"I think that targeted killings should be carried out in Gaza," said Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, on Monday, sparking worldwide outrage.
The hard-liner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet also described exactly what he had in mind: Every night, 30 or 40 Palestinians should be "removed." Ben-Gvir emphasized that he was not only referring to militant Palestinians who posed an immediate threat, adding that there are people in the Gaza Strip who do not deserve to live.
On Wednesday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz denounced the statement made by the controversial Israeli politician. "The chancellor strongly condemns Minister Ben-Gvir's inhumane statements, which violate international law — they are unacceptable," said a government spokesperson in Berlin. Merz is officially on vacation.
Ben-Gvir Gaza comments trigger condemnationTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The spokesperson also criticized Israel's plans to further accelerate settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Merz is following the latest developments "with great concern."
