The Far‑right National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, seeks to amend Israeli law to mandate the death penalty for people convicted of certain killings defined as terrorism or “nationalistically‑motivated murder”. It has so far passed a first reading in the Knesset and is moving through committee toward second and third (final) readings. The legal change would be significant because modern Israeli law has rarely used the death penalty (last case was Adolf Eichmann in 1962), and courts traditionally have discretion in sentencing. Core provisions include: 1. The death penalty would be mandatory for someone who “intentionally or recklessly causes the death of an Israeli citizen” when motivated by racism, hostility, or the intent to harm the State of Israel or “the rebirth of the Jewish people in its land.” 2. Sentences would be imposed without the possibility of reduction. 3. Military courts could also hand down death sentences without commutation, and appeals would be limited. 4. Advocates including Ben‑Gvir have openly discussed methods like hanging, electric chair, or lethal injection. **On November 3, 2025**, the Knesset’s National Security Committee approved for first reading two separate bills that would impose a mandatory death penalty for "terrorists" convicted of murder motivated by racism or hostility with the intent to harm the State of Israel. The bills, backed by members of Otzma Yehudit and Yisrael Beitenu, aim to enhance deterrence by eliminating judicial discretion and allowing death sentences by majority vote of judges, without the possibility of commutation. The committee’s legal advisor raised significant concerns, including the inability to correct wrongful convictions after execution, the lack of stricter evidentiary standards, and the proposed weakening of judicial safeguards. Despite these objections, the committee advanced the bills. Senior officials expressed differing views. Hostages Coordinator Gal Hirsch withdrew prior objections and said the Prime Minister supports the bill. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir insisted that discretion would undermine deterrence and that the law reflects a shift in Israel’s security doctrine. Supporters argued the law is essential for deterrence and national security; opponents, such as MK Gilad Kariv, called it extreme and unsuitable for a democratic state. The committee ultimately passed the bills for first reading, forwarding them to the Knesset plenum. **Political Context and Support:** Ben‑Gvir has been one of the strongest proponents, arguing the law is “moral”, will deter future attacks, and should be enacted especially after hostage returns. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government reportedly supports the measure as part of coalition agreements. The bill passed its first Knesset reading by 39 votes to 16 and is now in committee. **Quotes pro-death penalty:** National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stressed that the law must leave no judicial discretion: **“Let every terrorist who goes to murder know that he can expect one penalty—the death penalty.”** (...) *“As soon as you grant discretion, you diminish the deterrent effect.”* Bill sponsor MK Limor Sonn Har Melech argued that only an unequivocal law prevents terrorists from exploiting legal ambiguity: *“A dead terrorist will not return to terrorism and to the cycle of blood, and certainly will not be freed in a terrorist deal.”* Supporter MK Oded Forer emphasized deterrence over revenge: *“This legislation is necessary for the State of Israel’s security… I have been advancing this bill since 2016.”* Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf called for automatic execution upon conviction: *“There is guilty or innocent. If he has been found guilty, then it is an automatic execution.”* (...) *“Those who murder us will know that we will settle the score with them. I am not afraid of the word revenge.”* Committee Chair MK Tzvika Foghel concluded with a firm endorsement: *“When we implement the death penalty, the world will be cleaner and safer… even if it saves the life of one Jew, the bill is worth it.”* (...) *“A dead terrorist will not be freed, either in a deal or otherwise.”* *** ## **Pro–Death Penalty Supporters** 1. Itamar Ben Gvir – Minister of National Security (Otzma Yehudit) 2. Limor Sonn Har Melech – MK, bill sponsor (Otzma Yehudit) 3. Oded Forer – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu) 4. Avigdor Liberman – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu) 5. Evgeny Sova – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu) 6. Sharon Nir – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu) 7. Hamad Amar – MK, bill co-sponsor (Yisrael Beitenu) 8. Gal Hirsch – Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons (expressed support after withdrawing earlier objections) 9. Yitzhak (Issac) Wasserlauf – Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience (Otzma Yehudit) 10. Tzvika Foghel – MK, Chair of the National Security Committee (Otzma Yehudit) **On December 8, 2025:** During a Knesset National Security Committee session on a bill enabling the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir drew criticism for wearing a **noose-shaped lapel pin**. The far-right Otzma Yehudit minister defended the proposal despite strong legal and constitutional objections raised by the committee’s own legal advisers. Ben-Gvir described the death penalty as a “legitimate” punishment and listed possible execution methods, including hanging, electric chair, and lethal injection. He dismissed warnings from legal experts and claimed he had received widespread support from doctors willing to participate in executions, despite earlier reports that many medical professionals would refuse. Not only Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir but his allies were photographed wearing gold noose pins in public to signal support for executing Palestinian detainees. Also visible in the image is Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, whose ministry oversees settlement expansion and displacement in the occupied West Bank. For