Israel Extends Death Penalty Law to Judea and Samaria for Terrorists Convicted of Murdering Israelis

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced this evening (Sunday) that the death penalty law advanced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has now been applied in the West Bank as the default punishment, in cases where, God forbid, terrorists murder Jews and Israelis and the terrorist is captured alive.

At Katz’s instruction, Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth signed an amendment to the order to allow the death penalty to be applied to terrorists in the West Bank, in accordance with the provisions of the law. The defense minister said this marks a policy change following the October 7 massacre.

Katz added: "The era of containment is over. Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison under comfortable conditions, will not wait for deals, and will not dream of release — they will pay the heaviest price. I congratulate my colleague, National Security Minister Ben Gvir, who led this important law with the backing of Prime Minister Netanyahu. Immediately after the law was approved, I instructed the IDF to act to implement it, and today, with the signing of the amendment by the head of Central Command, we are turning the new policy into reality. Our message to every terrorist is clear: whoever raises a hand against a Jew, whoever harms IDF soldiers or Israeli civilians — the State of Israel will pursue him, reach him, and bring him to full justice."

Minister Ben Gvir said: "We promised — and we delivered. A terrorist who murders Jews must know that his end will not come in a release deal, but in the death penalty. I congratulate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, my colleague Defense Minister Katz, and the head of Central Command for advancing and implementing this important policy. After October 7, the State of Israel is changing the equation. In the face of murderous terror, we do not fold and we do not contain — we defeat it."