Israeli Prime Minister suspended far-right Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu on Sunday after he suggested dropping an atomic bomb on Gaza was a possible way to deal with the threat from Hamas.
Asked in a radio interview Sunday whether Israel should drop an atomic bomb on Gaza, Eliyahu replied that that was an option, The Jerusalem Post reported, noting that the comment came in a larger discussion about humanitarian aid.
“We wouldn’t have given the Nazis humanitarian aid,” he said, according to the reporting. “There’s no such thing as innocents in Gaza.”
Netanyahu sharply rebuked the comment, saying they were “not based in reality” and stressing Israel’s commitment to abide by international law and avoid unnecessary deaths.
“Minister Amihai Eliyahu’s statements are not based in reality,” Netanyahu said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, before suspending Eliyahu from cabinet meetings.
“Israel and the [Israel Defense Forces] are operating in accordance with the highest standards of international law to avoid harming innocents. We will continue to do so until our victory,” Netanyahu added.
The remarks were also met by widespread condemnation among Israeli government officials — both from members in the right-wing governing coalition and from members of the opposition.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav