In a controversial move, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has labeled the widespread reports of starvation in Gaza as a “fake propaganda campaign.” He asserted that the amount of humanitarian aid entering the region disproves these claims. Sa’ar’s public remarks were part of a broader statement in which he also addressed the plight of the remaining Israeli hostages.
The minister condemned Hamas for what he called a “sadistic propaganda campaign” after the group released videos of two captives, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, who appeared to be suffering from starvation and torture. Sa’ar described these actions as a “deliberate and well-planned” tactic, drawing a direct parallel between Hamas’s methods and the heinous crimes of the Nazis and ISIS.
Beyond his critique of Hamas, Sa’ar also took aim at international diplomatic efforts. He claimed that moves to recognize a Palestinian state have been a major obstacle to a potential deal, stating that they have “assassinated the chances to reach a hostage deal.” He believes this approach is a foolish and immoral act that rewards terror and hardens the position of the terror group.
To counter what he sees as a global lack of resolve, the minister announced he is traveling to New York to attend a special UN Security Council session he initiated. He plans to use this forum to highlight the global threat of hostage-taking as a tactic used by terror groups. He concluded with a strong appeal for the international community to take a clear, unified stance against such practices, and to avoid creating a “false symmetry” between the victims and their captors.