Americans and many in former settler colonies, the noose is inseparable from the history of racial terror and lynching, making its public display an endorsement of extrajudicial killing and violent intimidation. Israeli military courts that try Palestinians convict more than 99% of defendants. Over half of the nearly 9,500 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel are held without charge or trial. **Criticism, Legal and Human Rights Concerns:** The proposed law has drawn strong criticism from legal experts, rights groups, and international observers: Human rights organizations (e.g., Amnesty International) warn that the bill is discriminatory in practice, since its language would apply overwhelmingly to Palestinians and would violate international human rights norms. Israeli civil rights groups say it undermines the constitutional right to life, violates equality principles and could legalize state‑sanctioned killings. Critics argue that judicial review and appeals would be weakened, raising concerns about fair trials, especially in military courts. MK Naor Shiri (party Yesh Atid) submitted an urgent letter to the State Comptroller and Ombudsman Matanyahu Engelman, demanding clarification of the sources of funding for the hanging rope-shaped pin worn by Ben Gabir and members of his party: *"I will ask for your examination, Was the purchase of the pin financed from the parties' funds? To the extent that this is indeed done with public funds, is it an expense that meets the proper use of party funds?".* Senior Likud officials attacked Ben Gvir: *"He sabotages himself with the death penalty law for terrorists. He deals with gimmicks instead of solving the problems that are in the law itself - this will lead to his law being invalidated by the High Court".* **On December 11, 2025:** An Israeli soldier was recorded with a patch of a hanging rope on his uniform. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir's instructions prohibit non-standard patches on IDF uniforms, and the army is trying to find out the identity of a soldier. An IDF spokesperson stated: *"According to the rules of appearance and dress, it is prohibited to wear any non-military insignia on an IDF uniform". And therefore, non-IDF badges are prohibited and enforced similar to other aspects of appearance and clothing. The IDF takes seriously any use of symbols that harm the statehood of the army. The incident is investigated and the identity of the soldier under investigation, when found, will be handled disciplinary"*.  **On January 8, 2026:** The revelation spread about how the execution plan would be set by the Israeli Prison Service after the approval of the death penalty law: * A new execution complex will be established for this purpose. * The execution will be carried out by hanging, where three guards press the buttons together to avoid any psychological problems. The prisoners will be completely isolated from other prisoners in the complex. * The team will be chosen: from specialized volunteers. * The death penalty will be applied to elite members first, and then to West Bank prisoners who are arrested later. * Unlike other countries in the world: the execution will be carried out by hanging after 90 days from the issuance of the verdict, and not after that. A delegation from the Israeli Prison Service will soon leave for one of the Far Eastern countries that applies this method of execution. **On January 13, 2026**, Israel publishes final draft of bill formalising death penalty for Palestinians. **On March 24, 2026,** Israel’s Knesset National Security Committee has approved a proposed death penalty bill against Palestinian detainees, advancing it to the second and third readings ahead of a final vote expected next week. **On March 30, 2026,** Israel's parliament passed a sweeping death penalty law, triggering widespread international condemnation - as lawmakers and Ben Givir himself celebrated with champagne inside the Knesset. The bill, approved by 62 of the Knesset's 120 members with 48 opposed and one abstention, will instruct military courts to impose capital punishment on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in acts defined as "terrorism". It takes effect within 30 days, and crucially, does not apply to Jewish Israelis convicted of the same crime. The law mandates execution by hanging within 90 days of sentencing, with no possibility of pardon. Death sentences may be imposed by a simple majority of military judges, rather than a unanimous ruling, and the right to appeal is severely limited. Netanyahu himself, currently wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, was among those who voted in favour. Knowing how this law was controversial inside the Knesset, this involvment is meaningful on the genocidal support behind the law.  Ben Givr declared to the press: *"From today, every terrorist will know - whoever takes a life, the State of Israel will take their life,".* B’Tselem warns that the legislation is intended to make executions a routine form of punishment and says it is specifically designed to target Palestinians, since only Palestinians are tried in military courts. The organisation notes that these courts have a 96% conviction rate, with many cases relying on confessions allegedly obtained through coercion and torture. Its executive director, Yuli Novak, condemned the law as a further step in the dehumanisation of Palestinians, saying it entrenches cruel treatment in state law and normalises the killing and harming of human beings. Within minutes of the vote, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel filed a petition to the Supreme Court challenging the law, describing it as "discriminatory by design" and enacted without legal authority over West Bank Palestinians. **On May 13, May 13, 2026**, Palestinian prisoners’ institutions states that the Israeli Knesset’s approval of a bill to establish an exceptional court for Gaza detainees accused by the Israeli authorities of participating in the events of October 7, alongside provisions for imposing the death penalty, represents a dangerous new step as a broader system of colonial legislation.

