Israel should be killing 30 to 40 Gazans in precision strikes every night, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on a podcast with former hostage Rom Braslavski on Sunday.
“It’s no secret, I disagreed with the prime minister,” Ben-Gvir said. “I think that we need to do targeted strikes in Gaza every night, take out 30, 40 – not just those who endanger us in that moment. There are people there who aren’t worthy of life; they shouldn’t be alive; they aren’t people at all.”
Ben-Gvir also said that even Gaza citizens whom some “might consider uninvolved” shouldn’t be exempt.
“She’s a terrorist for all intents and purposes,” he said about a woman who brought Braslavski food during his time in captivity.”
“She needs a bullet in the head. She didn’t bring you food because she worried about your health – she brought you food because she wanted to preserve you so you could be a resource afterward, in that murdering terrorists would be released. Someone like that needs a bullet in the head.”
He added that he was proud to be the most feared man in Gaza, after Braslavski described the terrorists’ hatred and fear of him.
“I see all of Gaza as ours,” Ben-Gvir said. “Settlements not just in Gush Katif but throughout Gaza, encouraging as much emigration as possible, sending them to their countries, and for the terrorists, no emigration, nothing, just to kill them one by one.”
Braslavski also asked to be the one to execute captured terrorists using Ben-Gvir’s death penalty for terrorists law.
“I don’t want a rope, and I don’t need a button. With my own hands, I will execute every terrorist here.”
Ben-Gvir promised to do everything in his power to make that happen, saying, “It is one of my greatest dreams to see you there.”
Imprisoned terrorists ‘suffer greatly,’ Ben-Gvir says
Later in the interview, the minister talked about the conditions in Israeli prisons, saying that he had removed as many extraneous luxuries as he could.
“They suffer greatly; it’s awful for them, and I’m glad that it’s bad for them. They get the minimum of the minimum of the minimum of the minimum. But you’re right: in the end, it’s only a death sentence that will bring, not even a full restoration, but some kind of restoration.”
Organizations such as Peace Now or Standing Together, which push for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, should be outlawed, Ben-Gvir stated.
“I’m not bothered when they come and demonstrate against me – I actually find that amusing,” he claimed. “But the fact that these organizations support terrorism, support terrorists, support refusal to serve – they should be outlawed.”
However, Ben-Gvir also emphasized how important the principle of peace was to him.
“Peace is one of the most beautiful things,” he said. “You know what is written? ‘The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.’ You destroy your enemies, kill them, and then there will be peace.”
Italian FM condemns Itamar Ben-Gvir
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Foreign Minister, condemned Ben-Gvir‘s attempt to impose the death penalty on prisoners in a Sunday post on X/Twitter.
Ringrazio Papa Leone per il suo appello in favore di una soluzione a due Stati tra Israele e Palestina. La stessa che l’Italia persegue attraverso la sua attività diplomatica. Proprio per questo nelle scorse settimane abbiamo ospitato a Roma la Conferenza dell’Alleanza Globale…
— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) August 16, 2026
“No one can arrogate to themselves the right to take someone’s life,” Tajani stated.
He added that Italy would continue condemning attacks against Palestinians done by settlers in the West Bank.
