Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar signaled on Monday that Israel is prepared to extend its ceasefire agreement with Hamas if more hostages are released. Speaking in Brussels during his diplomatic visit, Sa’ar clarified that the Israeli government is committed to securing the release of all hostages before any ceasefire extension is considered.
“We do not rule out an extension of the temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of additional hostages,” Sa’ar remarked, emphasizing that this decision aligns with Israel’s overarching goal of securing hostages and achieving its war objectives.
The minister’s comments were made during meetings with European Union officials, including foreign ministers from Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, and Slovakia, on the sidelines of the 13th EU-Israel Association Council. In these discussions, Sa’ar also raised concerns over Iran’s influence in the region, urging the EU to enforce and expand sanctions against Tehran due to its destabilizing actions.
Earlier, Sa’ar met with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, where he condemned the Palestinian Authority’s practice of paying stipends to terrorists and their families. He reiterated his stance that this practice fuels further violence and called for a halt to the incitement against Israel, particularly in the Palestinian education system.
Sa’ar also thanked Metsola for her continued support of Israel following the October 7 attack, emphasizing the importance of maintaining constructive relations between Israel and the European Union moving forward.
In these high-level meetings, Sa’ar stressed the need for EU funding to be carefully monitored to ensure it is not indirectly supporting terrorism.
Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Gideon SA’AR, Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs Pic by Daina Le Lardic: European Union | EP