On November 3, at night, Ahmad Rabhi al-Atrash (32) from the city of Hebron was murdered after being hit in the head by live bullets fired directly at him by an Israeli settler at the northern entrance to the City of Hebron/Al Khalil and along the bypass road. The occupation forces prevented the Red Crescent crews, who were present in the Ras al-Joura area near the bypass road, from reaching him and left him bleeding on the ground until he rose and transported him after summoning his family to identify him to an unknown destination. The Palestinian Red Crescent reports that "a Palestinian was shot by Israeli occupation forces in the Ras al-Joura area, north of Hebron, and Israeli troops are preventing our medical teams from reaching and evacuating him". Three hours later, he was pronounced dead. According to Mistaclim activist account "The terrorist will not be brought to justice, because he is supported by the entire system, which is currently perfecting its expertise in concealing facts.The blood of the Palestinians is permissible." This murder occured nearly two hours of killing a 17 years old palestinian in Beit Furik. On November 4, 2025, in the evening, Israeli forces handed over the body of Ahmad Rubhi Al-Atrash, 32, at the Tarqumiya checkpoint, from where it was transferred to Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron to complete the legal procedures. "According to family sources, his body is expected to be laid to rest tonight at the Martyrs Cemetery, after family members bid him farewell at their home in the southern area of Hebron". **Name of the martyr:** Martyr Ahmed Ribhi Dais Al-Atrash, 32

On November 2, 2025, Israeli soldiers in three heavily armored military vehicles entered Beit Furik around 9:45 p.m., roamed through neighborhoods and conducted several patrols within the town, firing live ammunition at Palestinian youths confronting Israeli soldiers. Israeli forces conducted search operations and arrested Palestinians during the raid across the West Bank on Sunday night and early on Monday November 3. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirms 17-year-old Jamil Atef Hanani was shot by Israeli forces and died after succumbing to critical wounds. Israeli forces deliberately obstructed his rescue, causing his death after a preventable delay. On November 3, large crowds were taking part in the funeral procession of the martyr in the town of Beit Furik. **Investigation of Defense for Children-Palestine** "Jameel Atef Jameel Hanani, 17, was shot by an Israeli soldier positioned inside a heavily armored Israeli military vehicle around 10 p.m. on November 2 in the Palestinian town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank, according to documentation collected by Defense for Children International - Palestine. Jameel was near the Friendship Medical Center, when Israeli forces were passing by the center, preparing for withdrawal from the town. Jameel was targeted by a bullet from a distance of 50 to 70 meters (164 to 230 feet) away and struck him in the abdomen. The bullet exited through his back, and he immediately fell to the ground. Jameel was transferred to the emergency room in the Friendship Medical Center, when military vehicles moved towards the entrance of the center, and around six soldiers entered. One of the soldiers took a picture of Jameel, while one of the doctors informed them in English that his condition is critical and that he needed to be transferred to a hospital. The Israeli forces then withdrew from the center and from the town entirely. Jameel was then transported to Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus city, where he was immediately admitted to the intensive care unit. He was pronounced dead from his injury on November 3 around 1 a.m." **Name of the martyr: ** Jamil Atef Jamil Hanani 17 y/o

On October 31, 2025, in the evening, Israeli settlers, backed by the army, raided Beit Lid near Tulkarm, setting fire to farm tractors, vehicles, and a bulldozer, leading to confrontations in the area. A group of settlers set out from the Ramin plain area, where an illegal pastoral outpost was established, toward the nearby town of Beit Lid, closed a road in the area, and attacked passing Palestinian-registered vehicles and farmers with stones and sticks. They also set fire to an agricultural tractor, a vehicle, and part of an agricultural facility on the outskirts of the town, while the Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters toward residents who rushed to confront the settlers’ attack. A prevailing state of high tension is witnessed in the vicinity of the town, with ongoing reinforcements of settlers and soldiers and their heavy deployment in the eastern areas of Tulkarem. **Second wave, two hours later:** Israeli Settlers set fire the to three vehicles in the second such attack in hours in the town of Kafr Qaddum in the north of the occupied West Bank, in the second such attack in a matter of hours, Al Jazeera Arabic reports. Abdel Qabaja, an activist against the wall and settlements, said the settlers attacked Kafr Qaddum, east of Qalqilya, leading to clashes with residents during which the settlers used live ammunition. The Israeli army intervened to protect the settlers, using tear gas and live ammunition. The settlers burned three vehicles in the town, including a vehicle