London – Hamas affiliated security bodies took dozens of opponents belonging to extremist groups to military courts in an unprecedented step, said reliable sources, knowing that they are civilians and have no ties with Palestinian security bodies whether in Ramallah or Gaza.

In the past days, more than 550 were transferred to summary military courts for accusations of launching missiles on Israel or manufacturing them.

Families of the detainees complained that the trials were a matter of form to ensure resumption of their arrest by virtue of a legal item that permits the internal security body of Hamas to have the final decision in releasing detainees or not.

Sources said the charges included alleged crimes that they were arrested for in the past, an indication of attempts by Hamas to keep them longer in detention.

Hamas has been keeping hundreds of ISIS supporters for months and is still pursuing a number of wanted individuals including Nour Issa, a leader of Ahfad Sahaba that claimed responsibility of launching missiles from the strip lately.

On her Facebook page, Issa’s sister, Nagham, posted that Hamas arrested her father and brother to put pressure on her wanted brother to surrender himself.

Hamas’ campaign was launched after an agreement with Egypt to crack down on extremists and prevent them from fleeing to Sinai or cooperating with groups there.

Sources reported that a number of detainees went on hunger strike, days ago, in a quest to exert pressure on Hamas.

Also Wednesday, extremist groups in Gaza launched missiles on Israel for the same purpose.