Israeli parliament approves law establishing military court for Hamas ‘elite force’ members

The Israeli parliament approved a law Monday establishing a special military court for what Israel describes as Hamas “elite force” members.

The bill was first approved in a preliminary reading in mid-January after being introduced by lawmakers Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionism party and Yulia Malinovsky of the Yisrael Beiteinu party.

The Knesset approved the second and third readings of the bill, formally turning it into law.

The legislation passed with the support from 93 lawmakers, with no votes against or abstentions.

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said the law would provide the legal basis for what it described as “unprecedented trials,” calling them the largest and most significant proceedings in Israel since the trial of Nazi Adolf Eichmann.

Israel abducted Eichmann from Argentina in 1960 before trying and executing him in 1962.

Hamas did not immediately comment on the legislation.

Israel claims Palestinians arrested after the Oct. 7, 2023 events are members of Hamas “elite force,” although they have not yet been brought to trial.

More than 9,600 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons, according to rights groups, which say detainees face torture, starvation and medical neglect, and many of them have died.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul