Title: Netanyahu Slaps the Hand of a Mouthy Minister over Nuclear Bomb Remark
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a time-out to his ultra-right-wing cabinet member, Amichai Elijahu, after the Minister's metaphorical comment about employing a nuclear bomb in the Gaza Strip conflict. Elijahu will stay away from cabinet meetings until further notice, Netanyahu's office announced.
Netanyahu criticized Elijahu's statements, saying they lacked congruence with reality. During an interview on the Kol Barama radio station, Elijahu discussed using a nuclear bomb as an option against the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas.
However, Netanyahu asserted that Israel and its armed forces consistently upheld the highest global legal standards to safeguard innocent individuals. Israel's commitment to bringing hostages back home securely still remained, he emphasized.
In the radio interview, Elijahu further suggested that Israel should be prepared to pay the price for hostages in the event of a nuclear bomb strike.
Ruthless and cruel, said the hostage-relative forum
The forum of relatives of those abducted or missing in Gaza labelled Elijahu's remarks as heartless and inhumane. International law, as well as the moral compass of humanity, strictly forbade the use of weapons of mass destruction, they argued.
To quell the uproar, Elijahu claimed his nuclear bomb reference was merely metaphorical. Israel was determined to exhaust every possible method to safely retrieve the captive hostages, he clarified. Israel has never acknowledged the possession of nuclear weapons, but worldwide sources estimate that Israel holds 90 nuclear warheads.
The week-long Hamas offensive against Israel led to approximately 1,400 deaths, primarily civilians. Over 240 individuals were also reportedly kidnapped in the Gaza Strip.
Inside the hotbed of the Middle East conflict
The heated dialogue over Israel's governmental stance has once again ignited the Middle East conflict, particularly the volatile situation in Gaza. The use of nuclear weapons in the conflict's larger context has become a subject of fierce debate, considering the profound risks associated with military engagements.
Despite the contentious statement from Minister Elijahu, Netanyahu maintained that Israel's actions in Gaza adhered to international law and were deployed to protect civilians. Israel's aim was to minimize harm and win the conflict.
Yet, the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas has played a substantial role in the ongoing confrontations, resulting in numerous hostages being abducted over the years.
The enrichment data incorporated into the base article sparingly and organically emphasizes the ongoing controversy surrounding Minister Elijahu's nuclear bomb reference, accompanied by international reactions and critical analyses of Israel's actions.
