Relatives of Israeli hostages worry death sentences for captured Hamas fighters will lead to reprisals

Relatives of some of the 240 people held by Hamas in Gaza today asked far-right Israeli lawmakers not to pursue the proposed death penalty for the captured Palestinian militants, saying even discussing it could endanger them. hostages.

Several suspects were arrested after members of the armed Islamist group breached the border in Gaza Strip on October 7, killing more than 1,200 people and taking others hostage, according to Israel. Israel’s Justice Ministry said on Nov. 7 that a task force is discussing how to conduct the trial of arrested Palestinians and ensure “punishments commensurate with the seriousness of the atrocities committed” for those convicted.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the death penalty, which is provided for by Israeli law but is not implemented, as reported by APE-MPE. Some of the relatives of people held hostage by Hamas in Gaza they worry that publicity about the death penalty debate could lead to retaliation although hopes are rising for a deal to free some of them.

The hostages have already been threatened with execution by Hamas and are at risk of being injured or killed in an Israeli military attack in response to the October 7 invasion.

“This will mean that one is participating in their psychological games. And in return we will get pictures of our loved ones killed, finished, and the State of Israel and not them (Hamas) will be blamed for this,” Jarden Gonen, whose sister Romi is among the hostages, told Ben -Gvir and other members of his party during a parliamentary committee meeting. “Don’t pursue this until they come back,” he declared. “Don’t put my sister’s blood on your hands.”

You are confused

The only court-ordered execution in Israel was his convicted Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1962. Israeli military courts, which often handle cases involving Palestinians, have the power to impose the death penalty by unanimous decision of three judges, although this has never been implemented.

Pro-war politicians have, for years, proposed relaxing the terms of such convictions, saying executions deter terrorism. Doing so is “now more critical than ever,” Ben-Gvir said, “first of all, for the sake of those who were killed and those who fell in the line of duty and, at the very least, so that there are no more abductees.”

Linor Dan-Calderon, whose three relatives are being held hostage, accused Ben-Gvir’s party of having “confused priorities”. “You are confused because we are a nation that pursues life, not a nation that pursues revenge – even if we did something to Eichmann in the past,” he declared. “I’m just asking you to take this off the agenda.”

Source: News Beast

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