Itamar Ben-Gvir called for killing “30 to 40” people nightly in Gaza.
He criticised the reduction in Israeli strikes and pushed for intensified operations.
Ben-Gvir has no authority over military strikes but oversees police and prisons.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for Israel to kill “30 to 40” people in Gaza every night, while arguing that strikes should extend beyond individuals posing an immediate threat.
The far-right minister made the remarks during a podcast conversation with Rom Braslavski, a former hostage held in Gaza. Palestinian media circulated clips of the exchange on Sunday, Associated Press reported.
Discussing Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the recent reduction in strikes, Ben-Gvir openly disagreed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach.
“It’s no secret, I disagree with the prime minister,” Ben-Gvir 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.”
Once regarded as a figure on the margins of Israeli politics, Ben-Gvir has become one of the country’s most prominent far-right leaders since entering government.
His political profile has grown further since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.
Hostages released or rescued from Gaza have described starvation, physical and psychological abuse and, in some cases, sexual violence during captivity.
Record On Palestinian Prisoners
Ben-Gvir has also drawn criticism over his policies towards Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli facilities.
He has previously spoken publicly about reducing food provided to Palestinian detainees.
In 2025, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the prison service under his authority was failing to provide Palestinian prisoners with the minimum amount of food necessary for basic subsistence.
Thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank are held in Israeli detention facilities.
Remarks Come As Gaza Strikes Ease
Ben-Gvir’s latest comments came amid a reduction in Israeli strikes on Gaza.
Israel had continued carrying out attacks following an October ceasefire agreement, with Gaza’s Health Ministry saying more than 1,250 people had been killed in strikes since the truce took effect.
The Israeli military has maintained that its attacks targeted Hamas militants.
The pace of strikes has recently declined. Israeli media reported that authority to approve attacks in Gaza has been narrowed, with the army chief of staff given greater control over decisions to launch strikes.
The change has angered far-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition, including Ben-Gvir, who have repeatedly pushed for a more aggressive military approach in Gaza.
The reduction in attacks has also come amid efforts by US President Donald Trump’s administration to advance the ceasefire process.
Ben-Gvir’s remarks underline continuing divisions inside Israel’s governing coalition over Gaza, with far-right ministers pushing for intensified military action even as pressure grows to preserve and expand the truce.
