Gideon Sa'ar: This is a "particularly difficult day"

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar commented today (Thursday) on the return of the slain hostages, the Bibas family and Oded Lifshitz, calling today a "particularly difficult day" for the country.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar recently met with the Conference of Presidents, the umbrella organization of Jewish organizations in the United States, at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, which is holding its 50th annual assembly in Israel this week. The delegation of organizational leaders to Israel is led this year by President Harriet Schleifer and CEO William Daroff.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told the conference members: "This is a particularly difficult day in which everyone once again sees who we are dealing with and how twisted our enemy is. What we saw today illustrates for us again - surrendering to Hamas dictates is not an option. We are determined to achieve all the war objectives."

Sa'ar also said: "I recently met with a released hostage who told me that her captors told her several times that they would return and attack Israel again in the same way as on October 7th. It is clear what will happen if we allow these organizations to survive. Therefore, we insist on the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip."

President Isaac Herzog posted a statement on X today mourning the four slain hostages who have been returned to Israel, saying that the heart of the nation has been shattered into pieces.

In his statement, Herzog said that "this is a moment of agony and pain. The heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces. In the name of the State of Israel, I bow my head and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness that we did not fulfill our duty. Forgiveness that we did not protect you on that cursed day. Forgiveness that we did not bring you home safely. May their memory be blessed."