Israeli Minister Calls for Nightly Killing of 30-40 Gazans, Dehumanizes Palestinians

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the nightly killing of 30 to 40 Palestinians in Gaza, arguing that Israeli forces should not limit strikes to those posing an active threat. In a podcast episode widely disseminated by Palestinian media, Ben-Gvir stated, "There are people there who do not deserve to live. They should not live. They are not even human," advocating for targeted assassinations of Palestinians in Gaza.

These remarks represent the latest in a series of extreme statements from Ben-Gvir, a prominent figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition government, who also oversees Israel's police and prison services. His influence in Israel has reportedly grown ahead of the general election scheduled for October 27.

Ben-Gvir expressed disagreement with Netanyahu's decision to reduce the intensity of military operations in Gaza under the current "ceasefire" terms. He urged a resumption of targeted killings beyond those considered active threats. While Ben-Gvir lacks direct authority over the military, he is a member of Israel's security cabinet, which formulates war and security policies.

Furthermore, Ben-Gvir promised a former Israeli hostage, Rom Braslavski, that he would facilitate Braslavski's personal participation in the execution of Palestinian prisoners if the death penalty, recently approved by Israel for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis, is implemented.