The Israeli Knesset voted on Thursday in its initial reading to pass a bill that would prevent Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails from getting treatment and having surgeries that would increase their quality of life.

A bill proposed by Zvika Fogel of the far–right Otzma Yehudit party and Sharren Haskel of the opposition Tikva Hadasha party was voted on by the MKs, with 42 in favor and 7 against.

The proposed legislation would prohibit Palestinian prisoners from receiving funding from the Israeli government for medical treatment that goes beyond basic care and is intended to enhance their quality of life, such as medications not included in the basket of health services.

Fogel and Haskel asserted that the Israeli prison policy towards Palestinian detainees is more lenient than many other countries across the globe.

The Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons have been engaging in civil disobedience for the last ten days to express their dissent with the policies of the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, which are meant to restrict them.