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

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the killing of 30 to 40 Palestinians in Gaza every night, claiming they "do not deserve to live." Speaking on a local podcast, Ben-Gvir criticized the slowdown in Israeli strikes on Gaza, calling it "unacceptable."

Ben-Gvir, a prominent figure of the far-right in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government, said he disagreed with the prime minister on this issue. He insisted on the need for nightly killings in Gaza, arguing that the targets should not be limited to those posing an immediate threat, but also include "people who do not deserve to live," according to the Associated Press.

Ben-Gvir's influence and policies toward prisoners

Ben-Gvir oversees the Israeli police and prison system, which holds thousands of Palestinian detainees from Gaza and the West Bank. He has previously boasted about reducing food rations for Palestinian prisoners. Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the prison service under his supervision had deprived Palestinian inmates of the minimum food necessary for survival.

During the war on Gaza, Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, most of them children and women, causing a severe humanitarian crisis, widespread famine, disease outbreaks, and the destruction of most buildings in the territory.

Calls for mass displacement and resettlement

In the same interview, Ben-Gvir also called for the mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and for Israel to reestablish settlements throughout the territory, saying, "I see all of Gaza as ours," and urging the establishment of settlements and the expulsion of as many Palestinians as possible.

International law experts have noted that such statements by Israeli officials amount to "ethnic cleansing." Israel withdrew from Gaza nearly 20 years ago, dismantling 21 settlements, but the Israeli military reoccupied most of the territory after October 7, 2023.

These remarks are not the first of their kind. Israeli officials, including Ben-Gvir, have previously called for the killing, displacement, and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza. Several such statements have been cited before the International Court of Justice as evidence in genocide cases against Israel.