Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, called for the nightly killing of 30 to 40 people in Gaza during a podcast appearance this week. The remarks were reported by CBS News, the Financial Times, and Middle East Eye, placing Ben Gvir’s inflammatory comments at the center of regional discourse. His role as a senior Israeli official amplifies the gravity of the statement, which has drawn sharp criticism from diplomats and analysts alike. The suggestion comes amid sustained military operations in Gaza that have already claimed tens of thousands of lives since October 7, according to Gaza health authorities.
Ben Gvir made the comments on a podcast, according to ITVX, where he framed the killing of Gazans as a necessary response to what he described as an existential threat. His assertion that Gazans ‘are not even people’ was cited by CBS News as part of a broader pattern of dehumanizing rhetoric that has defined parts of the Israeli political discourse since the war began. The statement was made in the context of escalating tensions, including a months-long blockade, intense bombardment, and repeated ground incursions into the besieged enclave.