Amid worsening hunger in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli government minister stated that Israel is seeking to expel Gazans and has no obligation to alleviate their starvation. Amichay Eliyahu, who leads Israel's Heritage Ministry, made controversial remarks comparing the situation to historical wartime enemies and suggested that the government is 'rushing toward Gaza being wiped out.' His comments were not endorsed by the Israeli military or the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and opposition politicians swiftly condemned them as unrepresentative of mainstream Israeli views.

The remarks come as Israel continues to restrict food deliveries into Gaza, with only a limited number of distribution sites open and civilians facing deadly risks to access aid. While Eliyahu blamed Hamas for the starvation, critics argue that Israeli policies are directly contributing to the crisis. Public opinion in Israel appears to favor a cease-fire and a diplomatic solution to release hostages, with protests planned in Tel Aviv calling for immediate action.