A bill proposing the death penalty for "terrorists" has passed its first reading in the Israeli parliament, reports "Agence France-Presse".
The measure could apply to Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis.
The amendment to the Penal Code, requested by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and approved by the National Security Committee, was approved by 39 votes "for" against 16 "against". It must pass a second and third reading before becoming law.
The vote came amid a tense truce with Hamas in the Gaza war, which has been raging since the Palestinian group's attacks on October 7, 2023.
Although the death penalty exists for a small number of crimes in Israel, the country has de facto abolished the death penalty - Nazi Holocaust perpetrator Adolf Eichmann was the last person executed in 1962.
Ben Gvir threatened to withdraw his Jewish Power party by the ruling coalition if the law is not put to a vote.
A statement from the security committee, which includes the explanatory note to the bill, states: "Its aim is to cut terrorism at its root and create a powerful deterrent".
"It is proposed that a terrorist convicted of murder motivated by racism or hatred of society, and in circumstances where the act was committed with the intention of harming the State of Israel, be sentenced to the death penalty - mandatory", the statement specifies.
The ceasefire in Gaza came into effect last month and the government is still discussing with the United States and other countries the terms of extending the measure.
"Hamas" said the proposed law "embodies the ugly fascist face of the disloyal Zionist occupation and constitutes a blatant violation of international law".
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry, based in Ramallah, called it "a new form of escalation of Israeli extremism and criminality against the Palestinian people".