed difficult to forgive groups that openly state that they receive support from Israel. Several people in Gaza say that there are now civil war-like conditions in Gaza, and that it must not be allowed to develop. – We must find a solution for these groups and stop them. They have created problems for their own people and for the security of the Gaza Strip, says gadja Abu Safyeh. ## Fighting for power Now that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has put a temporary halt to the hostilities, several anti-Hamas groups are making themselves visible. There is almost a civil war going on between them.It is indeed no coincidence that they are coming forward now, several experts believe. The red line roughly shows the IDF withdrawal line in the ceasefire agreement. Al-Astal’s militia is based at khan Younis in southern Gaza. Israel has made it clear that its army will remain in a buffer zone between Gaza and the border with Israel for a long time to come, perhaps permanently. This is where several of the Palestinian militia groups are now based. Gaza City – Following the recent conflict in Gaza, clans are asserting the need for a lawful and orderly process to address accusations of collaboration with the enemy, even as they express deep resentment towards those perceived to have contributed to the recent famine. While upholding their conventional legal systems, leaders are also calling for due process under the law. Lawyer Alaa Alskafi of the human rights organization Al-Dameer emphasized the importance of legal proceedings. “At the very least, they must be brought before a court, and it must happen after a fair legal process,” Alskafi told NRK. https://www.nrk.no/nyheter/utenriks/17909998.html This call for due process comes amidst a backdrop of traditional clan justice, where accusations of collaboration carry severe consequences. Clans in Gaza operate under their own established laws and traditions. Houssam al-Astal’s clan,speaking to NRK,voiced the widespread anger felt by the population towards individuals they believe exacerbated the famine during the war. “Clan system takes care of people who deserve to die for collaborating with the enemy. We tribes have a law and a separate system for this. But those who have been traitors must be punished based on law and tradition,” stated clan leader Taha al-Astal. The concept of “collaboration” in this context is complex and potentially fraught with danger, as accusations can stem from various factors, including the provision of goods or facts, or even perceived association with opposing forces. The potential for miscarriages of justice is significant, highlighting the need for a transparent and legally sound process. The recent conflict in Gaza led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with widespread reports of famine conditions. https://www.un.org/press/en/2024/sc15452.doc.htm Accusations of individuals profiting from or contributing to the scarcity of resources have fueled tensions and a desire for accountability. The UN and other international organizations have investigated allegations of obstruction of aid delivery.https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/03/26/israel-hamas-obstructing-aid-gaza * Gaza clans are demanding accountability for those accused of collaborating with the enemy during the recent conflict. The situation remains highly sensitive, and the path towards reconciliation and justice in Gaza will require careful consideration of both traditional norms and international legal standards. The need for a transparent and equitable legal framework is paramount to prevent further violence and ensure lasting stability.
Hard to forgive
Calls for Due Process
Clan justice and the Accusations of Collaboration
The Context of famine and Accusations
Key Takeaways
* There is a tension between traditional clan justice and calls for due process under the law.
* Accusations of collaboration are linked to the severe famine conditions experienced during the war.
* Human rights organizations are advocating for fair legal proceedings for those accused.