The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) published a statement condemning a bill approved by the Israeli Knesset's "National Security Committee," calling for the execution of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, characterizing it as legalizing the brutality of the Israeli occupation.

In its statement, the PPS emphasized that the occupation has never ceased carrying out extrajudicial killings against Palestinians, whether through deliberate executions during detention, interrogation, targeted assassinations, or fatal medical neglect as part of a systematic pattern of medical crimes.

The Society added that the actions being taken today represent merely an additional step to entrench a long-standing crime that has persisted for decades, as authorities attempt to "legitimize" it through laws, regulations, and military orders.

The statement highlighted that, over many decades, the Israeli colonial system has implemented policies of slow execution against hundreds of prisoners in its jails, using systematic methods and tools that have led to the deaths of dozens.

Furthermore, it noted that these policies have escalated to unprecedented levels since the start of the ongoing extermination campaign, making the current period the deadliest in the history of the Palestinian Captive Movement. 81 were confirmed killed in Israeli prisons since the start of the war up to early November 2025, alongside dozens of detainees from Gaza who have been executed and remain subjected to enforced disappearance.

Bill represents Israeli campaign of extermination

One of the clearest indications of the ongoing executions is seen on the bodies of captives from Gaza handed over after the war, the statement pointed out, noting that it became evident that a large number of them had been detained and subsequently executed, with some appearing in video footage alive, only for it to later emerge that they had been killed and their bodies desecrated.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Society noted that the advancement of legislation authorizing the execution of detainees to its first reading stage was not surprising to those following the captives’ cause, particularly in light of the unprecedented brutality carried out by the occupation system.

The Society added that this system continues to pursue a campaign of mass extermination, with prisons serving as one of the arenas where this systematic killing extends from Gaza to other detention sites.

The statement added that despite the clear stance of international law, which has worked to abolish the death penalty through multiple international treaties, including some with universal reach, the occupation’s insistence on legalizing this crime and giving it an appearance of “legitimacy” underscores once again that "Israel" acts as if it is above the law and beyond accountability.

It further noted that this reality has been revealed by the ongoing extermination campaign, which has exposed both the incapacity of the international community and its systematic complicity with the colonial and murderous apparatus of the occupation.

The statement emphasized that the brutality of the occupation has reached unprecedented levels, to the point that human rights concepts fall short of describing it. It noted that "Israel" has not only killed dozens of detainees since the outbreak of the extermination campaign, but is now also seeking to entrench the crime of execution through the enactment of a special law.

The PPS concluded its statement by saying that the proposed "Prisoners’ Execution Law" has existed for years but has gained renewed momentum under "Israel’s" extreme right-wing government, with leaders like Ben-Gvir and Netanyahu pushing for its approval and linking it to the coalition’s survival.

'Israel' approves bill to execute Palestinians, preliminary reading set for Wednesday

Earlier on Monday, the Knesset "National Security Committee" advanced a bill to execute Palestinian detainees, after government hostage pointman Gal Hirsch informed the panel that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the measure. According to Israeli media, the bill's first reading in the Knesset could take place as early as Wednesday.

Hirsch, who had originally expressed opposition to the bill during a "National Security Committee" meeting in September, changed his position on Monday, stating that both he and Netanyahu now support the legislation.

The bill was put forward by Otzma Yehudit lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech and has been strongly promoted by her party’s leader, Itamar Ben Gvir. Ben-Gvir warned on October 20 that if the bill did not advance to pass its first reading in the Knesset plenum within three weeks, his far-right party would no longer feel obligated to vote in support of the coalition.

In March 2023, lawmakers voted 55-9 in favor of the bill, but it ultimately failed to progress further despite being included in the ruling Likud party’s coalition agreement with Otzma Yehudit, due to significant opposition from senior figures within the government and security services.