Israel Enacts Law for Public Trials, Death Penalty for October 7 Attack Suspects

Israeli lawmakers have passed a bill creating a special tribunal that can sentence Palestinians accused of involvement in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks to death. The legislation passed 93–0 in the 120-seat Knesset, with 27 members absent or abstaining. Rights organizations warn the law weakens fair trial protections and allows mass convictions.

Muna Haddad, a lawyer with Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, said the bill deliberately reduces legal safeguards. It permits mass trials that can admit evidence obtained through coercion, which may amount to torture. She called this a serious violation of international fair trial standards.

The law also requires filming and broadcasting key trial moments, including opening hearings, verdicts, and sentencing, on a dedicated website. Haddad warned this turns proceedings into show trials that violate the presumption of innocence and the right to dignity. She said the framework treats indictment as guilt before any judicial review.

Israel holds an estimated 200–300 Palestinians captured during the October 7 attacks who have not been charged. The Hamas-led assault killed at least 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and seized about 240 captives. Israel's subsequent war on Gaza has killed at least 72,628 Palestinians, including 846 since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire began in October.

Several Israeli rights groups, including Hamoked, Adalah, and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, said justice for October 7 victims is urgent but must follow principles of justice. The new bill is separate from a March law imposing death sentences for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, which applies only to future cases.

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem called the law a cover for Israeli war crimes in Gaza. The International Criminal Court is investigating Israel's conduct and has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice, which it rejects.