Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu was interviewed this morning (Sunday) by Kol Barama Radio and expressed his opposition to the permission of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
In an interview, he said: "We would not give humanitarian aid to the Nazis. There is no such thing as non-combatants in Gaza."
When asked if an atomic bomb should be dropped on Gaza, Eliyahu replied: "That is one of the possibilities." He later answered the question about the 240 hostages: "I pray and hope for their return, but there are also prices in war."
"There is no place for the Gaza Strip, there should be no existence for the north of the Strip. Anyone who raises a PLO or Hamas flag should not continue to live," he added.
He also claimed: "I hope that after the war we will return to the towns in the Gaza Strip and march in there with pride. We must exact a territorial price. What about the Palestinian citizens? Let them go to Ireland or the deserts, and let the monsters in Gaza take care of the solution themselves."
Prime Minister Netanyahu responded: "These comments from Minister Amichai Eliyahu are disconnected from reality. Israel and the IDF are acting according to the highest standards of international law to prevent harm to those not involved, and we will continue to do so until victory."
Journalist Hagai Segal commented: "The immediate dismissal of the Heritage Minister and this kind of talk will increase the feeling of unity in the nation."
Opposition leader Yair Lapid commented: "A shocking and crazy statement by an irresponsible minister. He has harmed the families of the hostages, harmed Israeli society, and harmed our international status. The presence of the extremists in the government endangers us and the success of the war - the victory of Hamas and the return of the hostages. Netanyahu must fire him this morning."
MK Naama Lazimi (Labor) wrote: "It is time to remind everyone once again that the 'genius' who thinks it is necessary to drop an atomic bomb on Gaza will turn Gaza and Israel together into hell on earth for decades to come, is serving in a fictitious position that is depleting the resources and budgets that the war effort needs. He should be fired immediately and in disgrace."
Yediot Aharonot journalist Nadav Eyal responded: "More than Amichai Eliyahu is an extremist, he is simply the stupidest of the government ministers. By far. It is highly doubtful if he would have received any political position if it were not for his family lineage."
MK Ahmed Tibi (Joint List) commented: "A minister in the Israeli government is proposing an atomic bombing of Gaza that will wipe out all its residents (including the hostages). I am lost for words."
Journalist Ariel Kahana wrote: "Netanyahu should order Minister Eliyahu not to be interviewed, and he will not be fired. There is a limit!"
MK Yulia Malinovsky (Yisrael Beiteinu): "In light of Minister Amichai Eliyahu's statements, I sometimes wonder if he is a minister in the government or an enthusiastic 14-year-old boy who is starting puberty. Inappropriate".
Israel has a long-standing tradition of ambiguity about its nuclear capabilities, and neither confirms nor denies that it has operational nuclear weapons. Allegations to that effect have been made by numerous parties over the years, including scientist Mordechai Vanunu who claimed to have helped develop nuclear weapons for Israel.
Another such allegation is made by scholars of the Yom Kippur War, who claim that Golda Meir ordered nuclear weapons prepared for use to push the Nixon administration to resupply the IDF.
Israeli governments over the years have insisted that Israel will not be the first one to use nuclear weapons in the Middle East. Israel has a history of attacking attempts by other nations, both militarily and with cyber warfare, to prevent the development of nuclear weapons.
Despite extensive international pressure, Israel refuses to sign nuclear non-proliferation treaties or to allow inspection by foreign bodies of the suspected nuclear reactor near Dimona.