Sa'ar: Israel ready to resume fighting if Hamas doesn't free captives

(JNS) — During a meeting with European Union ambassadors in Israel on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar warned that Jerusalem would resume military actions in Gaza if Hamas does not release the hostages.

“We discussed today Hamas’s announcement of its intention to violate the framework for the release of the hostages. A decision by Hamas not to release the hostages is essentially a decision to return to war. So far, we have not taken any unilateral actions,” Israel’s top diplomat said.

FM Gideon Sa’ar to EU ambassadors: “If Hamas does not release the hostages, we will resume military operations and combat.”

“Anyone who watched the release of the hostages witnessed horrific scenes. What we saw last Saturday was severe—the released hostages had lost a significant amount of weight after being starved and tortured. There is evidence of this,” Sa’ar continued.

He added that Israel is prepared for potential attacks from Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces is increasing troop reinforcements and mobilizing reservists in the Southern Command following Hamas’s announcement that the terrorist group would delay releasing hostages.

Unless Hamas returns Israeli hostages by noon on Saturday, Feb. 15, the ceasefire will expire and the IDF will resume fighting until it defeats Hamas totally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

The statement by Netanyahu announcing the ultimatum followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday, who also named Saturday, Feb. 15 at noon as the time after which “all hell will break loose” unless Hamas frees all hostages.

Sa’ar emphasized Israel’s commitment to securing the release of all hostages and achieving the war’s objectives, during a meeting on Monday with his Portuguese counterpart, Paulo Rangel, in Jerusalem.

“Over the weekend, I met with a woman who had been abducted and returned from captivity. She told me that her Hamas captors told her that they would return to Israel to continue the work they started on Oct. 7. They said they would return to destroy Israel. I make it clear that we are committed to the return of all our hostages and to achieving all the goals of the war,” Sa’ar said.

“Hamas has built a kingdom of terror in Gaza, and it wants to continue to survive—we cannot allow this. For over a year, the entire international community has been swept up in Hamas’ false propaganda about the ‘starvation’ in Gaza. But the pictures do not lie. Both the Hamas terrorists and Gaza residents look in perfectly good condition,” the minister continued. 

“In contrast, the surviving Israeli hostages look like Holocaust survivors. They are the only ones who suffered from hunger and inhumane conditions. Hamas committed crimes against humanity. This evil must be erased!” Sa’ar concluded.

Rangel condemned the inhumane treatment of the hostages, referencing the disturbing scenes witnessed recently.

Sa’ar also met on Monday with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport @matteosalvinimi is one of Israel›s greatest friends in Italy and in Europe. 

Sa’ar praised Salvini as one of Israel’s strongest allies in Italy and Europe.

“We discussed the grave injustice that the so-called international criminal ‘court’ committed against Israel. The Deputy Prime Minister assured that he would take steps within his authority to strengthen relations between our countries,” Sa’ar tweeted.

For his part, Salvini called the meeting “an opportunity to reaffirm the solid relationship that binds our two countries.”