Lions' Den execute man accused of informing for Israel

A Palestinian armed group known as the Lions’ Den say they executed an alleged spy in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus late on Saturday. 

Zuhair Relit, 23, a Palestinian from Nablus, was killed by the group for allegedly collaborating with the Israeli military by informing them of the movements and whereabouts of group members, many of whom were assassinated in recent months.

Videos circulated widely on social media showed medics and residents gathered around the body of the accused man in the Old City of Nablus.

His commenting on this assassination
pic.twitter.com/hxGeBTSKGN

— Younis | يونس (@ytirawi) April 8, 2023

In a confessional video circulating on social media taken before Relit’s execution, the deceased is seen admitting to accusations made against him.

“They called me for an interview to meet up in Hawarah military camp. I went to Hawarah and contacted the intelligence captain,” Relit confessed.

“He told me that your mission is to follow and monitor Makroubeh and the others,” he said.

“The officer rewarded me with a pack of cigarettes”

The Palestinian spy executed today by the Lion’s Den commenting on one of his missions, involving the assassination of 3 Palestinians during daylight feb 2022. pic.twitter.com/UMS2lkJYSo

— Younis | يونس (@ytirawi) April 8, 2023

Relit also alleges in the video that he was blackmailed with an illicit video before being recruited to give information about the whereabouts of Lions' Den members.

"Traitors have neither a country nor a people," Lions' Den commander Oday Azizi said in a statement. 

Palestinian security officials have begun investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Multiple Lions’ Den members have been killed by Israeli security forces in recent months in raids around Nablus, including founding members of the group Muhammad Elazizi and Aboud Sabah.

The group have claimed responsibility for a number of attacks targeting Israeli checkpoints, soldiers and settlements since it was founded in July 2022. 

The execution comes at a period of increased Israeli attacks in the West Bank.

On Monday, a Palestinian child was killed by Israeli forces during a raid on a refugee camp near Jericho while last week, Israeli forces raided the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and arrested hundreds of Palestinians.