A far-right Israeli government minister, who raised the possibility of dropping an atomic bomb on Gaza, also wants to clear the enclave of all Palestinians, who he said could go to "Ireland or deserts".
The remarks, which were reportedly made by Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, a member of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, were branded "horrifying and insane" by one opposition leader.
MK Mansour Abbas, leader of the Arab Ra’am party, said his remarks on the nuclear bombing of Gaza echo sentiments expressed by others.
“Eliyahu’s words about bombing Gaza with an atomic bomb were heard in different versions on the television screens from other people,” Abbas claimed on X, formerly Twitter.
“Dehumanization and collective punishment is the way to genocide and war crimes."
The Irish Government has been contacted and asked about these remarks made by an Israeli government minister, including one specifically mentioning Ireland. The government was also asked whether this might heighten concerns for Irish Defence Forces in the region.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Friday described Israel's actions in Gaza as "something approaching revenge".
Read more: Taoiseach says Israel actions ‘more approaching revenge than self-defence'
Read more: Ireland must take a stand over Gaza
Gaza health authorities said on Friday at least 9,227 people, including nearly 4,000 children, have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its assault on the enclave of 2.3 million people following the Hamas attack on southern Israel that left 1,400 dead.
"What I'm seeing unfolding at the moment isn't just self-defence. It looks, resembles something more approaching revenge," Mr Varadkar said on a visit to South Korea.
In a radio interview, when asked whether an atomic bomb should be dropped on Gaza, Eliyahu said, “This is one of the possibilities.”
He backed retaking the Strip and building Israeli settlements and, when asked what should happen to the Palestinian population, said: “They can go to Ireland or deserts; the monsters in Gaza should find a solution by themselves.”
"Amichai Eliyahu’s words are detached from reality,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. The minister was suspended cabinet but observers suggest that means little given in-person sit-downs have been rare in recent weeks.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid called on Netanyahu to fire Eliyahu, describing the comments “a horrifying and insane remark.”
“He offended the families of the captives [being held in Gaza], offended Israeli society and harmed our international standing,” Mr Lapid told the Times of Israel.
“The presence of the extremists in the government endangers us and the success of the war goals — defeating Hamas and returning the hostages."
