Peace with Hamas is impossible, Ofir Akunis, Israel's consul general in New York, told Newsmax on Sunday, calling the group "the cruelest terror organization on Earth" and warning that the threat extends far beyond Israel.
"We are dealing with monsters. We are dealing with savages. We are dealing with Hamas, the cruelest terror organization on Earth," Akunis said on Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "The very first condition is that they will release all the hostages, 48 hostages. Until then, we cannot go further. And I don't think it's a peace deal. You cannot make peace with monsters and Hamas."
His comments come as President Donald Trump said Hamas faces "complete obliteration" if it refuses to relinquish power in Gaza and while the administration continues its efforts to broker a ceasefire deal.
Akunis on Sunday pointed to the case of Israeli soldier Naama Levi, who was adducted on Oct. 7, 2023, and tortured before her release last January, as evidence of Hamas' brutality.
"Naama Levi, 19 years old, kidnapped and drugged. Look at this. Savage people," he said. "This is the world we want to live in? They will do it to you as well here in the United States and in Europe. Wake up. Please, I'm begging you. They are on their way. No, they're not on their way — they're here, probably. The savages have broken through."
The Israeli envoy also blamed European leaders for failing to confront terrorism and antisemitism.
"We are talking about weak leaders, especially in Europe, the British prime minister, the French president. They are weak people, weak like Chamberlain," Akunis said. "What was the main reason for the rise of antisemitism in Europe during the '30s? The weakness of European leaders. Israel will not be Czechoslovakia. We will not be the victims of weak leaders in Europe."
He said Brussels is already "under radical Islam occupation" and warned that more European cities could face the same fate. He also cited recent attacks on Jews in Manchester, England, as the result of what he called "weak policy."
"We always want peace with our neighbors," Akunis said. "But you can't sign a peace deal with Hamas because they don't want any peace with us. Their charter, the first paragraph, is to destroy the Jewish homeland and the state of Israel and establish a Muslim statehood instead. It's not a two-state solution. It's one state: Muslim statehood. We will not let it happen."
Akunis closed with a warning to Americans, saying that Palestinian radicals have made their intentions clear. "Palestinians, they are terrorists because they chant 'Death to America, Death to America.' Americans, wake up. They want your head. Wake up!"
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