Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the nightly killing of "30 to 40" people in Gaza during a podcast interview released Sunday. Speaking on the first episode of "The 8 October," Ben-Gvir criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current military strategy and advocated for increased targeted assassinations in the territory.
The minister’s comments come amid a reported decrease in Israeli strikes on Gaza. Ben-Gvir stated that such operations should not be limited to those posing immediate threats, adding that some individuals in Gaza are "not worthy of life." In the same interview, he proposed the mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and the establishment of Israeli settlements throughout the territory, which Israel previously withdrew from in 2005.
Ben-Gvir, who oversees Israel’s national police and prison system, has previously faced legal scrutiny regarding the treatment of Palestinian detainees. In 2025, Israel’s top court ruled that the prison service under his leadership was failing to provide a minimum subsistence diet to incarcerated Palestinians. The minister has acknowledged reducing food rations for these prisoners in the past.
The political friction over military tactics follows a truce deal that began in October. While Hamas accepted a recent proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump involving a phased disarmament and Israeli withdrawal, Netanyahu has maintained that Israeli forces will not retreat until Hamas is completely disarmed. Israeli media reported last week that authority for strikes has been restricted to the army’s chief of staff, a move that Ben-Gvir and other right-wing politicians have opposed.
The minister’s influence over the security apparatus means these views directly impact the day-to-day conditions for prisoners and the deployment of the national police. Palestinian detainees would notice continued or increased restrictions on basic necessities like food, following the 2025 court ruling regarding subsistence diets. Furthermore, the proposal for mass emigration and resettlement would, if enacted, force hundreds of thousands of households to leave their homes and relocate to other countries, fundamentally altering the legal and geographic status of the Gaza Strip.
The disagreement between Ben-Gvir and Netanyahu sets a precedent of public internal division within the Israeli security cabinet regarding the rules of engagement and the long-term status of Gaza. This friction complicates international negotiations, such as the U.S.-led peace proposals, and delays decisions on the deployment of international forces or reconstruction efforts. What happens next depends on whether the Israeli government adopts these more aggressive strike policies or continues with the restricted authority currently granted to the army’s chief of staff. No specific dates for a vote or policy change were reported.