Ben-Gvir Gaza Remarks

Poland has imposed an entry ban on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, joining Ireland, France, Spain and Slovenia in restricting his travel, after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the minister's calls for nightly targeted killings in Gaza.

The German government denied claims it blocked sanctions against Ben Gvir at the last EU summit, while the Czech Republic had opposed placing him on the bloc's sanctions list. SPD parliamentary manager Dirk Wiese called for both Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to be added to EU sanctions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is advancing 1,200 new housing units in the West Bank, with the tender deadline for the controversial E1 settlement project set for October 19.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sharply condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's calls for targeted killings in Gaza, with government spokesman Sebastian Hille calling the statements inhumane and a violation of international law. Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil demanded serious evaluation of EU-level sanctions, while Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is examining national options.

The issue will be discussed at an informal EU foreign ministers meeting in early September, where EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will present new proposals. Any bloc-wide sanctions, which would include entry bans and asset freezes, require unanimous approval from member states — an effort the Czech Republic recently blocked.

Greens leader Franziska Brantner called for Germany to ban Ben Gvir's entry, noting Ireland, France, Spain and Slovenia have already done so. The meeting will also address responses to Israeli settlement policy in the West Bank.

The Israeli military has acknowledged that its soldiers marked Palestinian detainees with numbers during a raid in the West Bank town of Qabatiya on Monday, a practice that drew sharp condemnation. Video footage showed journalist Mahmoud Zakarneh with the number 44 written on his forehead after his detention, and reports indicated soldiers used markers to write numbers on the faces and bodies of several Palestinians during interrogations.

The army said the operation involved searching more than 100 buildings and resulted in the arrest of two suspects accused of planning attacks against Israel. The military admitted a mistake had occurred during the operation and said lessons would be learned. Detainees were also reportedly beaten during the raid.

Arab lawmaker Ahmed Tibi called the images a reminder of "dark times" that should shake every person. Separately, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir publicly called for the daily killing of 30 to 40 people in Gaza.