During recent fighting for control of Gaza, Hamas was accused by Human Rights Watch of "violations of international humanitarian law, in some cases amounting to war crimes." These crimes include killing of noncombatants, killing inside hospitals and summary executions. According to Human Rights Watch: "Hamas military forces captured 28-year-old Muhammad Swairki, a cook for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's presidential guards, and executed him by throwing him to his death, with his hands and legs tied, from a 15-story apartment building in Gaza City."

Such brutality of Hamas toward fellow Palestinians stands in stark contrast with the moderation it has shown to kidnapped BBC journalist Allan Johnston by arranging his release. But why Hamas showed no mercy to Mohammad Swairki, a poor Palestinian cook? The answer may be that Hamas thinks by electing, the Palestinian people have given it the mandate to do whatever it likes. But Hamas may be reminded that Hitler was also elected by the German people and Britain and France paid a heavy price for negotiating with him on that basis.

Hamas' brutality to fellow Palestinians belonging to Fatah shows that it remains an essentially terrorist organisation despite its past successes in Palestinian elections, and its current benevolent pretensions. By killing sick and wounded Palestinians in Gaza hospitals, Hamas has showed that it is a terrorist outfit which will not hesitate to kill fellow Palestinians if they belong to the rival camp. As Prof. Salim Mansur, professor of political science at the University of Western Ontario and an expert on the Middle East, recently wrote in The Ottawa Sun: "Efforts in appeasing Palestinians and funding them with expectations that reason will prevail over bigotry have had contrary effects as they murder each other."

The only solution to this inter-Palestinian bloodletting will be to ask the Palestinians to renounce violence and follow in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, who achieved India's independence nonviolently. It is time both Hamas and Fatah gave up violence as their creed.