In a blunt public statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned diplomatic efforts to recognize a Palestinian state, claiming these moves have only served to harden Hamas’s stance and “assassinated the chances to reach a hostage deal.” The minister’s comments were made after the distressing release of videos showing two Israeli captives, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, in a visibly poor state.
Sa’ar launched a fierce attack on Hamas, characterizing their actions as a “sadistic propaganda campaign.” He specifically called out the apparent starvation and torture of the hostages as a “deliberate and well-planned” tactic. The minister drew stark parallels between the terror group’s cruelty and the crimes committed by the Nazis and ISIS, asserting that such behavior is a hallmark of depraved organizations.
The minister also voiced his frustration with the international community, highlighting the fact that the 50 remaining hostages have not been visited by the Red Cross, a violation of a standing agreement. He challenged the widely reported “starvation narrative” in Gaza, calling it a “fake propaganda campaign” that he believes is contradicted by the volume of humanitarian aid being delivered to the region.
Concluding his remarks, Sa’ar announced his intention to travel to New York for a special UN Security Council session that he initiated. He intends to use the platform to expose the dangers of hostage-taking as a global terror phenomenon and to urge the world to take a united and uncompromising stance against it. He warned that rewarding such acts only encourages them and creates a dangerous precedent.