Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel's National Security Minister, has called for the bombing of food and humanitarian aid warehouses in the Gaza Strip, urging that these warehouses be used as leverage against Hamas to secure the release of Israeli hostages. His controversial statement came during a visit to the United States, his first since taking office in late 2022.

In a social media post, Ben Gvir revealed that during his visit to Mar-a-Lago, Florida, he met with senior Republican Party officials who expressed their support for his position on Gaza. He claimed these officials backed his stance on bombing Gaza's aid warehouses as a means to apply political and military pressure on Hamas.

The Republican Party has yet to issue an official response to these claims. Ben Gvir’s office described the visit as part of a "diplomatic and political tour" across the U.S., although no specifics about the meetings were disclosed.

Ben Gvir's rhetoric, known for its extreme positions, advocates for the deprivation of basic necessities for Palestinians. His previous calls for using force against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Jerusalem have sparked widespread condemnation.

This latest escalation comes at a time when Gaza is facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive in October 2023, over 168,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured. Israel's blockade continues to prevent the entry of essential food, medicine, and supplies, leaving Gaza on the brink of collapse.

Meanwhile, violence in the West Bank has intensified, with over 955 Palestinians killed, 7,000 injured, and 16,400 arrests, as Israeli forces and settlers escalate their attacks across Palestinian territories. The ongoing suffering of Palestinians highlights the growing humanitarian disaster in the region.