Israel should be killing “30 to 40” people every night in Gaza, while Jewish settlements should be established across the besieged enclave, far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in an inflammatory podcast in which he described some Palestinians as "not even people".
Ben-Gvir, himself a settler and known for his divisive and genocidal comments, made the remarks in a podcast with Rom Braslavski, who was taken captive on 7 October 2023.
“I think we should be doing 30 to 40 targeted assassinations per night,” Ben-Gvir said. “Not just those who pose an immediate threat. There are people there who don’t deserve to live... They are not even people.”
The minister also openly called for the establishment of Israeli settlements throughout Gaza and the mass removal of Palestinians from the enclave.
“I imagine settlements not just in Gush Katif but throughout Gaza, and encouraging emigration, the more the better,” Ben-Gvir said.
He made clear that he opposed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's compliance with US demands to scale back Israeli military operations in Gaza, where attacks have continued despite a ceasefire in place since October.
Ben-Gvir then said Palestinians he deemed “terrorists” should not be permitted to leave Gaza but instead be killed.
“And for the terrorists, there should be no emigration. We should kill them one by one,” he said.
Ben-Gvir, who was convicted in 2007 of incitement to racism and supporting a terrorist organisation, has repeatedly advocated policies targeting Palestinians and has emerged as one of the most outspoken proponents of re-establishing Jewish settlements in Gaza.
Israel dismantled its settlements in the enclave in 2005, but Ben-Gvir and other figures on Israel's far right have pushed for their return during the war, alongside what they describe as the “voluntary emigration” of Gaza's Palestinian population.
Ben-Gvir promises former captive role in executions
During the same podcast, Braslavski asked to be allowed to personally carry out executions if Israel passes legislation introducing the death penalty for people convicted of terrorism offences.
Ben-Gvir enthusiastically backed the request.
“I will move heaven and earth and I promise you to do everything so that this happens,” Ben-Gvir told him. “It is one of my greatest dreams to see you there.”
As national security minister, Ben-Gvir oversees Israel's prison system, where Palestinian detainees have reported widespread abuse, torture and degrading treatment since the Gaza war began.
He has repeatedly gloated about worsening conditions for Palestinian prisoners and championed legislation introducing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis.
Critics have denounced proposals for the punishment as discriminatory because they would effectively apply to Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis while excluding Jewish Israelis convicted of killing Palestinians.
Ben-Gvir's latest comments add to a lengthy record of inflammatory rhetoric from senior Israeli officials during the Gaza war.
In October 2023, then-defence minister Yoav Gallant announced a “complete siege” of Gaza, ordering the cutting of electricity and blocking of food and fuel while saying Israel was fighting “human animals”.
A month later, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza was “one of the possibilities”, while other Israeli politicians and officials have called for the enclave to be “flattened” or for Palestinians to be driven from the territory.