Key facts
- Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced the construction of a facility for executing Palestinian prisoners.
- The planned facility will include "viewing chambers where crime victims will be able to come and watch" executions.
- Israel's parliament approved a bill regulating the execution of Palestinian prisoners convicted of deadly attacks.
- Ben Gvir's comments drew international condemnation, with Germany calling for EU sanctions.
- Human rights groups accuse Israel of a de facto policy of executing Palestinians.
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced on Tuesday the construction of a facility intended for the execution of Palestinian prisoners, stating that "terrorists will be executed" at the site. In a video posted on Instagram, Ben Gvir pointed to an active construction site, indicating that the complex would include "viewing chambers where crime victims will be able to come and watch" Palestinians being hanged.
Ben Gvir celebrated this as a victory over opponents who had previously "ridiculed" his plan. Earlier this year, Israel's parliament approved a bill, sponsored by Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party, that regulates the execution of Palestinian prisoners convicted of involvement in deadly attacks. The Israel Prison Service (IPS) is designated as the agency responsible for these executions. Israeli media reports indicated that the IPS had already begun preparing sites and personnel, with three volunteers reportedly expected to carry out hangings within 90 days of sentencing.
During a recent interview, Ben Gvir promised Rom Braslavski, a former Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas, that he would do everything possible to allow him to execute Palestinians, stating that those held under his supervision "don't deserve to live." Ben Gvir also called for the killing and expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza.
These statements have drawn international condemnation. German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil described Ben Gvir's language as "dehumanising" and called on the European Union to impose sanctions on the minister. Human rights groups have accused Israel of a de facto policy of executing Palestinians, with B'Tselem stating that IPS detention facilities have become "a network of torture camps." The group added that the death penalty law "adds another official killing mechanism to the existing practices." As of June, at least 104 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli custody since 2023.