Hamas on Monday evening issued a sharp response to reports that Israel is fast-tracking approval of legislation that would allow the death penalty for terrorists, following disclosures that preparations for implementing the law have already begun.
The terror group reacted to a report aired on Channel 13 News regarding the acceleration of the legislative process and initial steps to establish enforcement mechanisms. In a statement, Hamas accused Israel of exposing what it called its true nature. “(The move) exposes the true face of this entity, which exists on bloodshed, organized crime and collective punishment,” the organization claimed.
Hamas further alleged that advancing the legislation constitutes a serious violation of international law and global conventions. Referring to Israel’s prison policies, the group described the proposed law as part of what it termed an escalation against incarcerated terrorists.
“It is about unprecedented steps within a policy of ‘slow killing’ that the occupation is carrying out against the prisoners,” the statement asserted, adding that the measures reflect “sadism and systematic torture inside the prisons.”
The organization also alleged that prisoners are subjected on a daily basis to “abuse, medical neglect and deliberate starvation,” which it claimed is a continuation of what it described as Israel’s war against the Palestinian people.
Hamas concluded its statement with an appeal to the international community, calling for immediate intervention. “We call on the United Nations and all international legal and humanitarian institutions to act immediately and effectively to protect our prisoners and to stop this dangerous crime,” the statement read.
As previously reported, the Israel Prison Service has in recent days begun advancing dedicated preparations for the possible implementation of the death penalty law for terrorists, which has already passed its first reading in the Knesset. The preparations reportedly include establishing a designated facility for carrying out sentences, formulating operational procedures, training personnel, and examining practices in countries where similar punishment exists.
{Matzav.com}
Reports from the Gaza Strip said Monday that one of four terrorists killed earlier in the day in eastern Rafah was Anas Issa al-Nashar, the son of Issa al-Nashar, identified as one of the founders of Hamas.
According to the reports, the four terrorists were killed after emerging from an underground shaft connected to the subterranean tunnel network in the eastern Rafah area. Al-Nashar was named as one of those eliminated during the incident.
Additional details circulating in Gaza claimed that the slain terrorist’s mother is a senior figure in Hamas’ women’s movement. It was also reported that one of his brothers was killed in 2006, while another brother and other members of the family were killed during the current war. The reports further noted that al-Nashar was the nephew of Abu Ahmad al-Bawwab, the commander of Hamas’ eastern Rafah battalion, who was killed in early 2025.
The incident occurred during ongoing operations by Israel Defense Forces to clear the area of terrorists and terror infrastructure in eastern Rafah. According to the IDF, troops identified four terrorists emerging from an underground shaft in the area and opening fire on forces from the 7th Brigade.
IDF troops returned fire and killed all four terrorists. The military said that, b’chasdei Shomayim, there were no injuries to Israeli forces during the exchange.
{Matzav.com}
Senior rabbis from the Religious Zionist community issued a public warning on Monday against what they described as deliberate attempts to inflame tensions and sow division between Religious Zionists and the chareidi public, particularly surrounding the ongoing debate over military conscription.
In a letter signed by dozens of rabbis along with bereaved families, the authors cautioned that outside interests are exploiting the sensitive issue of the draft to pit one sector against another. “In recent times, parties with vested interests are trying to stir conflict between different groups in Israeli society, including between the chareidi public and the national camp,” the letter states.
The rabbis acknowledged that disagreements exist, including within the Religious Zionist camp itself, but stressed that these differences must not become a source of internal fracture. “It is no secret that there are ideological gaps and disagreements on the issue of conscription between different streams within the national camp,” they wrote, adding, “We will continue to discuss and argue, but we will do so as loving brothers.”
They further warned that political maneuvering around the draft issue could have broader consequences, cautioning that “the attempt to dismantle the national camp and the right-wing government under the pretext of the ‘draft law’ is falling into a trap.”
Alongside the warning, the rabbis voiced support for the proposed draft legislation, saying that in its current form it has the potential to significantly increase enlistment from the chareidi sector. They wrote that the bill could result in “triple the number of chareidim being drafted into the IDF in a way that will ease the burden on reserve soldiers and strengthen the IDF.”
The letter described chareidi backing for the legislation as a rare opportunity, stating, “The chareidi agreement to the law is a historic opportunity that must not be missed.” The rabbis concluded by expressing support for political leadership on the right, saying, “We strengthen the hands of the leaders of the camp to continue leading the right-wing government for many more years.”
{Matzav.com}
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Israel Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Amitai Gonen, an 11-year-old boy from Shilo–Shvut Rachel, who has been missing since Monday afternoon.
According to police, Amitai left school in Ofra at approximately 1:30 p.m. and was last seen in the area of the Ofra hitchhiking point. Since then, contact with him has been lost and his whereabouts remain unknown. Searches are currently ongoing in the Binyamin region.
Amitai is described as approximately 1.35 meters (4 feet 5 inches) tall, with a slim build, light complexion with freckles, light brown hair, and blue eyes. At the time he was last seen, he was reportedly wearing a light brown hoodie and matching light brown pants.
Anyone with information regarding Amitai’s location, or who may have seen him, is urged to contact the Israel Police emergency center by dialing 100, or to call the Binyamin police station at 02-970-6444.
{Matzav.com}
