In a searing rebuke of the BBC’s reporting, Israeli President Isaac Herzog lambasted the British broadcaster on Sunday, accusing it of distorting reality by drawing misleading comparisons between Hamas terrorists lawfully imprisoned in Israel and the innocent hostages abducted and brutalized in Gaza. Speaking on BBC’s flagship program Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Herzog did not mince words as he called for an end to what he described as a “preposterous and dangerous” narrative that attempts to whitewash Hamas’s atrocities.

‘False Equivalence is an Insult to Justice and Humanity’

Expressing his outright rejection of such parallels, Herzog emphasized the fundamental contrast between Israel’s robust democratic legal system and Hamas’s medieval savagery.

“I completely reject this false equivalence,” Herzog declared with unmistakable intensity. “Israel is a democracy, bound by the rule of law and international human rights standards. Every prisoner in our custody, including those convicted of the most heinous terrorist acts, receives legal supervision, humane treatment, and regular visits—even from our Supreme Court justices. In fact, many Palestinian prisoners have preferred to stay in Israeli jails rather than return to Gaza, knowing the conditions they would face under Hamas rule.”

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

His remarks underscored a stark reality: Hamas, the Iran-backed terrorist organization responsible for the October 7 massacre, systematically inflicts brutal conditions on innocent Israeli civilians held captive. Unlike Israel’s detention facilities, which uphold international legal norms, Hamas’s hostages endure a hellish existence—deprived of food, light, medical care, and basic human dignity.

The Unspeakable Horror Faced by Israeli Hostages

During the interview, Herzog painted a chilling picture of the suffering endured by the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. These civilians, including children and elderly individuals, have been forced to live in unimaginable squalor, buried in suffocating underground tunnels for months on end.

“They were kept in tunnels, cut off from the world, barely surviving on what little food they received,” Herzog recounted grimly. “When they finally emerged from captivity, they were emaciated, wounded, and deeply traumatized. The stories they tell defy human comprehension. Many have described the experience as living in a dungeon of terror, with no sense of time, daylight, or hope.”

This is what a crime against humanity looks like!
The whole world must look directly at Ohad, Or, and Eli—returning after 491 days of hell, starved, emaciated and pained—being exploited in a cynical and cruel spectacle by vile murderers. We take solace in the fact that they are…

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) February 8, 2025

As international negotiations continue for the release of the 76 remaining hostages, Herzog issued a dire warning about their deteriorating conditions.

“Time is running out. These people are enduring the unthinkable. The world cannot stand idly by while Hamas continues to inflict barbaric suffering on innocent men, women, and children.”

Breaking the Cycle: A Call for a New Strategy

Herzog also addressed the broader geopolitical crisis, acknowledging the necessity for a fresh approach in dealing with Hamas’s ongoing aggression. He referenced former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent remarks, which highlighted the urgent need to break the repetitive cycle of ceasefires that only allow Hamas to regroup and launch fresh attacks.

“President Trump essentially pointed out the bitter truth: the old pattern—ceasefire, Hamas rearming, another assault, then war—cannot be allowed to continue,” Herzog noted. “We need a new paradigm, one that ensures Hamas can never rule Gaza again.”

🎞️ From the cutting-room floor:

Here's what President @Isaac_Herzog told the @BBC that didn't make the final cut. pic.twitter.com/0jsKkJ2JIj

— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 1, 2023

Upcoming diplomatic discussions between Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and Jordan’s King Abdullah may hold the key to developing a long-term security strategy. Herzog emphasized that international cooperation is critical to dismantling Hamas’s stranglehold over Gaza and preventing future bloodshed.

‘We Will Not Rest Until Every Hostage is Freed’

Concluding the interview with an impassioned pledge, Herzog reaffirmed Israel’s unrelenting commitment to securing the safe return of all hostages and ensuring Hamas’s reign of terror is permanently dismantled.

BBC apologizes for inflammatory accusations that the 'IDF are targeting medics and Arab speakers'

'Two western presidents have now complained about the BBC. President Herzog of Israel...and President Macron of France' Middle East expert Tom Gross says pic.twitter.com/rZ2aoyNpny

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) November 15, 2023

“We will not rest until every hostage is freed,” he vowed. “This is not just an Israeli struggle; it is a fight for civilization against barbarism. The world must rally behind the truth and reject the dangerous distortions that attempt to normalize Hamas’s crimes. Terrorism must be eradicated from Gaza—once and for all.”

Herzog’s remarks come as international pressure mounts on Hamas to release the hostages, and as global scrutiny intensifies over the terrorist organization’s horrific treatment of its captives. With negotiations at a critical juncture, the Israeli President’s message was clear: the civilized world must choose between truth and propaganda, between justice and terror. The choice, he warned, could shape the future of the Middle East—and beyond.