Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Israel's Ben-Gvir Showcases Planned Gallows for Palestinian Prisoners
Israel is building a facility that could be used to hang some Palestinian prisoners.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showed the construction in a video.
He said families of terror victims could watch executions from special booths.
The project follows a law passed by Israel’s parliament allowing death sentences for some deadly terror offences.
The law mainly applies in military courts, which largely try Palestinians.
Rights groups say this could make trials less fair and increase unequal treatment.
Israel has carried out the death penalty only once, in 1962, when Adolf Eichmann was executed.
Ben-Gvir also called for many people in Gaza to be killed each day, and Germany, France and the United Nations condemned those remarks.
Itamar Ben-Gvir posted video showing construction of a planned gallows facility for Palestinian prisoners.
The undisclosed site reportedly lies near a maximum-security prison and includes viewing booths for victims’ families.
Israel’s Knesset passed a law requiring death sentences in some fatal terrorism cases tried in military courts.
Rights groups warned the legislation could weaken fair-trial protections and deepen inequalities affecting Palestinians.
Ben-Gvir also called for killing 30 to 40 people in Gaza daily, drawing condemnation from several governments and the United Nations.
- Who
- Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Palestinian prisoners, Israel’s Knesset, rights groups and affected victims’ families.
- What
- Construction was showcased for a planned hanging facility after legislation allowing death sentences for certain fatal terrorism offences.
- When
- The Knesset passed the law in March of the reported year, and Ben-Gvir later posted the construction video; his Gaza remarks came days earlier.
- Where
- At an undisclosed site reportedly near a maximum-security prison in Israel; the law mainly applies in Israeli military courts.
- Why
- Ben-Gvir said the facility fulfilled promises to worsen prison conditions, establish the death penalty for terrorists and provide viewing booths for victims’ families.
Rights Groups and Critics
Ben-Gvir and Law Supporters
Fairness and equality
Rights Groups and Critics
Amnesty International and other rights groups warned that the law could weaken fair-trial protections and deepen inequalities because it mainly operates through military courts trying Palestinians.
Ben-Gvir and Law Supporters
Ben-Gvir presented the law and the emerging execution facility as fulfilled promises concerning terrorism and prison conditions.
Scope of executions
Rights Groups and Critics
Critics object to a hanging site intended for Palestinian prisoners and to viewing booths that would allow victims’ families to watch executions.
Ben-Gvir and Law Supporters
Ben-Gvir said the facility would include viewing booths for families of terror victims and described the intended prisoners as terrorists.
Deaths in Gaza
Rights Groups and Critics
Germany, France and the United Nations condemned Ben-Gvir’s call to kill 30 to 40 people in Gaza each day; France, Ireland and the United Kingdom also imposed sanctions against him over a reported punitive-killing policy.
Ben-Gvir and Law Supporters
Ben-Gvir called for the deaths of Hamas operatives and other alleged enemies, although he does not have authority to order military strikes.
- Facility
- A planned gallows and death-row center with viewing booths for victims’ families.
- Announced by
- Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s national security minister.
- Legal basis
- Knesset legislation passed in March allowing death by hanging for certain fatal terrorism-related offences.
- Jurisdiction
- The law mainly applies to Israeli military courts, which largely try Palestinians.
- Sentencing rule
- Military courts must impose death sentences unless judges find exceptional circumstances warranting life imprisonment.
- Israel’s death-penalty record
- Israel has carried out the death penalty only once, in 1962, against Adolf Eichmann.
- Related remarks
- Ben-Gvir called for Israel to kill 30 to 40 people in Gaza every day; Germany, France and the United Nations condemned the comments.
