Herzog slams BBC for 'false equivalence' of Israeli hostages, Palestinian prisoners

Herzog called for an end to what he described as a “preposterous” narrative that equates Israel’s legal system with Hamas’s brutality.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF FEBRUARY 9, 2025 13:30

Hamas terrorists force Or Levy, Eli Sharabi and Ohad Ben Ami onstage ahead of their release in Gaza, February 8, 2025. (photo credit: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled)

Israeli President Isaac Herzog criticized the BBC on Sunday, accusing the broadcaster of making misleading comparisons between Hamas terrorists convicted in Israeli prisons and innocent hostages abducted and held in Gaza.

Speaking to @bbclaurak, President @Isaac_Herzog's slams BBC's false equivalence between Hamas terrorists & Israeli hostages, calling it "outrageous and preposterous," noting Israel is a democracy, in which even the terrorist prisoners receive full rights under the law. pic.twitter.com/Hrusr9VUfS

— Arsen Ostrovsky ️ (@Ostrov_A) February 9, 2025

Speaking on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Herzog called for an end to what he described as a “preposterous” narrative that equates Israel’s legal system with Hamas’s brutality.

“I completely reject this false equivalence,” Herzog stated. “Israel is a democracy that adheres to the rule of law. Prisoners in Israel receive all the rights granted under legal supervision, including visits from Supreme Court justices. Some Palestinian prisoners have even preferred to remain in Israeli custody rather than return to Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas terrorists commit atrocities and hold innocent people in horrific conditions.”

Herzog stressed that the October 7 attack was not just an assault on Israel but on the entire free world. He defended Israel’s actions in detaining those responsible for such crimes, emphasizing that doing so prevents further terrorist attacks.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a BBC interview, Sunday, February 9, 2025. (credit: SCREENSHOT/X, SECTION 27A COPYRIGHT ACT)

'Horrific' conditions for hostages in Gaza

The Israeli president also described the dire situation faced by hostages still held in Gaza, revealing harrowing accounts of their suffering. He detailed reports of captives being confined in underground tunnels for months, with little to no food or medical care, suffering severe physical and psychological trauma.

“They were kept in tunnels, cut off from the world, barely surviving on what little food they received,” Herzog said. “They emerged from captivity emaciated, wounded, and deeply traumatized. The level of suffering they endured is shocking, and we remain extremely concerned about the fate of the 76 hostages still in Gaza.”

Calls for new approaches to the conflict

During the interview, Herzog acknowledged the need for fresh strategies in addressing the ongoing conflict, referencing former U.S. president Donald Trump’s recent comments about breaking the cycle of violence.

“President Trump essentially pointed out that the old pattern—ceasefire, Hamas rearming, another attack, then war—cannot continue. We need new ideas,” Herzog remarked. He noted that upcoming discussions between Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Jordan’s King Abdullah could help shape a path forward.

Urgent plea for hostage release and international support

Concluding the interview, Herzog reiterated Israel’s commitment to securing the safe return of all hostages and called for global cooperation in eliminating terrorism from Gaza.

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“We will not rest until every hostage is freed,” he declared. “The world must support efforts to ensure that Hamas never rules Gaza again and that peace can be secured for both Israelis and Palestinians.”

Herzog’s remarks come amid ongoing efforts to negotiate the release of hostages and growing international scrutiny of Hamas’s treatment of captives.