Israeli Minister Calls for Killing 30-40 People a Night in Gaza

Israel’s ultranationalist National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, has publicly called for the killing of “30 to 40 people” every night in Gaza. His remarks were made in a podcast released in the last few hours, in which he spoke with Rom Braslavski, a former Hamas hostage. “I believe there should be targeted assassinations in Gaza, eliminating between 30 and 40 people each night. Not just those who pose an immediate threat; there are people there who do not deserve to live. They should not live. They are not even people,” Ben Gvir said. The minister, a convicted criminal who did not serve in the military due to his ties to the extremist Kach movement, has no authority over the Israeli army. In the podcast, titled ‘October 8’, he also said he disagrees with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to reduce attacks in Gaza to support a peace plan promoted by US President Donald Trump. Ben Gvir also called for the “mass migration of Palestinians” from Gaza so that Jewish settlements can be built there. He said, “I consider all of Gaza ours... We should have settlements not only in Gush Katif, but in all of Gaza, encouraging the greatest possible emigration, sending them to their countries of origin. As for terrorists, no emigration, nothing. Simply kill them one by one.” These types of statements have been presented to the International Court of Justice as evidence of a “genocidal intent” by Israel in Gaza, something Israeli leaders deny. Ben Gvir, who is also a settler in the occupied West Bank, controls Israel’s police and prisons, where Palestinians have reported numerous cases of torture. Since joining the government in 2022, the number of gun licenses issued to Israelis has increased by 126%. He has a history of public provocations. In May 2026, he filmed himself smiling and waving an Israeli flag while handcuffed activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla were forced to kneel on the ground. In June, he called for the destruction of Lebanon, saying, “A thousand mothers must cry.”