From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 25, 2026
At soldier’s funeral, Ben Gvir calls for deporting terrorists’ families, likens PA to Nazis
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleStav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir calls for the execution of Palestinian terrorists and for their families to be deported, and likens the Palestinian Authority to Nazis, while speaking at the funeral of Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, one of two IDF soldiers killed in a shooting attack on Friday.
“These terrorists, may their names be erased, are human scum, cowards,” Ben Gvir says, touting his efforts to worsen conditions for Palestinian security prisoners in Israeli jails.
“Putting an end to the lawlessness that prevailed here for 40 years, abolishing the pampering conditions and putting an end to the hotel they had in the prisons are important things,” he says.
“But we have a greater mission, and that is to kill the terrorists who remain alive – to execute them,” he continues.
Both Palestinian gunmen who carried out Friday’s attack were killed by Israeli forces during the ensuing firefight.
“Those who didn’t survive – very good! Our soldiers, you are heroes for killing them. But as for those who remain alive, I pray, I hope, and I will do everything I can to ensure that we have the privilege of executing them,” Ben Gvir says.
The Knesset in March passed a controversial law championed by Ben Gvir mandating the death penalty for West Bank Palestinians convicted of carrying out deadly terror attacks.
During the funeral, Ben Gvir also calls for the deportation of terrorists’ families and the dismantling of the West Bank-based PA, which he calls the “Palesti-Nazi Authority,” accusing it of glorifying violence.
“They are Nazis! They educate children to murder and name public squares after murderers. They cannot continue to be here,” he says. “I hope that, with God’s help, we will succeed in doing this.”
המחבלים האלה, יימח שמם, הם חלאות אדם, מוגי לב. אני רואה אותם בבתי הסוהר כשאנחנו עושים להם גיהנום. הפסקת ההפקרות שהייתה כאן במשך 40 שנה, ביטול התנאים המפנקים וסיום בית המלון שהיה להם בבתי הסוהר הם דברים חשובים.
אבל יש לנו שליחות גדולה יותר, והיא להרוג את המחבלים שנשארו בחיים… pic.twitter.com/wv0VLWdFZI
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) October 25, 2026
Shortly after his remarks at the funeral, Ben Gvir claims in a post on X that Palestinian security prisoners at Lavi Prison, formerly known as Ketziot, had been secretly saving portions of their limited food rations to make a makeshift cake to celebrate if he and the pro-Benjamin Netanyahu bloc lose Tuesday’s election.
Ben Gvir says Prison Service Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi and prison staff discovered the cake, disciplined the prisoners and placed them in solitary confinement.
“They had already planned the celebrations, but under us, the party is over,” he writes, urging voters to back his Otzma Yehudit party.
המחבלים בכלא לביא ישבו ואגרו מהמעט מזון שיש להם. כף ריבה ועוד כף ריבה, פרוסת לחם ועוד פרוסת לחם, כך במשך כמה ימים, הכל כדי להכין עוגה מאולתרת ולחגוג ביום שלישי, במידה ולא אבחר.
אלא שנציב שב״ס המצוין ואנשיו איתרו את העוגה, והאסירים הועמדו לדין משמעתי, והועברו לצינוק.
הם כבר… pic.twitter.com/KKYeKaKGmm
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) October 25, 2026
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