Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Sunday night that Israel’s death penalty law for terrorists has now been applied in Judea and Samaria, making it the default punishment in cases where terrorists murder Jews or Israelis and are captured alive.

Katz said the move marks a major post-October 7 policy shift. “Enough with the era of containment. Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison in comfortable conditions, will not wait for deals and will not dream of release – they will pay the heaviest price,” Katz said. “Today, with the signing of the amendment by the Central Command commander, we are turning the new policy into reality.”

Katz thanked National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who led the law with the backing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Katz said Israel’s message to terrorists is clear: “Whoever raises a hand against a Jew, whoever harms IDF soldiers or Israeli civilians – the State of Israel will pursue him, reach him, and exhaust the law against him to the end.”

Ben Gvir also welcomed the move, saying the government had fulfilled its promise. “A terrorist who murders Jews must know that his end will not be in a release deal, but in the death penalty,” he said. “After October 7, the State of Israel is changing the equation. In the face of murderous terror, we do not fold and we do not contain – we defeat.”

The Knesset approved the death penalty law earlier this year, but its application in Judea and Samaria required a military order amendment because the area operates under military law.