OAN Staff Addie Davis
6:32 PM – Tuesday, May 12, 2026
The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has passed a new bill establishing a special military tribunal for those accused of participating in the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel.
The bill passed on Monday, following a tense debate. It includes a legal framework that would allow for the death penalty in regard to those convicted of genocide.
Trending: LeBron James Yet Again Swept Out of the NBA Playoffs
According to the Times of Israel, roughly 300 suspected terrorists from the attacks are in detention, and the tribunal would be able to charge the suspects with all relevant crimes, including genocide, under a previous Israeli law. These individuals would be ineligible for prisoner swap or release schemes.
In the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust, more than 1,200 Israelis were killed in the October 7th massacre, and 251 people were taken hostage by Hamas.
“The purpose of this Act is to regulate the prosecution of those who carried out acts of hostility, murder, sexual crimes, abductions, and looting committed by the Hamas terrorist organization and its partners as part of the murderous, organized, and deliberate terrorist attack against Israeli citizens and residents, which began on 7 October, 2023… — acts that constitute crimes against the Jewish people, crimes against humanity, and war crimes,” read the bill, located on the Knesset website, with a translation via DeepL Translator.
The legislation explicitly expands its scope beyond the initial invasion, addressing crimes and subsequent acts of violence committed against hostages held in Gaza following the attacks.
Despite the bill’s passage, the Times of Israel has highlighted that significant disagreements regarding the massive financial burden of establishing the tribunal — estimated at several billion shekels — could cause substantial delays and complicate its practical implementation.
Meanwhile, this move follows a separate measure passed by the Knesset in late March titled the “Death Penalty for Terrorists Bill.” That earlier bill, however, drew condemnation from international human rights organizations, which alleged the language was specifically structured to unfairly target Palestinians and bypass standard judicial safeguards.
“The wording of the bill makes it clear that it would primarily, if not exclusively, be applied to Palestinians,” Human Rights Watch (HRW) argued.
According to the Knesset News, the bill seeks to expand the use of the death penalty for terrorism-related killings, and also proposes that the sentence be carried out by hanging within 90 days, except in special circumstances. Additionally, the legislative measure prevents the government from ordering the release of suspected, accused or convicted individuals of an offense punishable by death.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!