Over 120,000 firearms distributed among Israeli settlers since Gaza war: Minister

JERUSALEM

Over 120,000 firearms have been distributed among Israeli settlers since the outbreak of the Gaza war last year, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Monday.

Ben-Gvir, leader of the far-right Jewish Power Party, said he plans to continue arming the settlers in the West Bank and near the border with Gaza and Lebanon.

“Over 120,000 weapons were distributed to eligible citizens, while tens of thousands more received conditional approvals,” he said on his X account.

“We intend to continue arming Israel. That's what we did, and that's what we'll continue to do!”

The extremist minister vowed to “continue to work with all our might for complete victory, in Gaza, in Lebanon, and in Iran, and wherever our enemy steps foot until all the abductees are returned home.”

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 42,000 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 97,300 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon, with the Israeli army launching massive airstrikes against what it claims Hezbollah targets, killing more than 1,200 people and injuring over 3,400 others since Sept. 23, according to Lebanese authorities.

Despite international warnings that the Middle East region was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching on Oct. 1 a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio