UN rights office condemns executions of 3 in Gaza Strip

GENEVA – The U.N. human rights office is condemning “in the strongest terms” the execution of three Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, whose ruling Hamas militant group had accused of collaborating with Israel.

Spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani of the rights office said Friday that the executions a day earlier came over its and other international appeals to block the sentences, and violated “Palestine’s obligations under international law.”

The rights office said the convictions were delivered for treason, which does not qualify among “most serious crimes.” It noted the defendants were civilians convicted by a military court, “again in contravention of international law.” The office said the trial didn’t appear to meet fair-trial standards.

The three were sentenced months ago for relaying information to Israel, before last month’s killing of a Hamas senior commander.