UNITED NATIONS, August 5. /TASS/. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has called on the international community to exert pressure on Hamas to ensure the release of hostages and the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas is responsible for beginning this war by invading Israel and committing the October 7 atrocities. 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 told journalists at the UN headquarters.

He noted that some countries acted "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 an incentive to continue this war. They directly assassinated the hostage deal and ceasefire. Let me be clear: these countries prolonged the war," he stressed.

The French president announced on July 24 that Paris will officially recognize the State of Palestine at the September session of the United Nations General Assembly. On July 29, the office of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a statement saying the country may also recognize a Palestinian state before the UN General Assembly meeting, if Israel continues its military operation in the Gaza Strip and does not stop obstructing the delivery of humanitarian supplies there.

Earlier, the foreign ministers of 11 other European countries, as well as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, expressed similar intentions.