The Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Tuesday condemned the Israeli Knesset’s preliminary approval of a bill that would allow the execution of Palestinian prisoners convicted of killing Israelis.
In a statement released on Telegram, Hamas said the Israeli parliament’s move “reflects the ongoing racist and criminal nature of the Zionist government” and constitutes “an attempt to legalize systematic, collective killings against our Palestinian people under occupation.”
The movement described the bill as “fascist and sadistic,” accusing Israel of deliberately flouting international law, including the Geneva Conventions and the principles of human rights.
Hamas called on the international community, the United Nations, and human rights organizations to reject what it termed a “dangerous, racist colonial law,” and to impose punitive measures on Israel. The group also urged the formation of international investigation committees to inspect Israeli prisons, citing ongoing systematic torture and abuse that has led to the deaths of dozens of Palestinian detainees.
Bill advances in Knesset
On Monday evening, 39 members of the 120-seat Israeli parliament voted in favor of the bill in its first reading, with 16 opposing. The legislation must pass two more readings before becoming law, but no date has been set for further discussion.
Under the proposed law, a person convicted of intentionally or recklessly causing the death of an Israeli, motivated by hate or a desire to harm Israel, would face the death penalty. The draft also stipulates that sentences cannot be reduced once finalized.
The bill was introduced by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of the Jewish Power party, as part of coalition agreements with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party in late 2022.
Two weeks ago, the Knesset’s National Security Committee approved the bill. At the time, Gal Hirsch, Netanyahu’s envoy on prisoner affairs, said the prime minister supported the legislation. “The prime minister’s position, and I spoke with him before the debate, is for the bill,” he told the panel.
A similar bill received preliminary approval in March 2023 but was later delayed due to objections from within the ruling coalition and concerns over its impact on negotiations to free Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Calls for execution inside Israeli prisons
Last month, Ben-Gvir visited Negev's Nafha prison and issued public threats against Palestinian detainees. A video circulated showing him addressing prisoners sitting on the floor in shackles and kneeling in a stress position. He also called for their execution, saying they “deserve a death penalty law.”
The detainees appeared to be held in degrading and inhumane conditions. Ben-Gvir threatened to strip them of their basic rights, reinforcing claims by rights groups of widespread mistreatment.
Documented abuse and calls for international inquiry
Last month, The Guardian reported that the Israeli military returned mutilated bodies of Palestinian detainees bearing signs of severe torture. The paper refrained from publishing the images due to their graphic nature, including one corpse showing signs of strangulation with a cord. Gaza authorities have received 135 deformed bodies formerly held at the Israeli Sde Teiman military facility in the Negev desert.
Documents reviewed by The Guardian reveal detainees were shackled, blindfolded, restrained to hospital beds, and forced to wear diapers—details corroborated by photos and witness testimonies published by the newspaper last year.
Human rights groups have called for an international investigation into deaths and abuse inside the center.
