Palestinian lawyers protest against the proposed Israeli death penalty law in front of the Judicial Court, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Hebron on November 9, 2025. HAZEM BADER / AFP
A bill proposing the death penalty for "terrorists" passed a first reading in Israel's parliament on Monday, November 10 – a measure that could apply to Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. The amendment to the penal code, demanded by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and approved by the National Security Committee, was approved by 39 votes to 16. It must pass a second and third reading before becoming law.
The vote went ahead amid a tense truce with Hamas in the Gaza war that had raged since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
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