Israeli Cabinet Ministers' Documented Statements on Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide
Compiled: May 29, 2025
Introduction
This document presents a comprehensive compilation of documented statements made by Israeli cabinet ministers and senior government officials regarding ethnic cleansing, genocide, and the destruction of Gaza. These statements have been gathered from verified news sources, official transcripts, and documented public appearances.
The statements included here have been cited in various international legal proceedings, including South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and have been documented by organizations such as Law for Palestine, which has compiled over 500 instances of incitement to genocide by Israeli officials.
All statements are presented with their original context, dates, and verified sources. This documentation serves as a factual record of public statements made by Israeli government officials in their official capacities.
Table of Contents
Benjamin Netanyahu - Prime Minister
Position: Prime Minister of Israel
Party: Likud
In Office: 2009-2021, 2022-present
October 13, 2023
Destruction Displacement
"Gaza is the city of evil, we will turn all the places in which Hamas deploys and hides into ruins. I am telling the people of Gaza — get out of there now. We will act everywhere and with full power."
Statement made during a televised address following the October 7 attacks, calling for mass evacuation of Gaza civilians.
Source: The Guardian
October 28, 2023
Genocidal Intent
"You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible. We remember, and we are fighting... our soldiers are part of a legacy of Jewish warriors that goes back 3,000 years."
Reference to Amalek, the biblical enemy nation that God commanded King Saul to completely exterminate, including men, women, children, and livestock. This biblical reference has been interpreted as calling for total destruction of Palestinians.
Source: Twitter/X Documentation, cited in South Africa's ICJ case
Yoav Gallant - Defense Minister
Position: Defense Minister
Party: Likud
Background: Former IDF General
October 9, 2023
Dehumanization Collective Punishment
"We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel. Everything is closed."
Statement announcing the complete siege of Gaza, referring to Palestinians as "human animals" and declaring total blockade of essential supplies.
Source: Forbes
November 11, 2023
Genocidal Threat
"I am saying here to the citizens of Lebanon, I already see the citizens in Gaza walking with white flags along the coast... If Hezbollah makes mistakes of this kind, the ones who will pay the price are, first of all, the citizens of Lebanon. What we are doing in Gaza, we know how to do in Beirut."
Threatening to extend Gaza-style destruction to Lebanon, explicitly referencing the devastation being inflicted on Gaza as a model for future operations.
Source: Times of Israel
Bezalel Smotrich - Finance Minister
Position: Finance Minister
Party: Religious Zionism
Background: Far-right ultranationalist leader
May 6, 2025
Total Destruction Forced Displacement
"Within a few months, we will be able to declare that we have won. Gaza will be totally destroyed. In another six months, Hamas won't exist as a functioning entity."
Statement at a "Settlements Conference" in the West Bank settlement of Ofra, outlining plans for Gaza's complete destruction.
Source: Times of Israel
May 6, 2025
Population Concentration Forced Migration
"The population of Gaza, some 2.3 million Palestinians, would be 'concentrated' in a narrow strip of land between the Egyptian border and the so-called Morag Corridor... They will be totally despairing, understanding that there is no hope and nothing to look for in Gaza, and will be looking for relocation to begin a new life in other places."
Describing plans to concentrate Gaza's entire population in a small area to force them to emigrate, explicitly stating the goal is to make them "totally despairing."
Source: Times of Israel
January 2024
Dehumanization
"In Gaza there are two million — that is, almost the entire population — Nazis."
Statement dehumanizing the entire population of Gaza by comparing them to Nazis, justifying collective punishment.
Source: El País
Itamar Ben-Gvir - National Security Minister
Position: National Security Minister
Party: Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power)
Background: Far-right activist, former follower of Meir Kahane
2023
Voluntary Transfer Land Appropriation
"We will encourage voluntary transfer of all Gazan citizens. We will offer them the opportunity to move to other countries because that land belongs to us."
Statement advocating for the complete removal of Palestinians from Gaza based on territorial claims.
Source: Zionism Observer Database
2023
Occupation and Settlement
"Occupation, settlement, and encouragement of emigration. Only in this way can we solve the problem of Gaza. To occupy all the land. To settle in all the land. And of course, to encourage the voluntary emigration of as many [Palestinian] people as possible to other countries."
