Israeli Minister Celebrates 300,000 Civilian Gun Licenses Issued

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced Tuesday that 300,000 civilian gun permits have been issued since the implementation of his reform to expand firearm access. Ben Gvir personally visited Bar Knafo in Beersheba, the 300,000th recipient of a license under the policy, presenting her with a cake to mark the milestone.

In a video shared on his X account, Ben Gvir congratulated Knafo, emphasizing that she was the 300,000th citizen to receive a permit since the reform's launch. He reiterated his support for arming civilians, stating, "A gun saves lives!"

The reform, spearheaded by Ben Gvir, aims to streamline the process for eligible Israelis to obtain gun licenses. The pace of issuing these permits significantly accelerated following the October 7th attacks, driven by a surge in demand for self-defense weapons.

By publicly celebrating this 300,000th license, Ben Gvir highlights one of his signature initiatives as National Security Minister: increasing the number of armed civilians in Israel.