Ben Gvir calls on the army to kill 30 to 40 civilians every night in Gaza

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for intensified airstrikes on Gaza and the killing of 30 to 40 Palestinians every night, and renewed his call for settlement and displacement. He said this in a podcast with a former captive, published by the Jerusalem Post. He described some Gaza residents as 'not human' and called for banning Israeli peace organizations.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for intensified airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and the killing of 30 to 40 Palestinians every night without exceptions, and renewed his call for re-establishing settlements in the Strip and displacing its residents. This came in remarks he made during the 'October 8' podcast hosted by former captive Rom Braslavsky, excerpts of which were published by the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post on Monday. Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right 'Jewish Power' party, said that 'Israel should not limit itself to targeting those who pose a direct threat,' but called for expanding the scope of airstrikes in Gaza. He added that there are people who 'do not deserve to live,' describing them as 'not human,' in his words. He also considered that some Gaza residents who might be seen as not involved in the fighting should not be exempted from targeting. Referring to a woman he said had been providing food to Braslavsky during his captivity in Gaza, he described her as a 'terrorist,' considering she deserved to be killed. Braslavsky was an Israeli soldier captured on October 7, 2023, and released in a prisoner exchange on October 13, 2025. The newspaper quoted him as saying that his government should kill 'between 30 and 40 Gaza residents every night,' adding that those he describes as 'terrorists' should be 'killed one by one.' Regarding Palestinian prisoners, Ben Gvir boasted that they 'suffer severely,' expressing satisfaction with their detention conditions. He also called for banning Israeli organizations that advocate coexistence and peace, including 'Peace Now' and 'Standing Together,' considering they 'support terrorism.' The number of Palestinian prisoners is about 9,500, including children and women, according to rights reports.