NEW YORK — Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Tuesday said countries that announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state in recent weeks sabotaged a ceasefire deal with the Hamas terror group.

“There are countries that acted, also in this building, to pressure Israel, instead of Hamas, during sensitive days in the negotiations by attacking Israel, campaigning against Israel, and the announcement of a recognition of a virtual Palestinian state. They gave Hamas free gifts and incentives to continue this war,” Sa’ar said during a press briefing at the United Nations in New York.

“They directly assassinated the hostage deal and ceasefire. Let me be clear: these countries prolonged the war. Hamas is responsible for beginning this war by invading Israel and committing the October 7 atrocities,” Sa’ar said.

“Hamas is also responsible for the continuation of this war by still refusing to release our hostages and lay down its arms. The international pressure must be on Hamas. Anything else only prolongs the war,” he said.

Sa’ar spoke at the UN ahead of a Security Council session focused on the Gaza war. Israel called the UN session after Hamas and its ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad published videos last week showing hostages Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David appearing weak and emaciated, causing deep shock and distress in Israel.

The UK, France, Canada, and several other countries have recently said they will recognize a Palestinian state in the fall, some of them unconditionally and some depending on Israel’s actions in Gaza.

On Saturday, Hamas official Ghazi Hamad lauded international backing for a Palestinian state as an achievement stemming from the October 2023 invasion of Israel.

“The powerful blow that was delivered to Israel on October 7 has yielded three very important historic achievements. First of all, it brought the Palestinian cause back,” Hamad said,

© The Times of Israel