Israel’s parliament on Monday approved a bill to establish a special tribunal to try Palestinians accused of taking part in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, with the court empowered to impose the death penalty.
The bill passed by a vote of 93-0 in the 120-member Knesset, reflecting broad support among lawmakers for punishing those found responsible for the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. Twenty-seven lawmakers were absent or did not vote.
The proposed tribunal would allow a panel of judges to hand down death sentences by a majority decision. Convicted defendants would be able to appeal, but only through a separate special appeals court rather than Israel’s regular judicial system.
The bill also requires the trials to be broadcast live from a courtroom in Jerusalem, drawing comparisons to the 1962 trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, which was televised nationwide.
Eichmann was hanged after his conviction, the last time Israel carried out an execution. Capital punishment remains legal in Israel for genocide, wartime espionage and some terrorism-related crimes, but is rarely used.
Human rights groups criticised the bill, saying it weakens protections for fair trials and makes it easier to impose the death penalty.
Several Israeli rights organisations, including Adalah and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, said justice for the victims of October 7 is necessary, but warned that accountability must follow accepted legal standards.
Critics also said broadcasting the trials before guilt is established could turn them into a public spectacle. They raised concerns that some evidence may have been obtained through harsh interrogation methods.
The legislation is separate from another law passed in March allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. That law applies only to future cases and cannot be used for suspects linked to the October 2023 attack.
The war began when Hamas-led fighters entered southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 72,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, but says many of the dead are women and children.
Israeli authorities have detained thousands of Palestinians from Gaza since the war began. The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel says around 1,300 Gazans are still being held without charge, excluding those accused of involvement in the October 7 attack or hostage-taking.