Two hours before the start of Yom Kippur on Sunday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir raised the possibility of applying the death penalty to the terrorist responsible for the attack in Neveh Tzuf during a security meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu had reportedly convened the meeting in response to the security situation in the West Bank following the Sunday terror attack.
Following Ben Gvir’s statements, Netanyahu directed IDF officials present at the meeting to explore the issue and determine whether the law could be applied in this particular case.
The IDF officials reportedly responded that, from their perspective, there would be no obstacle to enforcing the law in the case discussed.
At the conclusion of the security meeting, the limited cabinet decided to schedule an additional meeting that would include the Military Advocate-General, who was not present at the Sunday meeting. The follow-up will aim to examine the relevant legal and procedural aspects of the case and assess the feasibility of applying the death penalty.
Neveh Tzuf terror attack
Earlier on Sunday, the terrorist discussed in Netanyahu's security meeting opened fire on Israelis bathing in a spring in the Neveh Tzuf area of the West Bank.
Netanel Chkroun, an Israeli father of six, was later identified as the victim killed in the shooting.
The terrorist reportedly shot at the group of Israelis from a red Mitsubishi SUV with Palestinian Authority license plates. He then exited the vehicle armed and fled the scene on foot before later being apprehended by the IDF's Duvdevan undercover counterterrorism unit.
Before the shooter was apprehended, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir had affirmed that should the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack not be killed during the manhunt, "he belongs on the gallows," in accordance with the Death Penalty for Terrorists Law.
James Genn, and Miriam Sela-Eitam contributed to this report.