Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has publicly slammed the international community for creating a “false symmetry” between hostages and “murderers.” He argued that this approach is fundamentally flawed and has damaged the prospects for a resolution. Sa’ar’s remarks came after Hamas released disturbing videos of two Israeli captives, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, in a dire state.
The minister characterized the release of the videos as a “sadistic propaganda campaign,” with the visible starvation and torture being a “deliberate and well-planned” tactic. He condemned the cruelty of Hamas in no uncertain terms, drawing a shocking parallel between their actions and the historical crimes of the Nazis and ISIS. Sa’ar’s message was that the terror group is using the hostages as pawns in a political and psychological war.
Sa’ar also singled out diplomatic moves to recognize a Palestinian state for criticism. He claimed that these actions have “assassinated the chances to reach a hostage deal,” as they have only served to reward Hamas for their terror. He called these efforts “immoral” and “politically foolish,” and he urged the international community to abandon this counterproductive path.
In a final point of contention, Sa’ar dismissed the “starvation narrative” in Gaza as a “fake propaganda campaign,” arguing that the amount of aid entering the region disproves the claims. He also voiced his frustration that the Red Cross has been unable to visit the 50 remaining hostages, despite an explicit agreement. To address these issues, Sa’ar announced he is traveling to a special UN Security Council session he initiated in New York.