Overview
- Itamar Ben Gvir told the '8 de octubre' podcast that Israel should carry out 'selective' killings of 'between 30 and 40 people each night' in Gaza and said some Palestinians 'are not even people', comments widely reported on Sunday and Monday.
- Ben Gvir made the statements as minister of National Security, a post that controls police and prisons but does not give him authority over the Israel Defense Forces or the ordering of military operations in Gaza.
- Rights groups and foreign governments condemned the remarks and lawyers have cited similar statements in filings to the International Court of Justice as alleged evidence of intent to commit genocide.
- US envoy Jared Kushner and President Trump have pushed a plan that ties Israeli redeployment and Gaza reconstruction to Hamas disarmament, and Netanyahu agreed to working groups on disarmament and humanitarian needs even as Israel insists it will not withdraw until Hamas is disarmed.
- Ben Gvir’s remarks build on his long record of ultranationalist positions and legal convictions for incitement, and they come against the backdrop of heavy civilian losses and a fragile ceasefire that has left Gaza with severe humanitarian needs.