Sa’ar Condemns Hostage Videos as ‘Well-Planned Sadistic Propaganda’

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has condemned Hamas and Islamic Jihad for what he described as a “deliberate and well-planned sadistic propaganda campaign” using hostages. The minister’s remarks followed the release of videos showing two Israeli captives, Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, in a visibly starved and tortured state. Sa’ar asserted that the suffering of these individuals is being used as a tool to manipulate public opinion.
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 warned that hostage-taking is a dangerous global phenomenon used by terror groups to ensure their survival and interests. He urged the international community to take a strong stance against this practice to prevent its spread. To highlight the issue on a global scale, he announced his trip to a special UN Security Council session he initiated in New York.
In a pointed message, Sa’ar also accused international media of a “shameful” and “anti-Israeli agenda” and condemned countries for creating a false “symmetry” between hostages and “murderers.” He further claimed that diplomatic moves have rewarded Hamas and “assassinated the chances” of a hostage deal, calling these steps “morally distorted.”