Hundreds rally in West Bank against Israeli death penalty for Palestinians

Civil society and unions join families at protests as EU voices are ‘concerned’ about Israel’s law targeting Palestinian prisoners.Hundreds of Palestinians have protested across the occupied West Bank to denounce the passage of an Israeli law approving the use of the death penalty against Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks.The demonstrations on Tuesday were staged in several cities – including Ramallah, Tubas, Nablus and Jenin in the north and Hebron in the south – after calls by prisoner advocacy groups.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3The US-Israeli war on humanitylist 2 of 3Palestine aIly Ireland under fire for allowing weapons transfers to Israellist 3 of 3Palestine’s Land Day: 50 Years of Resistanceend of listThe Palestinian news agency Wafa said Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups and national factions staged a sit-in in the courtyard of the International Committee of the Red Cross headquarters in el-Bireh.Participants displayed photographs of dozens of prisoners who have died in custody over the decades, Wafa added.Palestinians protest outside the Red Cross offices in Ramallah in the West Bank on March 31, 2026 [AFP]The protest drew a broad crowd, including families of prisoners, senior members of the Fatah party, civil society organisations, trade unions and women’s groups.More than 9,500 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, including 350 children and 73 women. Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups say detainees face torture, starvation and medical neglect, leading to dozens of deaths.Israel’s Knesset passed the death penalty legislation on Monday evening in a 62-48 vote.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in support of the law.European condemnationHuman rights organisations and Palestinian officials have denounced Israel’s approval of the legislation allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks, arguing that it breaches international law and is fundamentally discriminatory because it does not apply equally to Israeli convicts.