Prosecution informed the court that it would file an official indictment at their next arraignment. The Military Prosecution considered requesting the death penalty, due to the extreme nature of the attack. Prosecutors ultimately did not request the death penalty. On 5 June 2011, Amjad and Hakim Awad were indicted before the Judea and Samaria Sector Military Court on five counts of murder, stealing weapons, breaking and entering, and conspiracy to commit a crime. The suspects confessed to the murder and the military prosecution in the case presented forensic evidence linking them to the scene of the crime, including DNA samples and fingerprints. According to a senior Shin Bet official involved in the investigation, despite the suspects' young age, Hakim and Amjad "described what they did with self-control and did not express regret over their actions at any stage of the investigation." Amjad told reporters in the court "I don't regret what I did and I would do it again. I'm proud of what I did and I'll accept any punishment I get, even death, because I did it all for Palestine." Hakim Awad was found guilty on five counts of murder in August 2011. He was also convicted for weapons-related and other security offenses. In September 2011 he was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences and another five years in prison. Prior to the sentencing Hakim Awad declared he was not sorry and claimed he carried out the attack "because of the occupation." In October 2011, Amjad Awad pleaded guilty to five counts of murder. Before deciding whether to convict him, the judges examined the primary evidence. The judges had considered sentencing him to death, but decided not to impose a harsher sentence than what the prosecution had requested. On 16 January 2012, he was sentenced to five life terms and an additional seven years in prison. Responses Israel In response to the Itamar attack, on 13 March, the Israeli cabinet approved the construction of 500 housing units in Gush Etzion, Ma'ale Adumim, Ariel and Modi'in Illit, areas of the West Bank that Israel intends to keep under any permanent accord with the Palestinians. The decision was taken in a late-night cabinet meeting in which both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak took part, after several alternatives, such as starting a new settlement or widening the settlement of Itamar, were rejected. The decision was criticized by the