Middle East — 2026-08-17

Israeli National Security Minister Ben Gvir Advocates Killing 30 to 40 Palestinians in Gaza Each Night in Comments to Former Hostage

BLUFNetanyahu very likely keeps Ben Gvir in cabinet through September 30, confirming eliminationist rhetoric carries no coalition cost and will intensify as October elections approach.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir told former Gaza hostage Rom Braslavski, in podcast comments that surfaced Sunday and spread widely across Palestinian media, that Israeli forces should kill "30 to 40" people in Gaza nightly, extending beyond those who pose an immediate threat 1234. He described such people as unworthy of life, saying they should not live, according to the Associated Press and Al Jazeera 34. Ben-Gvir, who holds no formal authority over military strikes but sits on Israel's security cabinet, said he disagreed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent reduction of strikes in Gaza 34. In the same interview he called for permanent Palestinian emigration from Gaza and new Israeli settlement of the territory, saying he views all of Gaza as belonging to Israel 34.

Analysis
Ben-Gvir very likely retains his security cabinet seat and national-security portfolio by September 30, 2026, since Netanyahu has tolerated comparably extreme statements from him for over two years and needs his bloc ahead of the October 27 election. High confidence in that judgment rests on the coalition's consistent record of absorbing his rhetoric and on Israeli domestic media's muted response to these specific remarks. The comments add to material already cited in genocide-intent proceedings before the World Court and signal Ben-Gvir will keep pressing to reverse the chief-of-staff-only strike authority Netanyahu conceded to Washington. His renewed call for permanent Palestinian emigration and new settlement construction indicates the coalition's annexationist wing is hardening as elections near.
4 sources
  1. Ben Gvir: We should kill 30 to 40 of Israels enemies in Gaza every night, theyre not worthy of life - Times of Israel
  2. Israel's Ben Gvir advocates killing '30 to 40' people in Gaza nightly while speaking to ex-hostage - The Washington Post
  3. Israeli minister calls for killing '30 to 40' Palestinians in Gaza nightly - Al Jazeera
  4. Israel's Ben Gvir advocates killing '30 to 40' people in Gaza nightly while speaking to ex-hostage - Associated Press

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