DaysofPal – The Israeli Knesset is advancing a bill that, if passed, would allow occupation authorities to legally execute Palestinians. The bill has drawn little international attention, but for Palestinians, it represents a new and terrifying escalation.
The legislation is part of the coalition agreement that enabled Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to take power in late 2022. It was demanded by Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, who has overseen a campaign of violence across the West Bank for the past three years.
The bill passed its first reading in November 2025, and in January, its details were revealed: executions would occur within 90 days of sentencing, with no appeals, and would be carried out by hanging. Palestinians accused of planning attacks or killing Israelis would face the death penalty. Ben-Gvir has repeatedly called for executions, most recently during a visit to Ofer Prison, where he filmed himself overseeing the mistreatment of detainees.
Systematic Abuse in Israeli Prisons
For decades, the international community has largely ignored the plight of Palestinian prisoners. Over the past two and a half years, the mass brutalization of Palestinians held in Israeli detention has gone almost unchallenged. Israel’s move to legalize executions is seen by many Palestinians as the next step in eliminating their rights under occupation.
The term “prisoners” is misleading in this context. Palestinians are often detained for resisting occupation or arbitrarily targeted to terrorize their families and communities. More than a third of Palestinians in Israeli custody are held under administrative detention, without charge, and some are women and children. Military courts, which try them, are overwhelmingly biased against the occupied population.
Personal accounts illustrate the brutality. One Palestinian described being taken from his home in Ramallah in November 2015, tortured, isolated, and threatened without ever being formally charged. Red Cross representatives were denied access, and the detainee was released only after a three-month hunger strike brought his condition to a critical state.
Conditions in Israeli prisons have worsened since October 7, 2023, with reports of torture, starvation, and medical neglect. At least 88 Palestinians have died in custody since that date.
International Law Violations
Israel’s treatment of detained Palestinians violates the Geneva Conventions. Occupied Palestinians are a protected population with rights that have been systematically denied. Yet international discourse frames Palestinians as security threats rather than a population under military occupation.
The death penalty bill fits into this pattern of brutality. For Palestinians, it is another tool of revenge, spreading fear and suppressing resistance to settler violence. Families with members in Israeli prisons are particularly vulnerable, with limited access to information about their loved ones. The prospect of retroactive application further intensifies the threat.
Reports suggest that some Israeli officials are considering amending the law to reduce international criticism, but there is widespread belief that executions will eventually proceed.
The bill highlights the weakness of international responses. Past decades of limited statements and condemnations have allowed Israel to flout international law. Palestinian advocates argue that the international community must take concrete measures, including sanctions and accountability for Israeli officials accused of crimes against Palestinians.
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