Israeli Minister Calls for Killing 30–40 Palestinians in Gaza Every Night

Israeli far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the killing of 30 to 40 Palestinians in Gaza every night, arguing that Israeli forces should target people beyond those considered an immediate threat. His remarks were made during a podcast interview with Rom Braslavski, a former Israeli captive who was held in Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks of October 2023. The episode surfaced on Sunday and was subsequently widely circulated by Palestinian media outlets.

During the interview, Ben-Gvir described Palestinians in Gaza in dehumanizing terms and advocated targeted killings beyond individuals deemed active threats. He also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to reduce military operations under the current ceasefire, calling instead for a return to broader targeted-assassination operations. Ben-Gvir’s remarks come as Israel prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27 and add to a long record of controversial statements by the far-right minister, who oversees Israel’s police and prison services.

Ben-Gvir also discussed Israel’s recently enacted death penalty law for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks against Israeli settlers. He told Braslavski that he would seek to allow him to participate in executions after the former captive expressed a desire to personally execute convicted prisoners. Braslavski reportedly said he wanted to carry out executions himself rather than use a conventional method, adding that he wanted to kill those he described as “terrorists” with his own hands.