At Uriel Baruch’s memorial, Itamar Ben-Gvir vows to finish the war, call for a death-penalty law, and “dismantle Hamas” entirely.
At a solemn memorial Wednesday evening for Uriel Baruch — a hostage whose body was recently returned to Israel — National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir delivered a hard-hitting address that laid down a stark, uncompromising vision for the country’s next phase.
Opening with a vow rooted in grief and resolve, Ben-Gvir told the crowd that Israel must continue the campaign until Hamas is eradicated. “We will not stop until Hamas is completely dismantled,” he declared, framing the fight as a necessary effort to protect Israeli lives and restore national security.
Turning to justice, the minister called for a new legal line in the sand. “We need a death-penalty law for terrorists,” Ben-Gvir demanded, arguing the measure is both just and consistent with Jewish moral teachings. He said those who “have harmed, those who have slaughtered” should not be permitted to live, and that such decisive penalties would help deter future kidnappings and atrocities.
Ben-Gvir closed by tying his pledge to Uriel’s memory: Israel will follow “Uriel’s path” and press forward until “total victory” is achieved over enemies inside and outside the country. “We will win, and we will walk in our truth,” he vowed — a promise meant to reassure families and harden the state’s posture in the months ahead.
