"Every child, every baby in Gaza is an enemy," said Moshe Feiglin, a former member of the Israeli parliament (Knesset).

"We need to occupy Gaza and settle it, and not a single Gazan child will be left there," Feiglin added.

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 14, the far-right politician made the shocking remark in response to comments by Yair Golan, head of the newly formed party The Democrats.

Speaking to the Israeli public radio station Reshet Bet, Golan, also the retired IDF deputy chief of staff, had said Israel was becoming a pariah state and cautioned that “a sane country doesn't engage in fighting against civilians, doesn't kill babies as a hobby and doesn't set for itself the goals of expelling a population”.

This sparked a domestic uproar amid the country facing heavy international criticism.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, condemning Golan's words, said, "I vehemently condemn the wild incitement from Yair Golan against our heroic soldiers and against the State of Israel. The IDF is the most moral army in the world, and our soldiers are fighting in a war for our existence."

“At a time when we are fighting a multifront war and leading complicated diplomatic efforts to free our hostages and defeat Hamas, Golan and his friends in the radical left are trumpeting the most despicable antisemitic blood libels against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel,” Netanyahu added.

Rare focus on plight of Palestinian civilians

Golan's words came as a shock to the system because outside of the country's politically marginalised left, criticism focused on Palestinian civilians suffering and deaths have rarely been spoken about publicly in Israel.

Criticism of the war has focused overwhelmingly on Netanyahu. His opponents believe his own political motives have dictated war strategy and his failure to reach a deal with Hamas to release all the hostages — an accusation which he denies.

Public opinion polls show that most Israelis support ending the war in exchange for the release of the remaining 58 hostages held by Hamas, around a third of whom are said to be alive.

Opponents of the war have tended to focus on concerns over the fate of the remaining hostages and the risk of soldier casualties in a campaign that many feel has run its course.

While Ehud Olmert, a former prime minister and a fierce critic of the current government, disputed Golan's choice of words, he said the essence of his remarks “reflects what many people think”.

Israel eases blockade, but humanitarian aid yet to reach Gaza

Dozens of supply trucks have entered Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing, according to Israeli officials. However, the UN has been unable to transport any of those supplies from the crossing to warehouses inside Gaza, partly due to fears of looting, said a UN official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation.

Under international pressure, five UN aid trucks carrying baby food were permitted entry into Gaza on Monday.

Palestinians reeling from Israel’s two-month ban on food, fuel and other supplies have been left stranded waiting.

For weeks, Israel blocked aid agencies from resuming operations unless they accepted new conditions, reportedly aimed at preventing supplies from reaching Hamas.

Even the US, one of Israel’s strongest allies, began to acknowledge that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was spiraling. Last week, President Donald Trump stated, “A lot of people are starving” in the region.

(With inputs from AP)