Experts have described an Israeli lawmaker's call to use nuclear force against the Gaza Strip as "unrealistic," especially since Israel is not currently facing an "existential threat." Amid the ongoing exchanges of attacks and rapid events between Palestinians and Israelis, Knesset member Tali Gottlieb has urged the use of nuclear force in Gaza in response to attacks from Palestinian factions. The member associated with the Likud party, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said in several posts on X platform, addressing her military: "I urge you to do everything, and use doomsday weapons fearlessly against our enemies," emphasizing that Israel "should use everything in its arsenal." She also stated that "one explosion shaking the Middle East will restore this country’s dignity, strength, and security," and asserted: "It is time for doomsday... it is time to launch powerful missiles without limits... leave no neighborhood standing on earth... crush Gaza and level it to the ground mercilessly."
Political analyst Nizar Jabr commented on the Israeli lawmaker Tali Gottlieb's statements, explaining her motives for this call and the probability of its implementation:
• The Israeli nuclear weapon has never appeared in any battle, and even the threat of it has been nonexistent; Tel Aviv always claims that it does not possess such a weapon.
• Calls from some lawmakers to use the weapon are an extreme reaction to the anger stemming from the blow inflicted on Israel by Hamas.
• Israel is already using internationally prohibited weapons in this war, which has caused a significant number of casualties in Gaza, but resorting to nuclear weapons would only happen if it fails and suffers even greater losses.
Egyptian military expert Jamal El-Rafai ruled out Israel using a nuclear weapon in Gaza, attributing this to:
- If Israel were to use this weapon, it would be the first to suffer from it.
- The use of nuclear weapons requires an existential threat, which has not occurred thus far.
- This is not a war between states for the nuclear threat to be raised.
Regarding Israel’s nuclear capabilities, El-Rafai stated: "As of now, its true capabilities remain unknown. There are reports stating that Israel possesses 90 bombs, while others claim it has more than 400, but what is certain is that Israel has greatly benefited from American and European expertise in this field."
