War on Gaza: Israeli journalist says army should have killed 100,000 Palestinians

Zvi Yehezkeli, Channel 13's Arab affairs correspondent, said Israel should have pushed a more 'fatal' assault after 7 October

By MEE staff

Published date: 20 December 2023 

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/war-gaza-israeli-journalist-says-army-should-have-killed-100000-palestinians

A prominent Israeli journalist has said the Israeli army should have killed 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza.

Zvi Yehezkeli, Channel 13's Arab affairs correspondent, was speaking on the channel on Tuesday when he made the suggestion.

"In my opinion the IDF should have launched a more fatal attack with 100,000 killed in the beginning, yes, there are Hamas members, there are 20,000 Hamas members," he told the presenter.

"But I know those 100,000 will not all be Hamas members. I don't know who was involved and wasn't involved and who is or isn't innocent."

Asked by the presenter whether he really wants 100,000 people killed, Yehezkeli said that following the killing of Israelis by Hamas on 7 October the army should have launched "such a fatal attack" arguing that it would have led to a ceasefire and the release of hostages earlier on.

The attack October attack killed around 1,200 Israelis, according to the official government figure. Around 240 people were also taken hostage.

In response, Israel launched a war on Gaza that began with a wide-ranging aerial bombardment of the enclave followed by a ground invasion.

Israel's military campaign has so far killed at least 19,667 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Thousands more are missing under the rubble.

Israel's bombing campaign has targeted residential areas, schools, hospitals, mosques, churches, civilian infrastructure, and UN shelters.

Despite calls for humanitarian pauses and ceasefires from international figures, a number of high-profile Israelis have called for the army to maintain or intensify its attack on the enclave.

On Monday, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said that he would leave the governing coalition if the military offensive doesn’t continue at full strength, according to Israeli media.

Ben Gvir criticised the government's handling of the war and added that Hamas remains undeterred after 73 days of war.

“You don’t make pauses and don’t allow our enemies to set shocking conditions for the release of the hostages,” he said.