one day after Israel killed three top Hamas commanders, the radical group executed 18 Palestinians it had suspected of collaborating with Israel. It brings the number of alleged informants executed in the past two days to at least 21, including several people arrested in relation to the killing of the three Hamas commanders.

a German was sentenced to death in China for the first time in modern history. The 36-year-old man was convicted of a double murder in Xiamen in 2010. Germany has vowed to stop the execution.

Saudi Arabia beheaded four nationals from the same family in the city of Najran for drug trafficking, amid a surge in executions in the country since the end of Ramadan.