owned by Murad Ishtawi, director of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission office in the northern West Bank. Earlier on Friday, settlers also attacked the towns of Beitin and Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, burning two vehicles and vandalising a mosque by smashing its windows. **Location context:** Kafr Qaddum is in the northern West Bank, in the Qalqilya Governorate. Beit Lid is in the Tulkarm Governorate, also northern West Bank. Ramin is near Beit Lid (north‑east of it) in the Tulkarm Governorate. The corridor between Kafr Qaddum and Beit Lid (including fields/areas like “Al‑Ladain”) is the likely zone where many reported incidents occur. These places lie fairly close to one another in the northern West Bank region. In the Ramin Plain (east of Tulkarm) several new illegal settler outposts have been reported including a new “pastoral outpost” was established on the lands of Ramin village in early January 2025 (Basin No. 9, Plot No. 74) with mobile residential units on land owned by a Palestinian farmer.

On October 30, 2025, Israeli soldiers killed the boy Yamen Samed Hamed, at the entrance of the town of Silwad, east of Ramallah. The occupation forces stormed the town of Silwad and confrontations broke out at the entrance to the town, during which they fired live bullets and poison gas and sound bombs, which led to the injury of the child Yamen Samed Hamed (15 years old) with live bullets. Israeli forces prevented medics from reaching him, leaving the boy bleeding on the ground for an extended period. He was later transported to a government hospital in Ramallah, where he succumbed to his injuries. His dead was announced at the Palestine Medical Complex. **Investigation of the Defense for Children - Palestine:** "Yamen Hamed Yousef Hamed, 15, was shot and killed by Israeli forces around 10:30 p.m. on October 30 at the southern entrance to the Palestinian town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah, according to documentation collected by Defense for Children International - Palestine. Yamen and his friends were walking near the southern entrance, which has been closed for nearly two years by order of the Israeli forces after they erected earth mounds there. Yamen and his friends were surprised to find a group of Israeli soldiers hiding behind the earth mounds, after which they fired directly at the children with about ten bullets from a distance of 50 meters (164 feet) away. Yamen Hamed was shot in the chest and immediately fell to the ground, bleeding for about half an hour, surrounded by Israeli occupation forces who opened fire and prevented residents and an ambulance from approaching him. Yamen's father reported that he tried to reach the scene to check on his son, but soldiers prevented him from advancing and fired warning shots at him and the medical team to force them to retreat. The ambulance managed to approach Yamen and pronounced him dead before his body was transferred to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah. Upon arrival at the hospital, Yamen's father reported that his son's body showed clear signs of assault, including fractures in his fingers and toes, indicating he may have been subjected to torture, violence, or dragging while in the soldiers' custody." **Name of the martyr:** Yamen Samed Youssef Hamed, 15 y/o

Efi (Yona Efraim) Feldbaum, an Israeli soldier killed at the end of October 2025 in Rafah, was one of the founders of "Uriah Force" - same destruction-driven, heavy machinery West Bank settler militia, working in Gaza to "flatten" the Strip, and using Palestinians as human shield, as his also killed friend Avraham Azulai. Feldbaum lived in the terrorist outpost of Zayit Ra'anan("Fresh Olive" in English), northwest of Ramallah. At his military funeral, held in Jerusalem, friends and relatives recalled his enthusiastic attitude towards the genocide. Years ago, Feldbaum's gun license was revoked after he used it to threaten Palestinians in the West Bank. The Shin Bet proposed to have it renewed in return for his collaboration, which he claimed to have refused. This will serve as a running thread about him. I will add more tweets in the coming days. Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, mourned his death: *“Efi fought on the front line of the war in Gaza and continued even after the ceasefire was declared, which Hamas terrorists repeatedly violated. On behalf of all Binyamin residents, I send my condolences to his wife Shulamit, their children, and the entire family. Thanks to Efi’s bravery and sacrifice, the people of Israel will prevail. The people of Israel do not fear a long road.”* **Funerals:** At the funeral, hundreds gathered to honor Feldbaum. Master Sergeant (Res.) Yona Efraim “Efi” Feldbaum, 37, from Zayit Raanan in the Binyamin region, was laid to rest at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. Feldbaum was part of the Nahal Brigade Combat Team, operating in the Rafah area to "destroy Hamas terror infrastructure" east of the yellow line in territory under Israeli control. According to IDF, his "unit targeted a section of the tunnel network in the Jenina neighborhood when enemy fire struck an armored engineering vehicle, killing him. Moments later, Hamas launched several anti-tank missiles at another IDF vehicle, which sustained no injuries".

