German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil has urged the European Union to seriously consider sanctioning Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his call for the nightly killing of Palestinian men, women and children in Gaza.

"These are statements that we, as the German government, cannot accept in any way," Klingbeil told German broadcaster Sat.1 on Tuesday.

The co-leader of Germany’s Social Democratic Party described Ben-Gvir’s language as "dehumanizing" and said European governments must now examine possible sanctions "very seriously."

"I stand in solidarity with the State of Israel. But I do not stand in solidarity with ministers like this," he said.

Israel since October 2023 has been conducting a genocide in Gaza, deepened its apartheid system in the occupied West Bank and expanded illegal settlements at record speed.

Klingbeil accused Israel’s far-right politicians of "playing with fire", saying Ben-Gvir had crossed a line.

During a podcast released on Saturday with Rom Braslavski, a former Israeli captive held in Gaza, Ben-Gvir proposed killing "30, 40 people" in the enclave every night.