The Israeli Knesset yesterday approved in its second and third readings an emergency law allowing veterinarians to euthanise stray dogs near the Gaza Strip.

The law permits euthanasia of dogs found within 20 kilometres of Gaza or 10 kilometres of the northern border with Lebanon if they are considered unfit for adoption within four days.

The bill follows a report by the Agriculture Ministry in December 2023, which estimated 500 stray dogs had entered Israel from Gaza. This number has since grown to approximately 5,000 over the past year.