Israeli Minister Says Hostage Deal ‘Assassinated’ by Palestinian State Recognition

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has publicly stated that recent diplomatic efforts to recognize a Palestinian state have “assassinated the chances to reach a hostage deal.” Sa’ar’s strong remarks followed the release of a “sadistic propaganda campaign” by Hamas, which featured videos of two captives, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, in a severely weakened state. The minister described the captives’ apparent torture and starvation as a calculated strategy by the terror group.
In a powerful denunciation, Sa’ar condemned Hamas’s tactics, drawing a direct comparison between their actions and the atrocities committed by both the Nazis and ISIS. He expressed dismay over the international community’s failure to intervene, noting that the 50 remaining hostages have yet to be seen by the Red Cross, despite an explicit agreement for such visits. He emphasized that the group’s actions are a deliberate attempt to manipulate public opinion.
Sa’ar further challenged the prevailing narrative of a widespread food crisis in Gaza. He dismissed claims of mass starvation as a “fake propaganda campaign,” asserting that the extensive amount of aid entering the region disproves such reports. He argued that the real tragedy is the deliberate use of the hostages as a means of political leverage and a tool for psychological warfare against Israel and the international community.
Looking ahead, the minister revealed that he is traveling to New York to address a special UN Security Council session he initiated. He aims to make the case that hostage-taking is a critical global issue that must be addressed with a firm, unified front. Sa’ar concluded by accusing certain nations of an “immoral” and “politically foolish” approach by creating a false moral equivalence between hostages and “murderers.”