Israel passes tribunal law allowing public Oct. 7 trials and possible death sentences

Israel's parliament has passed sweeping legislation establishing a special tribunal empowered to impose the death penalty on Palestinians accused of involvement in the October 7, 2023 attacks, while mandating that major trial proceedings be filmed and broadcast publicly for global viewing. The Knesset approved the bill late on May 11, 2026, by a decisive vote of 93 to 0, creating a distinct and specialized legal framework for prosecuting Hamas attackers and accomplices captured in connection with the deadly assault. The measure applies to suspects currently held inside Israel and establishes a specialized legal framework for prosecuting the October 7 cases.

The Details

The Knesset approved the bill late on May 11, 2026, by a vote of 93 to 0 in the 120-seat chamber, with the remaining legislators either absent or abstaining. The 93-to-0 vote reflected broad parliamentary backing for the measure, though some legislators did not participate. The legislation authorizes a special tribunal to sentence defendants to death. Israel has not carried out a death sentence since the 1962 execution of Adolf Eichmann, making the authorization of capital punishment under this law a significant departure from more than six decades of practice. The law also mandates filming and public broadcasting of major trial moments, including opening hearings, verdicts, and sentencing, on a dedicated website accessible to viewers worldwide. The dedicated website will carry footage of opening hearings, verdicts, and sentencing, making the proceedings immediately visible to a global audience.

Supporters said the bill creates a special framework for prosecuting Hamas attackers and accomplices captured in connection with the October 7 assault, including suspects currently held inside Israel. Yulia Malinovsky told reporters ahead of the vote: "Now, nearly three years later, we have reached the finish line, which is actually the starting line, the beginning of historic trials that the entire world will witness."

Context

Israeli authorities say the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, killed roughly 1,139 to 1,200 people in Israel and involved the kidnapping of about 240 to 250 hostages. The new tribunal law is separate from a March 2026 Israeli law that made the death penalty a default punishment for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis. That earlier measure is not retroactive, and therefore does not apply to the October 7 cases. Because that earlier law cannot be applied retroactively, the newly passed tribunal law serves as the separate legal mechanism for prosecuting defendants connected to the October 7 assault.

Rights groups have sharply criticized the tribunal legislation. Adalah, a legal rights organization, said the law strips core fair-trial protections and could enable coerced evidence and arbitrary deprivation of life. Muna Haddad, an Adalah lawyer, said the bill "explicitly permits mass trials that deviate from standard rules of evidence, including broad judicial discretion to admit evidence obtained under coercive conditions that may amount to torture or ill-treatment." Adalah's criticism centers on the bill's evidentiary rules and the admission of evidence obtained under coercive conditions. Adalah also stated that the bill "denies suspects the basic procedural protections essential to a fair trial." Israeli rights groups said justice for October 7 victims must still comply with fair-trial principles and international law. The legislation comes as the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over the Gaza war, while Israel denies any wrongdoing.

What's Next

With suspects already held inside Israel, the tribunal will operate under the newly passed framework to prosecute defendants connected to the assault. Major trial moments will be filmed and broadcast on a dedicated website, a step supporters have cast as the start of historic proceedings that the entire world will witness. The public broadcasting requirement means opening hearings, verdicts, and sentencing will be visible to viewers worldwide. Rights groups including Adalah have warned the law strips basic procedural protections and permits evidence obtained under coercive conditions, concerns that Israeli rights groups said must be weighed against fair-trial principles and international law.