In a direct and pointed critique, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has publicly slammed the Red Cross for failing to secure access to the remaining Israeli hostages. He highlighted that despite a clear agreement, the 50 captives have not been seen, a lapse that he believes demonstrates a significant failure of international oversight. Sa’ar’s comments followed the release of what he termed a “sadistic propaganda campaign” by Hamas.
The minister was reacting to videos showing two Israeli captives, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, in a dire physical state. Sa’ar asserted that the visible starvation and torture were a “deliberate and well-planned” tactic by Hamas. He drew a powerful comparison between the terror group’s cruelty and the crimes of the Nazis and ISIS, emphasizing the extreme nature of their actions.
Sa’ar also turned his criticism towards recent diplomatic moves, claiming they have harmed the chances of a hostage deal. He specifically stated that the push to recognize a Palestinian state has “assassinated the chances to reach a hostage deal” and that it is an “immoral” and “politically foolish” act that rewards terror. He warned that such actions only embolden Hamas.
In an effort to change the global narrative, Sa’ar announced his upcoming trip to a special UN Security Council session in New York, a meeting he initiated. He plans to use this platform to highlight hostage-taking as a dangerous global phenomenon and to urge the world to take a firm, unified stance against it. He concluded by accusing countries of creating a “false symmetry” between hostages and their captors.
