Israel in turmoil: Prime Minister's immediate response sparks stirring remarks

Amichai Eliyahu, Israel's Minister of National Heritage, was questioned in an interview on Kol BaRama radio, "Should we drop a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip?". His response was, "That's one of the possibilities." When later asked about the kidnapped Israelis, Eliyahu said: "I pray and hope they will return, but war has its price."

"Dropping a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip is one of the possibilities," restated Eliyahu during the radio interview.

He went on to argue that "in Gaza, there is no such thing as uninvolved civilians". He added, "they could go to Ireland or the desert, they have to find their own solutions". He was decisively against allowing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

Eliyahu is a member of the far-right party "Jewish Force". He is not part of the security cabinet, responsible for making decisions during wartime.

He now explains that his words were "metaphorical". Furthermore, he added, "Israel is committed to ensuring the return of the prisoners alive".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rapidly dismissed the minister's assertion that dropping a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip was feasible. He declared that "these words are detached from reality".

He resolved to suspend Eliyahu from government meetings indefinitely.

The Israeli military confirmed on Sunday that it has attacked over 2,500 targets since launching ground operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to the Israeli military, the ground operations are coordinated with their air force and navy. Soldiers continue to "eliminate terrorists" in direct combat, as reported by the military.

It was also reported that soldiers are identifying targets for airstrikes: weapons depots, command centers, and Hamas observation posts.