on Monday, October 27, 14-year-old Nazih Masalma from the West Bank village of Beit Awwa was severely injured by Israali soldiers while waiting with his sister for the school bus. The parents, Iyad, 45, and Rula, 34, were both home when their two children left for school, waiting for the school bus. According to his family, a convoy of Israeli army vehicles passed by, and a soldier in the last jeep fired a tear-gas canister at Nazih from close range striking him directly in the face. The impact destroyed his right eye and seriously injured his face and jaw. His sister fainted, and Nazih was evacuated unconscious to several hospitals, where doctors removed his eye and performed multiple surgeries. Nazih Masalma was a student at Beit Awwa Secondary School for Boys. He was taken to Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron for treatment, where his injuries were described as critical. His sister also suffered from tear gas inhalation and was transferred to Dura Governmental Hospital for treatment. The family lives in poor conditions, and Nazih has since become withdrawn, avoiding light and human contact. They say he refuses to go near the spot where the incident occurred. Neighbors reportedly have camera footage but are afraid to give it to the army. The IDF spokesperson said the allegation was “not known” to them, raising the possibility that the soldiers involved did not report the incident. The family is seeking help for Nazih’s long recovery, including obtaining an artificial eye. 

Samua (סמוע / سموع) is a Palestinian town located southwest of Hebron/Al-Khalil). **On October 27, 2025,** A shocking footage of sadistic animal abuse and killing from the security cameras of the house shows the attack by gang of settlers on a farm on the outskirts of Samua. Five members of the Palestinian Al-Daghamin family were injured when Israeli settlers attacked their home, car, and sheep pen in the Wadi Juhaysh area near the town of Al-Samu’, south of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. Several sheep on their farm were violently killed or injured. For about two years now, settlers from Susya and the surrounding outposts — particularly the outpost “Mitzpe HaRo’e” — have been regularly abusing and attacking the home of the Duraimin family. “Mitzpe HaRo’e” (מצפה הרועה) – A small Israeli outpost (an unofficial settlement) located close to Susya, also in the South Hebron Hills area. Susya (סוסיא / سوسيا) – An Israeli settlement in the South Hebron Hills, established near the ruins of the ancient village of Susya. **On December 22, 2025**, the same family was attacked again during the night, and their herd of sheep was targeted once more. The attackers broke into the house, injuring the children and destroying the furniture. They attacked the lambs and sheep with clubs and knives, and slashed the tires of the family car. Video from the family home's security cameras shows at least six people participating in the attack. The attackers swam at least two sheep and injured another one. They smashed the windows of the house and damaged property. Settlers came from the illegal Susiya settlement and savagely stormed the house of the Daghamin family in the Wadi Ajheesh area after breaking its doors and windows. They wreaked havoc on the house’s contents and attacked the residents, including children and women, with stones and sticks, injuring three who were later hospitalized. They stabbed several of their sheep, leaving some dead and others wounded. The family members were evacuated for medical treatment as a result of inhaling pepper spray and their injuries. The Daghamin family has been facing repeated attacks by settlers since October 7, 2023, in an attempt to force them to leave their land. The IDF force and police were called to the scene. According to the police, the police who came to the scene located "many findings". The police also said that the suspects were transferred to the investigation of the chairman of the Shai district.

On October 26, 2025, in the evening, Israeli forces shot by bullets Muhammad Bassam Tiah Shaar (20 years old), at the "Mitar" checkpoint near the town of Al-Dhaheriya, south of Hebron. Israeli forces opened fire on a young man at the checkpoint. He was martyred as a result of being hit by occupation bullets and left bleeding for hours, near the Al-Dhaheriya checkpoint, south of Hebron. The Red Crescent ambulance crews transported the martyr's body to Dura.