Three years after Oct. 7 massacre, pressure mounts to bring suspects to justice as legal proceedings drag on

According to some estimates, the first trial is not expected to reach a verdict until 2030, meaning that even if the process moves forward without further delays, years could pass before the first judgment is handed down.

By Ailin Vilches Arguello, The Algemeiner

Three years after the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, pressure is mounting to bring those suspected of taking part in the atrocities to justice, as Israel works to overcome delays that have kept the long-awaited trials from beginning.

Speaking at a parliamentary oversight hearing on Wednesday, Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee chairman Simcha Rothman called for the first indictments of Palestinian terrorists suspected of participating in the Oct. 7 attack to be issued in the first half of 2027, urging authorities to expedite the process so that victims and the Israeli public can see those responsible brought to trial.

Earlier this year, the Israeli government passed legislation establishing a special military tribunal to prosecute those suspected of involvement in the Oct. 7 massacre, with the courts authorized to impose the death penalty and hold public proceedings at a military court in Jerusalem.

Even though prosecutors began questioning Palestinian detainees captured by Israeli security forces on Oct. 7 and in its aftermath and collecting evidence against them soon after the attacks, there has yet to be a full criminal accounting of the events in a courtroom.

In June, Israeli officials approved a budget of more than $300 million for the tribunals, which will require a dedicated court complex, prosecution offices, and an Israel Defense Forces headquarters facility to support the trials.

Media reports indicate that about 300 Palestinians are being held in Israeli detention centers on suspicion of involvement in the atrocities, although the exact number remains classified.

Under Israeli law, the tribunals will generally apply the evidentiary standards used in regular criminal proceedings, but the new legislation allows judges to depart from those standards when necessary, as long as doing so does not compromise the fairness of the proceedings.

“The state has a very important mission, for the sake of the blood of our sisters and brothers who were murdered: to ensure that crimes of this kind are not allowed to go unpunished,” Rothman said during the parliamentary hearing.

“The task the people of Israel have taken upon themselves, through both military and legal means, is important for the sake of justice, for future generations and for preserving the story of Oct. 7,” he continued.

According to some estimates, the first trial is not expected to reach a verdict until 2030, meaning that even if the process moves forward without further delays, years could pass before the first judgment is handed down.

Wednesday’s hearing highlighted several obstacles that have slowed the prosecutorial process, from staffing shortages to delays in preparing the facilities needed to conduct the trials.

Among the key obstacles are delays in funding and staffing within the Israel Prison Service, alongside a shortage of personnel in the military prosecution system.

The IDF’s chief military prosecutor Eli Levertov said four military prosecutors have been appointed so far, but another 55 positions will need to be filled over the course of this year and next to handle the indictments and subsequent trials.

According to Rothman, a military prosecutor tasked with overseeing the indictment process will be appointed within two weeks and “must set out a date for the first indictment” during his first week on the job.

Another obstacle is the timeline for the court facilities themselves: the necessary approvals for the site where the trials will be held are not expected until January 2027, meaning the complex may not be ready until the end of next year.

Officials have also reported that some of the suspects have yet to be questioned by prosecutors, underscoring the significant amount of work still ahead before the cases can move toward formal indictments and trials.

Head of the Southern District State Attorney’s Office Erez Padan said detailed legal opinions have already been prepared for “hundreds of suspects” in connection with the attacks, with the vast majority recommending that the suspects be indicted.

“Every legal opinion is the result of piecing together a very, very complex evidentiary puzzle. The fact that someone tells a story during an interrogation does not mean that story is true,” Padan said.

“The information is cross-checked with crime-scene findings, camera footage, statements from other suspects, and other evidence. It is a process of gathering and comparing evidence to establish the facts and determine the evidentiary findings for each individual,” he continued.

In the aftermath of the attacks, officials were concerned that opening criminal proceedings while hundreds of hostages remained in Gaza, particularly in cases carrying the possibility of the death penalty, could jeopardize efforts to secure their release.

Preparatory work nevertheless continued so that proceedings could move forward as quickly as possible once all the hostages had returned home.

However, since the last living hostages returned to Israel in October 2025, there has been virtually no progress toward launching the trials, with political and public pressure now growing for the process to move ahead.

The legislation establishing special military courts to prosecute Oct. 7 suspects allows key moments of the proceedings to be filmed and broadcast to the public on a dedicated website.

The law also sets out special arrangements for appointing sitting and retired judges, protecting victims’ rights, providing legal representation for defendants, and conducting hearings by video conference.

It also calls for a special guard unit to secure the military court in Jerusalem.

In Israel’s history, the death penalty has been carried out only twice, with the last execution being that of Nazi Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann, who was hanged in 1962 after a civilian trial.