Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for nightly targeted killings of Palestinians in Gaza, stating that forces should eliminate 30 to 40 individuals each night regardless of whether they pose an immediate threat. The far-right official made these remarks during a podcast discussion with a former Israeli captive, characterizing certain Palestinians as unworthy of life.
Ben-Gvir, who holds a position on Israel’s security cabinet that influences military and security decisions, has expressed disagreement with current military restraint in Gaza. He has also advocated for permanent Palestinian displacement from the territory and Israeli resettlement, repeatedly stating he views “all of Gaza as ours.” International legal experts have cautioned that such policies could constitute ethnic cleansing.
The minister’s statements represent part of a broader pattern of extreme rhetoric that spans decades, beginning with his teenage involvement in a nationalist movement. As a government official, he has promoted capital punishment as the default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks and has acknowledged deliberately worsening conditions in Israeli prisons housing Palestinian detainees. While the United Kingdom and some European Union nations have imposed sanctions, these measures have not altered his conduct or influence within the coalition government.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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