A statement by Israeli Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu suggesting the use of a nuclear bomb on the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas conflict has sparked widespread condemnation from China, Iran, and numerous Arab nations. The remarks were criticized as a serious threat to global security.

At the opening of a United Nations conference focused on establishing a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East, several ambassadors voiced their disapproval and raised concerns over the statement made by Eliyahu. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, promptly disowned the comments, suspended the minister from cabinet meetings, and clarified that the remarks were meant to be metaphorical.