Israel has begun preparing criminal proceedings against terrorists who took part in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, after the government approved more than 1 billion shekels ($350 million) to bring them to trial, officials said on Tuesday.
“Following government approval and the allocation of funds, the defense establishment will now begin all necessary preparations to advance the judicial proceedings aimed at bringing the terrorists to justice,” according to a joint statement by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
The funds, set to be allocated between 2026 and 2029, will be used to establish unique infrastructure for the criminal proceedings, including premises for the court, the prosecution and an Israel Defense Forces command center, according to the statement.
The budget also covers the recruitment of court personnel, salary expenses, building maintenance, computer and communications systems, broadcasting services, food and medical services, transportation and other “related requirements,” it said.
“The State of Israel will bring to justice the perpetrators of the most brutal massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and will send a clear and unequivocal message to all our enemies: whoever slaughters, murders, rapes and kidnaps Israeli citizens will pay the full price,” Katz stated.
“Bringing them to justice is our moral and national duty to the victims, the bereaved families, the survivors, the hostages and their families and all citizens of Israel,” he added.
Smotrich stated, “The State of Israel is committed to ensuring justice is served against those who threatened our existence and slaughtered our citizens.”
“We are now providing the full budget necessary to advance this moral obligation, so that all who seek our harm will know their fate and what awaits them,” he said.
On May 11, the Knesset voted 93-0 in favor of a law providing a legal framework for the prosecution of terrorists involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion. The legislation details how judges and prosecutors are to be selected, how trials are to be conducted, and provides for an appeals process.
“The purpose of this law is to regulate the prosecution of perpetrators of acts of hostility, murder, sexual crimes, kidnapping and looting carried out by the Hamas terrorist organization and its partners as part of the murderous terrorist attack,” its explanatory section says.
The law establishes a special military court in Jerusalem dedicated to trying the terrorists involved in the attack. These will include the Nukhba terrorists, the “elite” Hamas force that spearheaded the assault.
One of the law’s key provisions permits judges to apply the death penalty, not only for acts of murder but also for other extreme crimes, such as rape.
There are an estimated 300 Nukhba terrorists in Israeli prisons. They are among several thousand terrorists and suspected terrorists detained by Israel since the war’s outbreak. Indictments are expected to be brought against 400 suspects. That number may increase dependent on ongoing investigations.
