Itamar Ben Gvir Reveals Execution Facility for Palestinian Prisoners

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir revealed the construction of a gallows complex in central Israel designed for the execution of Palestinian prisoners. In a video posted to social media, Ben Gvir stated the facility will include a death row wing and viewing chambers for victims' relatives to witness executions by hanging. He framed the project as the fulfillment of campaign promises ahead of October national elections, asserting that terrorists deserve death by hanging.

The facility follows legislation passed by the Knesset of Israel in March 2026 by a vote of 62 to 48. The law mandates the death penalty for Palestinians convicted by military courts of killing Israelis, provided the act was intended to deny the existence of the state of Israel. Critics and human rights groups describe the law as a two-tier justice system because it does not apply to Israeli citizens tried in civilian courts.

The construction and Ben Gvir's accompanying rhetoric—including calls for 30 to 40 targeted assassinations per night in Gaza—have drawn widespread international condemnation. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz labeled the appeals inhumane, while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the comments as appalling and dehumanizing. Abdullah al-Zaghari of the Palestinian Prisoner Society condemned the facility as a crime against humanity.