Hamas and Islamic Jihad Denounce ‘israeli’ Legislation Aiming to Execute Palestinian Prisoners
Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Palestinian resistance movements, have vehemently denounced Israel's proposed legislation that would permit the execution of Palestinian prisoners. They are calling on the United Nations to quickly intervene to prevent the enactment of this contentious law.
On Monday, the Israeli Knesset’s Committee on National Security gave the green light to a controversial bill authorizing the execution of Palestinian prisoners. The legislation now heads to the Knesset General Assembly for debate and a vote during the forthcoming legislative session.
Hamas has condemned the action, describing it as a revelation of “the ugly, fascist face” of the Israeli regime. They assert that the move represents a significant breach of international law, international humanitarian law, and the Third Geneva Convention.
The resistance movement has called upon the United Nations, the international community, and pertinent humanitarian and human rights organizations to swiftly intervene and halt what they describe as a “brutal crime.”
It further called for the establishment of international committees to access detention centers, assess the conditions of Palestinian prisoners, and reveal the reported atrocities occurring within those facilities.
Hamas has issued an urgent appeal for the immediate release of Palestinian detainees, following alarming reports of violations perpetrated against them.
The Islamic Jihad resistance movement has aligned itself with Hamas’ declaration, condemning the bill as a fresh infringement upon international charters and humanitarian standards. The movement asserts that the bill’s passage amounts to a war crime, framing it as part of the ongoing genocide allegedly conducted by the Israeli occupation against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
The group has issued a warning that the new legislation could lead to the “mass execution” of thousands of Palestinian detainees.
The movement has pledged to exert every effort in addressing and challenging the adversary’s aggressive policies directed at the prisoners and the Palestinian populace as a whole.
The contentious bill, proposed by the Jewish Power party, led by far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir, is expected to undergo its first parliamentary reading as early as Wednesday.
The regulation specifies that judges can impose capital punishment on Palestinians found guilty of killing Israelis on “nationalistic grounds.” This provision does not extend to cases involving an Israeli killing a Palestinian under comparable conditions.
The bill, initially championed by far-right Israeli factions prior to the October 2023 conflict in Gaza, has recently gained traction once more with renewed support.
During an earlier session with the Knesset’s committee, Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for captives and the missing, stated that a meeting had been held with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prior to the debate. They both reached a consensus on proposing the new legislation.
Hirsch initially resisted the bill, expressing concerns that it might obstruct the release of Israeli captives in Gaza. However, following the return of all living captives under a ceasefire agreement facilitated by the United States, his opposition has been deemed “redundant,” according to Israeli media reports.
