Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has used the word “satanic” to describe videos and images released by Hamas of two emaciated hostages, including one forced to dig his own grave, actions that have also been criticised by the United Nations (UN).

Sa’ar was speaking at the UN Security Council after Israel requested an urgent meeting on the plight of the 50 hostages still held, 28 of whom are thought to be deceased.

The last remaining hostages in Gaza have been held by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for 668 days.

He also criticised countries for pressuring Israel in recent weeks due to increased starvation in Gaza and volumes of humanitarian relief that aid groups continue to slam as wholly insufficient to meet the needs on the ground.

Sa’ar says, “I came here to put the issue of the hostages front and center on the world stage. They cannot be forgotten. I came to call for the immediate and unconditional release of our hostages. On October 7th, Hamas committed evil crimes like the Nazis and ISIS did. They took 251 hostages into cruel captivity, 50 of them are still there.”

He says, “This past weekend, the world witnessed the cruel starvation of Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, tortured deliberately by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The world saw the terrible condition, bones standing out in their skin like living skeletons. If you thought I was forced to dig his own grave. This is satanic.”

VIDEO: Israel condemns Hamas hostage videos: