Israel has passed a new law allowing the death penalty and public trials for individuals accused of involvement in the Hamas led attacks and hostage taking that took place on October 7, 2023.
The legislation was approved in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, by a vote of 93 to 0, with several lawmakers absent or abstaining during the proceedings.
The law received support from both government and opposition politicians and is intended to create a special legal framework for prosecuting suspects linked to the attacks in southern Israel.
According to Israeli officials, the legislation will allow suspects to face charges including terrorism, murder, sexual violence and genocide, offences that could carry the death penalty under the new framework.
The law specifically targets alleged members of Hamas’ Nukhba special forces unit who were captured inside Israel following the October 7 assault.
Authorities said the suspects will be tried before a special military court in Jerusalem under procedures different from standard criminal trials.
The legislation also permits key parts of the hearings, including verdicts and sentencing, to be filmed and broadcast publicly through a dedicated website.
Supporters of the law described the upcoming trials as historic and compared them to the prosecution of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, who was executed in 1962 after being convicted in Israel.
Opposition politician Yulia Malinovsky said the world should witness the trials and see how Israel responds to those accused of murder, kidnapping and violence.
Human rights organisations in Israel, however, criticised the law and warned against the use of capital punishment and possible “show trials.” Rights groups also raised concerns about confessions allegedly obtained through torture.
The October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas led fighters resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people in southern Israel, while 251 individuals were taken hostage into Gaza Strip.
The conflict that followed has become the deadliest war in Gaza’s history, with tens of thousands reported killed according to Gaza health authorities.
Families of victims and hostages also participated in parliamentary discussions before the law was passed, demanding accountability and answers regarding the attacks and those held captive.
