A large number of people, including community leaders, dignitaries, and prisoners’ families, gathered in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza to condemn Israel’s approval of a law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
Wednesday’s rally took place after Israel's parliament, or Knesset, passed legislation that enraged not only international leaders and human rights organisations but also Palestinians, who turned out in large numbers to protest what they described as "racist legislation."
Participants held up photos of prisoners and banners stressing that harming them is a "red line," and urged immediate global action to prevent the law from being implemented.
Ali al-Shashniya, spokesperson for tribes and popular committees in Bureij, told Anadolu that the protest aimed to “send a clear message to the occupation that the prisoners are not alone.”
Adopting such laws reflects “confusion and failure,” stressing that tribal leaders declare, "Any harm to our prisoners will be met with an unexpected popular and national response,” he said.
He emphasised that Palestinians stand united behind the prisoners’ cause.
Vowing continued resistance
Nihad Awad Ahmad, father of prisoner Nader Ahmad, said the law “will only increase our determination and adherence to our rights despite threats against our sons in prisons.”
“Our sons are symbols of freedom, and we will not tire of demanding their release,” he said.
He called for immediate international action “to support the prisoners and put an end to the actions of the Israeli government.”
Participants also affirmed that protests will continue across Gaza in support of prisoners amid what they described as a “harsh campaign” against them.
The law approved by the Knesset allows for executions by hanging to be carried out by guards appointed by the Israeli Prison Service, with anonymity and legal immunity granted to those carrying out the sentences.
It also allows death sentences to be issued without a request from the prosecution and without requiring unanimity, as decisions can be made by a simple majority, and it applies to military courts handling Palestinian cases in the occupied West Bank.
The law has faced domestic criticism, with around 1,200 Israelis, including Nobel laureates, former military officials, and former Supreme Court judges, opposing it and describing it as a “moral stain.”
