Israel’s Ben Gvir Says Israeli Military Should Shoot Palestinian Women and Children

He said women and children in Gaza who get close to the border should get a bullet in the head, according to The Jerusalem Post

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir said on Sunday that Israeli forces should shoot Palestinian women and children in Gaza if they get too close to the Israeli border.

“We cannot have women and children getting close to the border… anyone who gets near must get a bullet [in his head],” Ben-Gvir said during an argument with Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi about the IDF’s open fire policies, according to The Jerusalem Post.

After his comments leaked to the press, Ben Gvir doubled down. In a post on X, the Israeli minister said he “does not stutter and does not intend to apologize. All those who endanger our citizens by getting near the border must be shot. This is what they do in any normal state.”

In his role as minister of National Security, Ben Gvir oversees the Israeli police, including the border police. He and Halevi also argued about the IDF cooperating with Israeli police to crack down on protests against humanitarian aid entering Gaza at the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

“You cannot contact the Israel Police commissioner directly,” Ben-Gvir told Halevi during what the Post described as a screaming match. “If you want him, you need to go through me.”

The Israeli police under Ben Gvir had done nothing to stop the protests, which aim to block the aid into Gaza, until the military stepped in. Ben Gvir, who leads the Jewish Power party, and other ministers in Netanyahu’s government, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich oppose allowing aid into the Gaza Strip.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.