Gideon Sa'ar: We don't rule out extending ceasefire for more hostages

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said today (Monday) that Israel would not rule out extending the ceasefire to release more hostages during a visit to Brussels.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar held a series of personal meetings with foreign ministers from the European Union today, as part of his diplomatic visit to Brussels on the sidelines of the High-Level Forum for managing Israel-European Union relations.

Among others, Foreign Minister Saar met with the foreign ministers of Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Finland, Slovakia, and Hungary.

In his meetings, Foreign Minister Saar raised the Iranian threat and said that now is the time for countries to act to enforce sanctions and impose new sanctions on Iran - which poses a threat to the peace of the entire region.

Foreign Minister Saar told his European counterparts: "We do not rule out extending the temporary ceasefire in exchange for the release of more hostages. It will not happen without the release of hostages. We have a commitment to freeing our hostages and to the war objectives we have set."

Foreign Minister Sa'ar also met with and thanked European Parliamentary President Roberta Metsola for her clear support of Israel after October 7th, during Israel's difficult time in mourning for all its dead and its hostages.

The meeting focused on improving relations between Israel and the European Union. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told the Parliament President that he looks forward to constructive relations between Israel and the Union.

During the meeting, Sa'ar said that: "The Palestinian Authority continues to pay money to terrorists and their families. Abu Mazen said he would continue to pay them money even if it was the last money he had left. The Palestinians must stop the incitement against Israel in their education system. The European Union must ensure that its support funds are not used for these purposes."