A large-scale civil lawsuit was filed in court on Sunday, accusing the Palestinian Authority of direct responsibility for the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks.
The suit, seeking approximately one billion shekels in compensation, was submitted on behalf of around 200 plaintiffs - the heirs of victims murdered at the Nova music festival and other locations in the Gaza envelope.
This is among the most significant lawsuits ever brought against the Palestinian Authority, both in terms of the number of plaintiffs and the financial scope. Attached to the case are detailed profiles of each victim, providing a personal and emotional dimension alongside the legal arguments.
The case is being led by attorneys Yossi Ashkenazi and Roy Schöndorf of the Herzog law firm. They emphasized that, should the court rule in favor of the plaintiffs, the compensation would likely be drawn from funds previously seized from the Palestinian Authority. These funds - estimated at 3 billion shekels - were frozen by the Israeli government following the October 7 massacre.
Attorney Schöndorf stated, “This is one of the largest lawsuits of its kind against the Palestinian Authority, in terms of both the number of plaintiffs and the scope of compensation sought, which exceeds one billion shekels. We are asking the court to hold the PA accountable for its systematic support of terrorism, including financial incentives provided to security prisoners, their families, and the families of terrorists killed in action. We will demonstrate how this support played a direct role in enabling the October 7 atrocities, in which over 1,200 Israelis were murdered and 252 kidnapped.”
The plaintiffs argue that the Palestinian Authority bears legal and moral responsibility, due to its long-standing policy of incentivizing terrorism through direct payments and incitement. The lawsuit includes extensive evidence of connections between the PA and terrorist groups involved in the attack, including financial transfers, institutional incitement in education and media, and public and legal support for the families of terrorists.
