Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is facing fierce international backlash after calling for Israeli forces to execute targeted killings of “30 to 40” Palestinians in Gaza every night.

 

Israeli minister calls for killing '30 to 40' Palestinians in Gaza nightly | DW News

Israel's far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is facing fierce international backlash after calling for Israeli forces to execute targeted killings of “30 to 40” Palestinians in Gaza every night. He made the remarks during an episode of The 8 October podcast hosted by Rom Braslavski, a former Israeli hostage.

 

Key Details of the Statement

• Expanded Targets: Ben-Gvir argued that nightly military strikes should expand beyond individuals posing an immediate threat.
• Dehumanizing Rhetoric: In the recorded audio, he stated, "There are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn't live. They're not even people."
• Disagreement with Leadership: He explicitly voiced his opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current strategy, criticizing the recent scale-back of military strikes under ceasefire conditions.
• Displacement and Settlement: Ben-Gvir renewed his calls for the mass, permanent emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and the establishment of new Israeli settlements, declaring, "I see all of Gaza as ours."

Political Context & Military Authority

While Ben-Gvir serves on Israel's influential security cabinet—which helps shape broad war policies—he does not possess direct command over the Israeli military and cannot order airstrikes himself. He does, however, oversee the country's national police force and prison systems.

Political analysts note that his comments come during a highly charged pre-election phase ahead of Israel's parliamentary elections. Observers state that once-fringe ideologies have surged in domestic popularity following the October 7 attacks.

International Reactions

• Germany: Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil strongly condemned the statements as "inhumane". He stated that the German government cannot accept such rhetoric and urged Europe to consider formal sanctions against Ben-Gvir.
• Jewish Community Leaders: The Central Council of Jews in Germany heavily criticized the remarks. Its president, Josef Schuster, called Ben-Gvir's behavior "utterly shameful and irresponsible," noting that it directly opposes Jewish values.
• Iran: Iran's deputy foreign minister condemned the comments. He publicly demanded that the statements be formally preserved as evidence for future war crimes tribunals.
• Legal Implications: Human rights organizations and legal experts warn that these declarations could be brought before United Nations world courts. They may be used as further evidence of "genocidal intent," an accusation that the Israeli government explicitly denies.