Sa’ar at Board of Peace summit: Gaza cannot move forward without Hamas disarmed

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Thursday delivered a forceful address at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, praising what he described as Trump’s “visionary leadership” and endorsing a comprehensive plan for Gaza centered on disarmament and de-radicalization.

Calling the gathering “an important day,” Sa'ar credited Trump’s leadership, alongside the decisiveness of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with securing the return of Israeli hostages from Gaza. 

“Your historic actions have proven time and again that you are a leader who takes initiative, paves new paths, and works for a better future for the entire world,” Sa'ar said.

Sa'ar said he was proud to represent Israel after nearly two years of war fought on “seven different fronts,” highlighting what he described as the country’s determination and resilience. He paid tribute to 925 Israeli soldiers killed in the conflict, honoring their sacrifice in the fight against what he called “pure evil,” naming Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah.

Turning to Gaza, Sa'ar accused Hamas of transforming the territory into what he described as “the world’s largest terrorist state” since seizing control in 2007, citing an extensive network of above- and below-ground infrastructure. He said the October 7 attack was the culmination of decades of violence, recounting atrocities committed during the assault and stressing that such an event “must never happen again.”

Sa'ar argued that previous international plans for Gaza had failed because they did not confront what he called the root causes of the conflict: terrorism, incitement, and radicalization. He said President Trump’s plan marked a break from the past by prioritizing the full disarmament of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, along with the demilitarization and de-radicalization of Palestinian society.

“We support the plan and are working for its success,” Sa'ar said, calling for the dismantling of all Hamas weapons, tunnel networks, and weapons manufacturing facilities. He also emphasized the need to eliminate educational and religious infrastructures that, in his words, promote hatred and violence against Jews.

Sa'ar said the proposed measures were not only in Israel’s interest but also essential for Gaza’s civilian population, arguing that residents of the enclave have lived under “a regime of terror” for years. He concluded his remarks by extending Ramadan greetings to Muslims worldwide and thanking Trump for what he described as leadership that has created “an opportunity for a better future.”