<article data-history-node-id="431341" about="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israels-ben-gvir-hands-out-sweets-after-death-penalty-bill-palestinians" class="live-blog-update default clearfix"> <h2> <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israels-ben-gvir-hands-out-sweets-after-death-penalty-bill-palestinians" rel="bookmark"> <span class="field field-title">Israel's Ben Gvir hands out sweets after death penalty bill for Palestinians advances</span> </a> </h2> <div class="content"> <div class="field field-field-text"><p><a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israeli&nbsp;</a>minister Itamar Ben Gvir handed out sweets in parliament on Monday after a bill&nbsp;allowing death penalty for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine" target="_blank">Palestinian</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/Palestinian%20prisoners" target="_blank">prisoners</a>&nbsp;passed its first reading.&nbsp;</p> <p>The bill was approved by a majority of 39 out of 120 Knesset members, with 16 voting against in Israel's parliament.</p> <p>It would allow judges to impose the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis on so-called “nationalistic” grounds.</p> <p>The legislation would not apply to Israelis who kill Palestinians under similar circumstances.</p> <p>The bill now requires two more readings in the Knesset before it can become an official law.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Hamas called the&nbsp;legislation "fascist and sadistic" and called for global action against Israel, including "deterrent sanctions."</p> <p>The Islamic Jihad said&nbsp;the bill's passing was "a dangerous criminal escalation".</p> <h3>Read more: <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ben-gvir-distributes-sweets-after-preliminary-approval-prisoner-execution-law">Israel's Ben Gvir hands out sweets after death penalty bill for Palestinians advances</a></h3> <figure role="group" class="media-block"> <div class="group-inner"> <div alt="Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir walks inside the Knesset on 13 October 2025 (Reuters/Chip Somodevilla)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a7329b2-e352-40da-a2d1-4e5b1fc4068f" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/images-story/2025-10-13T084808Z_1903024092_RC2WAHA3PE1Y_RTRMADP_3_ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-TRUMP-min%20%281%29.JPG" width="6096" height="3429" alt="Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir walks inside the Knesset on 13 October 2025 (Reuters/Chip Somodevilla)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high"> </div> <figcaption>Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir walks inside the Knesset on 13 October 2025 (Reuters/Chip Somodevilla)</figcaption> </div> </figure> <p><span style="background: url(&quot;https://www.middleeasteye.net/modules/contrib/ckeditor/vendor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" loading="lazy"></span></p> </div> </div> </article>