Israel 'racing' to wipe out Gaza, heritage minister says
'Thank God, we are wiping out this evil,' he said during an interview with Haredi radio station Kol Barama.
'All Gaza will be Jewish,' he added.
Eliyahu, a member of the far-right Jewish Power party led by Itamar Ben Gvir, also said that 'there is no hunger in Gaza".
'But we don't need to be concerned with hunger in the strip,' he continued. 'Let the world worry about it.'
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Over 100 humanitarian agencies signed a letter on Wednesday sounding the alarm over Israel-imposed starvation in Gaza, where at least 45 Palestinians have died from malnutrition over the past week, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Eliyahu's comments drew immediate criticism from Israel's ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, who urged the minister to retract his statement during a tense private phone call, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Eliyahu "does not speak for the government I lead".
'He is not a member of the Security Cabinet that determines the conduct of the war,' Netanyahu added.
Nuking Gaza
Eliyahu has previously discussed using nuclear weapons in Gaza, telling a radio host in 2023 that 'that's one option' for Israeli military strategy in the besieged enclave.
These comments drew a reprimand from Netanyahu, though Eliyahu retained his ministerial role despite calls for his immediate removal, following a brief suspension from cabinet meetings.
Later that year, in December, Eliyahu called for the execution of Palestinian prisoners after his Jewish Power party submitted a controversial draft law on the matter to the Israeli parliament.
'We are a law-abiding state, but we urgently need to refer them to God so that they are not released in deals,' said Eliyahu, according to Ynet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
Israel says Gaza got 120 trucks of aid on day one of pause
Israel said on Monday that more than 120 truckloads of food aid were distributed by the UN and aid agencies in the Gaza Strip on the first day of a promised limited break in fighting. On Sunday, Israel declared a "tactical pause" in military operations in part of Gaza and promised to open secure routes for aid, urging humanitarian groups to step up food distribution. "Over 120 trucks were collected and distributed yesterday by the UN and international organisations," said COGAT, an Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories. "An additional 180 trucks entered Gaza and are now awaiting collection and distribution, along with hundreds of others still queued for UN pickup," COGAT said in a post on X. Separately, Israel, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have conducted parachute air drops of smaller quantities of aid. A boy receives treatment for an injury following Israeli bombardment on an area where people displaced by conflict were sheltering in the Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, at Nasser Medical Complex on Monday. Agence France-Presse More than two million Palestinians live in Gaza and, before the eruption of the latest 21-month-old conflict between Israel and Hamas, it took roughly 500 trucks per day of commercial trade and humanitarian aid to supply the territory. In recent weeks UN agencies have been warning of a life-threatening famine as aid supplies dry up, and international pressure has been building for a ceasefire to allow a massive relief operation. Hunger 'not a weapon of war' Israel's government, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, furiously denies that it is using hunger as a weapon of war, and instead accuses the aid agencies of failing to pick up and distribute aid delivered to Gaza's border crossing points. "More consistent collection and distribution by UN agencies and international organisations equals more aid reaching those who need it most in Gaza," COGAT said. Agence France-Presse
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
49 Qatari Aid Trucks Arrive in Egypt, Jordan on Way to Gaza Strip
As part of the State of Qatar's ongoing humanitarian support for the brotherly Palestinian people, 49 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid arrived in the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The aid was provided by the State of Qatar through the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), in cooperation with Qatar Charity and the Qatar Red Crescent Society. It will be delivered to the World Food Programme (WFP) for distribution to those in need in the Gaza Strip via the Rafah and Zikim crossings. The aid included 4,704 food parcels for 4,704 families for more than 28,224 beneficiaries, 200 tons of food baskets targeting approximately 50,000 beneficiaries, 174 tons of flour for 43,000 beneficiaries, and 5,000 units of baby formula for the most vulnerable children. This aid comes amid the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip resulting from the ongoing blockade. It embodies Qatar's unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and its commitment to alleviating their deepening suffering and providing urgent relief to the most affected groups. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.
Dubai Eye
an hour ago
- Dubai Eye
Houthis threaten to target ships linked to Israeli port trade
Yemen's Houthis said they would target any ships belonging to companies that do business with Israeli ports, regardless of their nationalities, as part of what they called the fourth phase of their military operations against Israel. In a televised statement, the Houthis' military spokesperson warned that ships would be attacked if companies ignored their warnings, regardless of their destination. "The Yemeni Armed Forces call on all countries, if they want to avoid this escalation, to pressure the enemy to halt its aggression and lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip," he added. Since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023, the Houthis have been attacking ships they deem as bound or linked to Israel in what they say are acts of solidarity with Palestinians. In May, the US announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.
