Ben-Gvir's Gaza Killings Demand
Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir Advocates Nightly Gaza Killings, Sparks International Condemnation Amid Elections
Key Points
Israel's top court ruled in 2025 that the prison service under Ben-Gvir deprived Palestinians of a minimum subsistence diet.
Ben-Gvir said, "Targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night" and added that "there are people there who are not worthy of life... They’re not even people."
In addition to killings, he proposed mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and their resettlement by Israel, a stance tied to ethnic-cleansing concerns.
The remarks were delivered on a podcast hosted by Rom Braslavski, a former Gaza-held hostage, illustrating the interview’s context.
The comments surfaced amid an international push to advance the Trump peace plan, highlighting the global political context as Israel heads to elections.
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly called for killing 30 to 40 Palestinians in Gaza every single night. He made the remarks on a podcast hosted by Rom Braslavski, a former hostage held in Gaza, according to ITV and Antiwar News.
Ben-Gvir said, "Targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night." He added that "there are people there who are not worthy of life... They're not even people." The comments drew swift attention from Palestinian media and international outlets, surfacing as Israel heads toward elections on October 27.
Ben-Gvir Breaks With Netanyahu Over Gaza Strategy
Ben-Gvir used the podcast to openly criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said he disagreed with Israel's recent pullback in strikes on Gaza. He pushed for a more aggressive campaign of targeted killings, arguing the current pace is not enough.
Ben-Gvir also proposed mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and their resettlement by Israel. That position has raised alarm among human rights groups, who say it amounts to ethnic cleansing — the forced removal of a people from their land. Israel denies such characterizations, according to The Frontier Post.
Remarks Land as Trump Peace Push Moves Forward
The comments came at a sensitive moment. World leaders are pushing to advance a peace plan backed by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Ben-Gvir's call for nightly killings runs directly against that diplomatic effort, according to Inquirer.
The timing puts Netanyahu in a difficult spot. He must balance far-right coalition partners like Ben-Gvir against international pressure to wind down the conflict. Israeli elections are set for October 27, making the political stakes even higher.
Ben-Gvir's Record of Extreme Statements and Court Losses
This is not Ben-Gvir's first brush with controversy. In 2025, Israel's top court ruled that the prison service under his control deprived Palestinian detainees of a minimum subsistence diet — meaning they were not given enough food to survive on, according to Antiwar News.
Statements like his have repeatedly been cited at the United Nations as evidence of genocidal intent. Israel denies committing genocide. Ben-Gvir holds no authority over the military, but he controls the national police and the prison service — two institutions with direct power over Palestinian lives, according to ITV.
Far-Right Influence in Israeli Politics Has Grown Since October 2023
Ben-Gvir's rise reflects a broader shift in Israeli politics. Since Hamas's attacks on October 7, 2023, far-right voices have gained more power inside the government. Ben-Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, sits inside Netanyahu's ruling coalition and gives him real leverage, according to Democrata.
Despite that leverage, coverage of his remarks inside Israel has been limited. That gap — between fringe rhetoric and mainstream political power — is drawing renewed scrutiny as the country approaches its October election, according to The Frontier Post.
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