Israel's Ben-Gvir advocates killing '30 to 40' people in Gaza every night

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has publicly advocated killing “30 to 40” people in Gaza every night, saying targeted assassinations should continue even against people he described as “not worthy of life”. 

Ben-Gvir made the remarks while speaking to former Gaza-held hostage Rom Braslavski on his podcast. During their discussion of Israel’s response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, Ben-Gvir criticised the recent reduction in Israeli strikes in Gaza.

“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.”

The comments surfaced on Sunday and were quickly circulated by Palestinian media.

Similar remarks by Ben-Gvir and other Israeli officials have previously drawn widespread condemnation and have been presented to the UN’s world court as evidence of alleged genocidal intent. Israel denies committing genocide in Gaza.

Ben-Gvir does not control Israel’s military and cannot order strikes on Gaza, but he is one of the country’s most influential far-right politicians. As national security minister, he oversees the national police force and prison service, which holds thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.

He has previously said he reduced food rations for Palestinian prisoners. Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in 2025 that the prison service under Ben-Gvir was depriving Palestinian prisoners of a minimum subsistence diet.

Ben-Gvir has also criticised Israel’s recent reduction in airstrikes in Gaza. Israel had been carrying out near-daily strikes that Gaza’s Health Ministry says have killed more than 1,250 people since an October truce took effect.

The Israeli military says its strikes target Hamas militants. Israeli media reported last week that authority to carry out strikes had been restricted to the army’s chief of staff, angering right-wing lawmakers including Ben-Gvir.

In the same recorded interview, Ben-Gvir advocated mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and the resettlement of the territory by Israel.

“I see all of Gaza as ours,” he said, calling for settlements throughout Gaza, encouraging “as much emigration as possible” and sending Palestinians to other countries. He said those he described as terrorists should instead be killed “one by one”.

Israel withdrew from Gaza 20 years ago, dismantling 21 Jewish settlements known as Gush Katif and withdrawing its forces.

US President Donald Trump’s latest proposal calls for Hamas to gradually surrender its weapons while Israel halts its attacks and begins withdrawing from Gaza. Hamas has accepted the proposal but has linked the surrender of its heaviest weapons to the establishment of a Palestinian state, a condition rejected by Israel’s government.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will not withdraw from its positions in Gaza until Hamas is completely disarmed, leaving other elements of the ceasefire plan, including the deployment of international forces and reconstruction of the devastated territory, on hold.