Kathmandu— Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, made controversial remarks advocating for escalated violence in Gaza, including the killing of “30 to 40” people each night. The comments surfaced Sunday during an interview on a podcast hosted by Rom Braslavski, a former hostage held by Hamas, and were quickly circulated by Palestinian media outlets. Ben-Gvir criticized recent reductions in Israeli strikes against Gaza and proposed mass emigration of Palestinians from the territory, raising concerns about potential ethnic cleansing as Israel continues to grapple with the aftermath of the October 7th attack and ongoing ceasefire negotiations.

Escalation of Rhetoric and Criticism of Current Policy

Ben-Gvir expressed disagreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent decision to scale back strikes in Gaza. He argued for a more aggressive approach, specifically calling for targeted assassinations and the killing of individuals he deemed “not worthy of life.” The minister stated that these individuals were “not even people,” echoing rhetoric that has drawn international condemnation in the past. Similar statements from Ben-Gvir and other Israeli officials have previously been presented as evidence of genocidal intent at the U.N.’s world court, though Israel maintains it has not committed genocide.

Ben-Gvir’s Growing Influence

While Ben-Gvir lacks direct authority over the military, he holds significant power within Israel's security apparatus as Minister of National Security. He oversees both the national police force and the country’s prison system, where thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank are incarcerated. His control over these institutions has grown since Hamas’ attack in 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages. Ben-Gvir previously boasted about reducing food rations for Palestinian prisoners, a policy that was later ruled unlawful by Israel's top court in 2025.

Advocacy for Palestinian Emigration and Resettlement

In the same interview, Ben-Gvir advocated for the mass emigration of Palestinians from Gaza and their replacement with Israeli settlements. He envisions a fully Israeli-controlled Gaza Strip, including the reestablishment of settlements in areas like “Gush Katif,” which were dismantled during Israel’s withdrawal from the territory twenty years ago. He stated his desire to encourage Palestinian emigration and eliminate what he called terrorists, while simultaneously advocating for the resettlement of Israelis throughout Gaza. International lawyers have suggested that such a policy could constitute ethnic cleansing.

Stalled Ceasefire Negotiations

The surfacing of Ben-Gvir’s comments comes amid stalled ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed a deal in which Hamas would gradually disarm while Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza, but this has been met with resistance from Netanyahu, who insists that Israel will not retreat until Hamas is completely disarmed. The current impasse leaves the deployment of international forces and reconstruction efforts for Gaza on hold. Recent reports indicate that authority over carrying out strikes in Gaza has been limited to the army’s chief of staff, a move that angered right-wing lawmakers like Ben-Gvir.

The comments from Minister Ben-Gvir have sparked renewed scrutiny of his extremist views and their potential impact on Israeli policy. The stalled ceasefire negotiations continue as Israel grapples with security concerns and the future of Gaza remains uncertain.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.