Ex-Israeli minister says his country ‘stuck in international arena’ over Gaza

By Bekir Aydogan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Former Israeli Justice Minister Gideon Saar criticized his country's handling of the Gaza attacks since Oct. 7, stating that Israel is “stuck in the international arena,” according to a report.

The Jerusalem Post reported on Friday that Saar, who resigned from the government last week after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to include him in the war Cabinet, said: “It’s clear that the world wants (Israel) to end the war. It’s clear that the US administration, for all kinds of reasons, wants the war to be over. So Israel has to stand (alone) against everyone.”

Criticizing his country's stance on Gaza, Saar underlined: “We are stuck in every direction. We are stuck in Gaza. We are stuck on the Lebanese border. We are stuck with the hostages, and we are stuck in the international arena.”

He advocated for the "surrender" of Hamas's military wing and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, proposing their "exile" from Gaza to other countries.

Claiming that such action could facilitate a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, he suggested it as “Israel’s cease-fire proposal.”

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed.

More than 32,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, besides causing mass destruction, displacement, and conditions of famine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which asked Israel to do more to prevent famine in Gaza. It said: “Palestinians in Gaza are no longer facing only a risk of famine ... but that famine is setting in.”

• Writing by Seda Sevencan