Former Hamas hostage Rom Braslavski made an emotional appeal to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir during a podcast interview, asking to personally carry out the execution of convicted terrorists if Israel’s proposed death penalty law is enacted. Ben Gvir responded by pledging to do everything possible to fulfill the request.

Braslavski, who survived Hamas captivity, addressed the minister directly while interviewing him on his personal podcast. Referring to legislation promoted by Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party that would authorize capital punishment for terrorists, Braslavski made an extraordinary request.

“I have a personal request, and I’m really looking you straight in the eyes, honored Minister,” Braslavski told Ben Gvir. “Let me be the one who hangs them. I don’t want a rope; I want a button. With my own hands, I will execute every terrorist in the State of Israel.”

Ben Gvir responded by expressing strong support for the request.

“I will move heaven and earth to make that happen. I promise you that I will try and move heaven and earth so that it happens. And G-d willing, it is one of my greatest dreams to see you there.”

The minister also clarified the form of execution outlined in the proposed legislation.

“By the way, it’s hanging. The punishment we established there is to carry it out by hanging. And G-d willing, G-d willing. You are the right person in the right place for us to hang them and execute them one by one. They don’t deserve to live, and you’re right.”

During the interview, Ben Gvir also discussed what he described as sweeping changes to the treatment of security prisoners since he assumed office, contrasting current prison conditions with those that previously existed.

Recalling what he said he encountered in Israel’s prisons before the changes, Ben Gvir said, “You would visit the prisons and see the marmalades and chocolates, the television, ping-pong, and meat. Everything they had there – it was insane. I go through the Israel Prison Service facilities and you hear the stories: We took this one for cosmetic surgery, and we gave that one a prosthetic eye because he lost an eye after throwing a Molotov cocktail.”

He concluded by saying that prison conditions have changed dramatically under his leadership.

“Thank G-d, today we are in a completely different reality,” Ben Gvir concluded. “They are suffering, it’s difficult for them, they are miserable – and I’m glad they are miserable. That’s the only thing that can provide some measure of correction and relief for the tremendous pain that you and all the others carry.”