Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir recently advocated for the nightly killing of dozens of people in Gaza and the forced displacement of its residents. These inflammatory statements were made during a Knesset address and a podcast appearance ahead of the October 27 elections.
The '30 to 40' nightly killing quota
During a podcast featuring a former hostage, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir explicitly called for the nightly elimination of 30 to 40 individuals within Gaza. According to the report, Ben Gvir further asserted that any resident of the enclave not viewed as a security threat should be removed, claiming such individuals are "not even worthy of life."
These remarks were rapidly circulated by Palestinian media, fueling intense condemnation. The rhetoric marks a significant escalation in the minister's public discourse, moving from political hard-lining to the open advocacy of systematic mass killings.
October 27 elections and the rift with Benjamin Netanyahu
The timming of these statements is critical , as Israel prepares for elections on October 27. As the source details, Ben Gvir is pushing for the establishment of settlements across Gaza and the mass emigration of its population—a move legal experts suggest could constitute ethnic cleansing. This radical platform is designed to appeal to a fringe political base that is gaining traction in the pre-election environment.
However, this ideology has created a visible fracture within the Israeli leadership. prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has openly expressed disagreement with Ben Gvir's positions. This internal tension highlights a struggle for the soul of the Israeli right, pitting the Prime Minister's strategic calculations against the minister's ideological extremism.
70,000 casualties and the fragile October 2025 truce
The inflammatory rhetoric from Itamar Ben Gvir unfolds against a backdrop of staggering human loss. Since the Israeli offensive began in October 2023, over 70,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 174,000 injured. These figures underscore the scale of the devastation that has defined the conflict for several years.
Furthermore, the stability of the region remains an illusion. While a truce has technically been in place since October 2025, Israeli forces have continued to employ drones, air strikes, and ground incursions. These ongoing operations have resulted in over 1,200 additional Gazan deaths and 4,000 injuries, suggesting that the 2025 agreement has failed to provide genuine security or peace.
The UN genocide label and the US ceasefire deadlock
The United Nations has characterized Israel's actions in Gaza as genocidal, a claim the Israeli government rejects. international legal scholars, however, point to the specific calls for mass killing and expulsion by figures like Itamar Ben Gvir as evidence that Israel's policies align with the legal definition of genocide.
Meanwhile, a diplomatic solution remains elusive. The United States has proposed a ceasefire that requires Hamas to relinquish its weapons in exchange for a phased Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Yet, Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to retreat until Hamas is completely disarmed. This deadlock leaves critical questions unanswered: will the international community successfully deploy observers to Gaza, and can any reconstruction effort begin while the Israeli government remains divided between the Prime Minister's demands and Ben Gvir's calls for total displacement?
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