Israel Passes Law to Create Tribunal for October 7 Attack Participants

Israeli lawmakers approved a bill on May 12, 2026, setting up a special tribunal for Palestinians convicted of taking part in the 2023 Hamas-led attack. The measure passed 93-0 in the 120-seat Knesset, with 27 lawmakers absent or abstaining from the vote. The tribunal has authority to sentence defendants to death.

A panel of judges can hand down the penalty by majority vote, and trials must be conducted in a livestreamed Jerusalem courtroom. Defendants can appeal sentences, but appeals must be heard by a separate special appeals court. The legislation drew comparisons to the 1962 trial of Adolf Eichmann, which was broadcast live on television.

Eichmann was executed by hanging. His execution in 1962 was the last time the death penalty was carried out in Israel. Capital punishment remains on the books in Israel for acts of genocide, espionage during wartime and certain terror offenses.

A separate law passed in March 2026 approved the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis. That measure is not retroactive and does not apply to October 2023 suspects. Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 as hostages.

Israel's ensuing offensive on Gaza has killed over 72,628 Palestinians, including at least 846 killed since a ceasefire took hold in October 2025. Around half the deaths in Gaza were women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Gaza Health Ministry is part of the Hamas-led government.

N. agencies and independent experts. An unknown number of suspects from the October 7 attack were taken into Israeli custody. Simcha Rothman, one of the bill's sponsors and a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition, said the overwhelming consensus for the bill shows Israeli lawmakers can come together around a common mission.