Israeli minister calls for killing ‘30 to 40’ people in Gaza every night
An Israeli politician has publicly advocated for killing “30 to 40” people in Gaza every night.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, the minister of national security in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, made the comment while speaking on the first episode the podcast The 8 October.
The podcast is hosted by Rom Braslavski, a survivor of the October 7, 2023 Nova Music Festival attack who spent two years as a Hamas hostage.
Mr Ben-Gvir criticised Israel’s recent decrease in strikes on Gaza and said he disagrees with Mr Netanyahu’s approach.
“I think targeted assassinations should be carried out in Gaza, taking down 30 to 40 every night,” he said.
“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.”
Israel’s domestic media has made scarce mention of the statement.
Politicians like Mr Ben-Gvir have become more popular among Israelis since Hamas’ brutal attack in 2023, when the militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostage.
Many hostages have recounted long-term starvation, physical and psychological abuse and, in some cases, sexual abuse.
Mr Ben-Gvir has operated for decades within Israel’s far-right fringe, but is now one of the most influential people in the country.
He has substantial control over key parts of Israel’s security apparatus and runs the country’s prisons – where thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank are incarcerated – as well as the national police force.
He has previously boasted of lessening food rations for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel’s top court ruled in 2025 that the prison service under Mr Ben-Gvir was depriving Palestinians of a minimum subsistence diet.
In the same podcast, the politician advocated for mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza — a proposal that international lawyers say could amount to ethnic cleansing — and resettlement of Gaza by Israel.
