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Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for killing 30 to 40 people in Gaza each night while criticizing a recent reduction in Israeli strikes.
The remarks surfaced Sunday in a podcast interview with former Gaza-held hostage Rom Braslavski and were widely shared across Palestinian media.
Ben-Gvir said he disagreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the recent scaling back of military operations in Gaza.
"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 said.
Until recently, Israel was striking Gaza nearly every day, with attacks killing more than 1,250 people since an October truce deal took effect, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israeli media reported last week that the authority for carrying out strikes had been limited to the army’s chief of staff, angering right-wing lawmakers such as Ben-Gvir.
Ben-Gvir does not control Israel’s military and cannot order strikes on Gaza, but he is described as one of the country’s most influential figures.
He oversees Israel’s national police force and prison system.
In the same interview, Ben-Gvir also advocated mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and the re-establishment of Jewish settlements in the territory.
"I see all of Gaza as ours," Ben-Gvir said.
"Settlements not just in Gush Katif but throughout Gaza, encouraging as much emigration as possible, sending them to their countries, and for the terrorists, no emigration, nothing, just to kill them one by one," he added.
Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip 20 years ago, dismantling 21 Jewish settlements known as "Gush Katif" and withdrawing its forces.
Ben-Gvir described his vision as settlements throughout Gaza and encouraged Palestinians to emigrate, saying, "the more the better." Since the start of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, the Israeli army and occupiers have intensified attacks in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, killing more than 1,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian figures.
Ben-Gvir’s comments are the latest in a record of inflammatory statements.
Similar remarks by Ben-Gvir and other Israeli officials have previously been presented to the U.N.'s world court as evidence of genocidal intent. Israel denies it has committed genocide in Gaza.
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen said Ben-Gvir “must resign” over the comments and urged Netanyahu to denounce them, calling the remarks "horrific and completely indefensible."
Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, also accused Ben-Gvir of endorsing the killing of Palestinians and planning their expulsion.
"These confessions must be recorded and preserved for the day of reckoning and the trial of these criminals," Gharibabadi said in a post on X.
Ben-Gvir’s comments came as Israel heads toward elections on Oct. 27.
Figures such as Ben-Gvir have gained popularity and influence in Israel since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, when it killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
During the interview, Braslavski asked to be allowed to execute individuals sentenced to death on terrorism charges. Ben-Gvir promised to do everything possible to grant the request.
"I will move heaven and earth, and I promise you to do everything so that this happens," Ben-Gvir said, adding, "It is one of my greatest dreams to see you there."
Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party has also led efforts to pass a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis in acts of terror, while excluding Jewish Israelis who kill Palestinians under similar circumstances from the same penalty.
The Israeli army launched a major offensive in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and wounded over 174,000 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Despite the ceasefire that took effect in October 2025, the Israeli army has continued attacks in the Palestinian enclave, killing at least 1,262 Palestinians and injuring more than 4,100 others, according to official figures.
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