The Knesset will discuss a controversial bill on the “execution of Palestinian prisoners”, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said on Saturday, according to media reports.
“The Knesset will discuss on Monday preparations for the first reading of the law on the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners,” he was quoted as saying by the Maariv newspaper on its website.
Ben Gvir pointed out that the Otzma Yehudit, or Jewish Power, party he heads “is the one that submitted the bill to execute Palestinian prisoners”, adding that the bill “is expected to receive the support of all members of the Knesset”.
Israel abolished capital punishment in 1954. Since then it has used long-term imprisonment, sometimes for hundreds of years.
In March last year, the Knesset approved in a preliminary reading a bill to reinstate the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners convicted of killing Israelis.
It was introduced by Ben Gvir and backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It has been met with a wave of Palestinian opposition.
The death penalty bill has been proposed several times in Israel in recent years, but the Knesset has refused to pass it.
The bill must pass three readings in the Knesset to become law.
Israel is holding more than 7,000 Palestinians in its jails, including women and children, according to Palestinian sources.
The Israeli army said Hamas was holding 239 Israelis – both military and civilians – in Gaza since 7 October, following an attack by the Palestinian resistance group.
It has since killed more than 12,000 people, most of them women and children, flattened thousands of civilian structures and imposed a total blockade, leading to shortages of supplies including food, fuel and medicine.
Hamas proposed a comprehensive prisoner exchange deal, whereby Hamas would release all hostages in exchange for the release of all Palestinian prisoners.
Israel said it would release the hostages by intensifying its military operation in Gaza.