Full Breakdown
Itamar Ben-Gvir Calls for Daily Targeted Killings in Gaza and Pushes for Israeli Settlement
8/18/2026, 7:42:43 AM
Core Event: Advocacy for Nightly Assassinations and a “Gaza as Ours” Vision
On the inaugural episode of the “October 8” podcast (October 8, 2023), National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir urged Israel to carry out “30 to 40 targeted assassinations” in Gaza each night. Ben-Gvir also declared, “I see all of Gaza as ours,” and called for the establishment of Israeli settlements throughout the strip, coupled with a policy encouraging Gazans to emigrate while “terrorists” are killed one by one.
Background & Context
- October 7 2023 – A Hamas attack on Israel triggered the current Gaza war. Since then, the conflict has produced a humanitarian crisis and a series of political debates over Israel’s military strategy.
- Ben-Gvir, a longtime figure on Israel’s far-right fringe and leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, entered the coalition government formed after the 2022 elections, gaining control over the national police and prison service.
- He has repeatedly advocated harsher conditions for Palestinian prisoners and the extension of the death-penalty law to terrorists. In 2025, Israel’s top court ruled that the prison service under his authority was depriving Palestinian inmates of a minimum subsistence diet.
- The minister’s rhetoric aligns with a broader hard-line bloc that includes Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other Religious Zionist parties, which helped secure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power in 2022.
Data & Statistics
- The Gaza Health Ministry reports that Israeli strikes have killed over 1,250 people since an October truce took effect, underscoring the intensity of the conflict that Ben-Gvir seeks to intensify.
Official Statements & Responses
Ben-Gvir framed his proposals as a necessary response to what he describes as an existential threat from Hamas and other “terrorists” in Gaza. He emphasized that Israeli settlements should be expanded across the strip and that the removal of Palestinians “as much as possible” would secure Israel’s security interests.
In contrast, Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, condemned the minister’s call for extrajudicial killings, stating that no individual or government may claim the right to take a life. “No one can arrogate to themselves the right to take someone’s life,” — Gvir Antonio Tajani
Criticism & Opposition
Tajani’s rebuke reflects a broader international condemnation of Ben-Gvir’s statements. The Italian foreign minister’s remarks highlight the legal and moral objections raised by foreign officials to the notion of “targeted assassinations” that disregard civilian status and due process.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I see all of Gaza as ours,” — Mr Ben-Gvir, national security minister
- “She's a terrorist for all intents and purposes.” — Itamar Ben-Gvir, national security minister
- “No one can arrogate to themselves the right to take someone’s life,” — Gvir Antonio Tajani
What’s Next
Ben-Gvir is scheduled to appear at a supporters’ conference in Petah Tikva on August 16 2026, where he is expected to reiterate his settlement and emigration agenda. No official Israeli policy shift has been announced, and the continuation of nightly strikes remains contingent on the evolving security situation and diplomatic pressure.
