The brutal story of the gay Hamas commander
In the tightly controlled world of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, few figures commanded as much respect as Mahmoud Ishtiwi (also spelled Eshtewi or Ishtewi). A 34-year-old battalion commander in the Gaza Strip, Ishtiwi was a married father and a veteran fighter within the group’s armed structure. Yet in 2015, his status unraveled dramatically when he was arrested by Hamas’s internal security apparatus on explosive charges: embezzlement of funds and engaging in homosexual acts, often referred to as “sodomy” in the context of the accusations.
The case, which unfolded over more than a year, became one of the most stark examples of internal purges and ideological enforcement within Hamas. According to accounts from Human Rights Watch and other sources, Ishtiwi was detained in early 2015 and subjected to prolonged and severe torture during interrogation. Methods reportedly included extended periods of suspension by his limbs—a form of stress positioning designed to inflict extreme pain—along with beatings and other coercive techniques intended to extract confessions.
Under this duress, Ishtiwi confessed to the allegations, including the sexual ones. His family and supporters later claimed the admissions were forced, and they appealed directly to senior Hamas figures, including then-political leader Ismail Haniyeh, pleading for his release or a fair process. Those efforts failed.
In February 2016, after roughly a year in custody, Ishtiwi was executed by firing squad—shot three times in the chest—by members of the very brigade he once led. The execution was carried out quietly, without public announcement or trial details released by Hamas, reflecting the group’s desire to contain the scandal.
The story drew international condemnation. Human Rights Watch described it as an apparent case of torture followed by extrajudicial execution, urging an independent investigation that never materialized under Hamas rule in Gaza. Reports portrayed the episode as having the elements of a grim drama: power struggles, financial misconduct, and taboo sexual accusations in a conservative Islamist organization that enforces strict moral codes.
More than eight years later, in 2024, Israeli forces operating in Gaza recovered internal Hamas documents from tunnels and facilities. These files detailed Ishtiwi’s ordeal, including records of his confessions (some explicitly noting they were obtained “under torture”), family correspondence, and evidence that such practices continued against other members accused of similar “moral” offenses, including homosexuality. The discoveries reignited discussions about Hamas’s treatment of perceived internal dissent and its harsh stance on LGBTQ+ issues, which remain criminalized and heavily stigmatized in Gaza.
Some analyses have linked the handling of Ishtiwi’s case to the rise of Yahya Sinwar, who later became Hamas’s overall leader in Gaza. As a key figure in the group’s security and military apparatus at the time, Sinwar’s influence is cited in retrospectives as contributing to the ruthless approach taken, marking an early instance of his consolidation of power through uncompromising discipline.
Ishtiwi’s death remains a haunting illustration of the contradictions within Hamas: a fighter revered for his loyalty to the cause, ultimately destroyed by the same movement over allegations that combined corruption with personal conduct deemed unacceptable. It underscores the brutal internal mechanisms used to maintain ideological purity and control, even at the cost of one of its own senior commanders.
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