Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, has firmly pushed back against growing international pressure calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and the recognition of a Palestinian state, dismissing the efforts as a “distorted campaign.”

 

Speaking at a press briefing in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Saar declared that halting Israel’s ongoing military operations while Hamas remains in control of Gaza and continues to hold hostages would be a “tragedy for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

 

“No matter how much pressure is put on Israel, it ain’t gonna happen,” he stressed.

 

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has been ongoing for nearly 22 months, following the deadly cross-border assault by Hamas on October 7, 2023. International appeals for a ceasefire have intensified in recent weeks amid rising concerns of a humanitarian catastrophe, with a UN-backed agency warning of an “unfolding famine” in Gaza.

 

Saar maintained that Hamas bears full responsibility for the war, arguing that external pressure only emboldens the militant group.

“When they demand we end this war, what does that really mean? Ending the war while Hamas still governs Gaza?” he asked.

 

The minister also addressed renewed international efforts to pursue a two-state solution. Responding to comments by France’s foreign minister advocating pressure on Israel to accept such a framework, Saar firmly rejected the idea.

 

“Establishing a Palestinian state today is establishing a Hamas state, a jihadist state. It ain’t gonna happen,” he said.

 

His remarks underline Israel’s hardline stance as diplomatic tensions grow over the worsening humanitarian crisis and the political future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.