Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has publicly condemned Hamas for a “sadistic propaganda campaign” while also stating that innocent civilians are being “inhumanely used as tools” by terrorists. The minister’s remarks followed the release of videos showing two Israeli captives, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, in a dire state. Sa’ar asserted that the starvation and torture are deliberate propaganda tactics.
He made a strong comparison between Hamas’s actions and the crimes of the Nazis and ISIS. Sa’ar also criticized the lack of international oversight, noting that the 50 remaining hostages have not been seen by the Red Cross despite an explicit agreement. The minister further alleged that the starvation narrative in Gaza is a “fake propaganda campaign,” which he believes is disproven by the amount of aid entering the region.
Sa’ar framed hostage-taking as a dangerous global phenomenon used by terror groups to ensure their survival and interests. He warned that this tactic could happen “anywhere” and urged the international community to make it unprofitable for terrorists. He announced his trip to New York to attend a special UN Security Council session he initiated to urgently address the hostage situation.
In a broader critique, Sa’ar accused international media of a “shameful” and “anti-Israeli agenda” and condemned countries for creating a false “symmetry” between hostages and terrorists. He further claimed that diplomatic moves have rewarded Hamas and sabotaged negotiations, ending with a call for countries to “do some soul-searching.”