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Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the killing of 30 to 40 Palestinians every night in Gaza. He said military operations should not be limited to people considered immediate threats, but should target many more Palestinians.
Ben-Gvir made the remarks during a podcast conversation with former Israeli hostage Rom Braslavski. The podcast was made public on Sunday (August 16), after which his comments were widely circulated by Palestinian media.
Ben-Gvir said Israel should carry out nightly targeted killings of 30 to 40 people in Gaza. He argued that operations should not be restricted only to those posing an immediate threat.
He also claimed that there are people in Gaza who, in his words, “do not deserve to live” and “are not even human.”
Ben-Gvir criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to reduce Israeli military strikes in Gaza amid the current ceasefire. Instead, he called for the resumption of targeted killings in the territory.
However, Ben-Gvir does not have formal authority to directly order the Israeli military to carry out attacks. As a member of Israel’s security cabinet, he has influence over war and security policy and is responsible for the country’s police and prison systems.
During the discussion, Ben-Gvir also spoke about Israel’s recently enacted death penalty law, which provides a legal mechanism for executing Palestinians convicted by military courts of carrying out deadly attacks against Israelis.
Braslavski asked Ben-Gvir to allow him to personally carry out an execution if the opportunity arose.
In response, Ben-Gvir said he would “turn the world upside down” to make that possible and would do everything he could to achieve it.
Ben-Gvir also expressed support for encouraging Palestinians to permanently leave Gaza and called for the establishment of new Israeli settlements in the territory.
He again claimed that “all of Gaza is ours.” International law experts have repeatedly warned that the mass, forcible or systematic displacement of Palestinians from Gaza could amount to ethnic cleansing.
Ben-Gvir’s latest comments are being viewed as a continuation of his long-standing far-right rhetoric. As a teenager, he was associated with the banned Kahanist nationalist movement. Even after becoming a minister, he has repeatedly supported the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners and advocated tougher conditions for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
His statements and actions have drawn widespread international criticism. The United Kingdom and several European Union countries have imposed sanctions on him, though those measures have not significantly altered his political stance.
Differences within the Israeli government over the Gaza war have also become increasingly public. The country’s far-right faction has continued to demand tougher military operations and the establishment of Israeli settlements in Gaza. Ben-Gvir’s latest remarks have further highlighted that pressure.
