Ben-Gvir Says Gaza Should Be Fully Conquered and Residents Encouraged to Emigrate
Israel's National Security Minister told The Jerusalem Post he backs a US-proposed relocation of Palestinians from Gaza and wants Israel to take over the entire territory.
By Mei Melnyk ·
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has said Israel should take control of the whole Gaza Strip and encourage its residents to move abroad. The far-right minister made the remarks in an interview with The Jerusalem Post, published on 2026-10-25.
"If you ask me what should be done in Gaza, we should conquer the entire territory. All of it. It is our land, the Jewish people's land. And we should encourage emigration," Ben-Gvir said. He named France and Britain as possible destinations, saying Gazans could be given good conditions there.
He described the idea as part of a plan put forward by US President Donald Trump. In February 2025, Trump proposed relocating roughly two million Gazans, though the proposal has since stalled. "This is a very good plan proposed by Donald Trump: encouraging emigration. Many of them could go to better places," Ben-Gvir said. He added that some countries are looking for workers and that people could live more comfortably there.
Amid the current protests in France, Ben-Gvir has recently shared AI-generated videos showing Gazans being transported to Paris by the minister himself.
Asked about Palestinians who would refuse to leave because Gaza is their home, Ben-Gvir pointed to the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023. "Someone whose home it is does not start a war and massacre children," he said, adding that those who carried out such acts "lost the legitimacy of making that argument." He said many Palestinians were involved, including people he described as uninvolved civilians who tortured hostages.
Ben-Gvir has repeatedly opposed hostage and ceasefire deals during the war between Israel and Hamas, favoring continued military action. Asked whether he regretted that position, he did not answer directly. He said the cabinet should have listened to him more before October 7 and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bore responsibility for the attacks. "Before October 7, when I was going to cabinet meetings, I kept saying, 'Let's bomb Gaza. Let's carry out targeted killings,'" he said.
His party, Otzma Yehudit, is a key member of Netanyahu's coalition. Recent polling projects it winning about eight seats in the next Knesset, and Ben-Gvir has announced he will demand the defense portfolio in the next government.
The interview also touched on crime in the Arab sector, which has risen during the government's term and drawn criticism of Ben-Gvir. He blamed restrictions imposed by Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, saying he had wanted to place spyware in homes in Arab communities so police could listen to conversations. Asked about privacy concerns, he said infringement is permissible in some cases involving murderers. He also said crime fell after certain budgets were approved, praised police officers, and acknowledged they lack intelligence capabilities. He called on the Shin Bet to become more involved in police work.
Ben-Gvir has been criticized for rhetoric that opponents say has damaged Israel's international image. Asked about that, he said the country's standing abroad matters to him but that he would not "endanger the lives of soldiers" for it. "I will not endanger the lives of combatants, soldiers, or civilians here just because I want Israel to look good in the eyes of the world," he said.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