Comprehensive plan for Gaza involving military occupation, Jewish settlement, and Palestinian emigration.
Source: Zionism Observer Database
2023
Mass Deportation
"[The] only humane solution for Gaza is the mass deportation of its inhabitants."
Direct call for mass deportation of Gaza's population, framed as a "humane solution."
Source: Zionism Observer Database
2023
Collective Targeting
"[T]o be clear, when we say that Hamas should be destroyed, it also means those who celebrate, those who support, and those who hand out candy — they're all terrorists, and they should also be destroyed."
Expanding the definition of legitimate targets to include civilians based on their perceived support or celebration.
Source: Zionism Observer Database
2023
Execution Advocacy
"I want the possibility to behead head after head, head after head of the Nukhba."
Advocating for mass executions of captured Palestinian fighters.
Source: Zionism Observer Database
Isaac Herzog - President
Position: President of Israel
Party: Labor (formerly)
Background: Former Labor Party leader, considered moderate
October 14, 2023
Collective Responsibility
"There are no innocent civilians in Gaza. It is an entire nation out there that is responsible. They could've risen up, they could have fought against that evil regime."
Statement declaring all Gaza civilians as legitimate targets due to collective responsibility for Hamas rule.
Source: Twitter/X Documentation, HuffPost
Other Senior Officials
October 2023
Nuclear Threat
Amichai Eliyahu (Heritage Minister): "One of the options is to drop an atomic bomb on Gaza. I pray & hope for their [hostages] return, but there is also a price in war."
Minister suggesting nuclear weapons use against Gaza, later removed from cabinet meetings but kept in office.
Source: TRT World
October 2023
Extermination
Yoav Kisch (Education Minister): "Those are animals, they have no right to exist. I am not debating the way it will happen, but they need to be exterminated."
Education Minister calling for extermination of Palestinians, using dehumanizing language.
Source: TRT World
January 2024
Complete Destruction
Nissim Vaturi (Deputy Knesset Speaker): "Gaza must be burned. I stand behind my words... It is better to burn down buildings rather than have [Israeli] soldiers harmed. There are no innocents there. We need to eliminate them."
Deputy Speaker of Parliament calling for burning Gaza and eliminating its population, reaffirmed before ICJ hearings.
Source: El País
October 2023
Indiscriminate Bombing
Tally Gotlib (Likud MK): "Bring down buildings!! Bomb without distinction!! Stop with this impotence. You have ability. There is worldwide legitimacy! Flatten Gaza. Without mercy! This time, there is no room for mercy!"
Knesset member calling for indiscriminate bombing and flattening of Gaza without mercy.
Source: TRT World
October 2023
Global Dispersal
Ram Ben Barak (Knesset Member): "If all of Gaza are refugees, then let's scatter them in the world. There are 2.5m people there, each country would take in 20K people, 100 countries, it is humane, it is required."
Proposal for global dispersal of Gaza's entire population as a "humane" solution.
Source: TRT World
October 2023
Medical Metaphor
Gilad Erdan (UN Ambassador): "There is only one solution to curing a cancer and it is the evisceration of the cancerous cells."
UN Ambassador using medical metaphor to justify "evisceration" of Palestinians, comparing them to cancer cells.
Source: El País
Sources and References
Law for Palestine - Database with 500+ Instances of Israeli Incitement to Genocide
TRT World - Database exposes 500 instances of Israeli incitement to genocide in Gaza
Zionism Observer - Ben-Gvir Potentially Genocidal Quotes Database
Palestine Chronicle - 'Human Animals': The Sordid Language behind Israel's Genocide in Gaza
Disclaimer
This document presents statements that have been publicly reported and documented by multiple news sources and organizations. All statements are attributed to their sources and presented in their reported context. The compilation is intended for informational and documentary purposes. The interpretation and legal significance of these statements are matters for appropriate legal authorities and international bodies to determine.
This documentation has been compiled from publicly available sources including major news outlets, official transcripts, and legal documents. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, readers are encouraged to verify information through the original sources provided.
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