Shocking remarks surfaced on Sunday by an extremist Israeli lawmaker in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government, advocating for the extermination of “30 to 40” Gazans each night—comments that rapidly rippled across online platforms and media outlets.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir made the provoking statements on a podcast hosted by Rom Braslavski, a former hostage held in Gaza, while discussing Hamas’ October 7 attacks in 2023.
“It’s no secret, I disagree with the prime minister,” he said. “I think targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night.”
“Not just those who pose an immediate threat, there are people there who are not worthy of life. They shouldn’t live. They’re not even people,” Ben-Gvir added.
Similar statements have been made by various Israeli lawmakers, including Ben-Gvir, many of which have been presented to the UN’s World Court as evidence of genocidal intent. Israel continues to deny widespread accusations of genocide against the Palestinian people in its military campaign, which has so far killed over 100,000 people.
Having once operated on Israel’s far-right fringe, Ben-Gvir has surged in popularity among citizens for his extreme rhetoric, advocating for greater suppression of the Palestinian population, and is now considered one of the most influential politicians in Israel.
Though he holds no direct military command, he oversees the prison system, where thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank are held captive. He once reveled in the order to slash food rations for Palestinian prisoners, though Israel’s top court ultimately ruled against him, stating the rations were below life-sustaining levels.
