Israeli minister's statement reflects an intention for ethnic cleansing, genocide: FO

ISLAMABAD, (NNI): Furious over the statement of an Israeli minister who voiced openness to the idea of Israel conducting a nuclear strike on Gaza, Pakistan on Monday said the statement reflects an intention for ethnic cleansing and genocide.

"We are appalled by statement of an Israeli minister threatening nuclear force against Palestinians," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted in a statement on X, erstwhile Twitter.

According to foreign media, Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu had said that dropping a "nuclear bomb" on the Gaza Strip is "an option".

The Foreign Office termed Israeli PM Netanyahu's cabinet member's statement "a wakeup call for int'l community to the threat posed by Israeli aggression to regional peace, security & stability".

"One of Israel's options in the war in Gaza is to drop a nuclear bomb on the Strip," a news agency reported, citing Eliyahu, a minister from the farright Otzma Yehudit party.

The Israeli minister also voiced objection to allowing any humanitarian aid into Gaza. "We wouldn't hand the Nazis humanitarian aid," the minister said, adding: "There is no such thing as uninvolved civilians in Gaza."

"Anyone waving a Palestinian or Hamas flag shouldn't continue living on the face of the earth."

Following his remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disciplined the junior member from his cabinet by putting him under suspension.

Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying that the minister had been suspended from cabinet meetings "until further notice".

Israel has intensified its ground operation and bombardment on the Gaza Strip in response to Palestinian Group Hamas' October 7 attacks, which caught Netanyahu Benjamin's administration by surprise.