Ben-Gvir calls on soldiers to ‘kill’ not arrest Palestinians who surrender in Gaza

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, recently questioned the necessity of the detention of a large number of Palestinians during the occupation state’s military offensive in Gaza, suggesting that some captives could be “killed” instead of being arrested.

According to the Times of Israel, Ben-Gvir was quoted as asking the army chief of staff: “Why are there so many arrests? “Can’t you kill some? Do you want to tell me they all surrender? What are we to do with so many arrested? It’s dangerous for the soldiers.”

The comments came as Herzi Halevi briefed ministers who attended the security cabinet meeting on the military operation in Gaza and highlighted that hundreds of Palestinians had surrendered to the occupation forces.

Replying to Ben-Gvir, Halevi said: “Dangerous for who? We don’t shoot people who come out with their hands up. We shoot those who fight us. There’s no dilemma here. Those who surrender, we arrest.”

Ben-Gvir has recently called for Palestinians being held in Israel’s prisoners to be executed in an effort to tackle the issue of overcrowding.

He has also reportedly demanded that the army shoot Palestinian women and children in the Gaza Strip to “protect” the Israeli forces.

Ben-Gvir was a former member of the racist Kahane movement, which Israel banned in 1998 for terrorist acts and the US designated as a terrorist organisation.

He was exempted from military service due to the radical nature of his beliefs and was convicted of “racism and supporting a terrorist organisation” in 2007.

READ: Gaza truce or Rafah assault? Netanyahu faces political dilemma