Israeli minister Ben-Gvir urges nightly killings of Palestinians in Gaza

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for nightly killings and forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, urging intensified attacks. During a podcast interview, Ben-Gvir asserted that Palestinians should not be allowed to live, demanding that 30 to 40 individuals be killed in Gaza every night. The far-right politician criticized the reduced frequency of Israeli strikes, deeming it unacceptable.

Ben-Gvir, a key member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, disagreed with the prime minister's stance on the matter. He insisted on targeting not only immediate threats but also individuals deemed unworthy of life, according to the Associated Press. As the minister of police and prisons, Ben-Gvir oversees thousands of Palestinian detainees from Gaza and the West Bank, previously cutting their food rations.

Israel's Supreme Court found that his administration had denied Palestinian prisoners the minimum sustenance required for survival during the Gaza conflict. In the same interview, Ben-Gvir demanded the mass relocation of Palestinians from Gaza and the reestablishment of Israeli settlements throughout the territory, stating, "I see all of Gaza as ours," and called for the expulsion of as many Palestinians as possible.

International law experts have labeled such statements by Israeli officials as ethnic cleansing. Israel withdrew from Gaza nearly two decades ago, dismantling 21 settlements, but regained control after the October 7, 2023 attack. These remarks echo similar calls by Israeli officials for Palestinians' killing, displacement, and starvation in Gaza, which have been cited in genocide cases against Israel at the International Court of Justice.