Sa'ar, Miliband discuss Hamas disarmament in first call

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband held their first call on Tuesday, covering the Gaza conflict, Iran, and relations between the two countries.

Sa'ar stated he had emphasized Israel's interest in productive dialogue with Britain and welcomed London's decision to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a proscribed organization. He called for additional British measures against Hezbollah's financial arm, Al-Qard Al-Hassan, arguing that dismantling the group's financial infrastructure was critical to preventing further attacks on Israel and ending Hezbollah's "occupation of Lebanon and the Lebanese people."

"I made it clear that progress in the implementation of President Trump's plan for Gaza is dependent on the disarmament of Hamas and other terror groups and the demilitarization of the Strip," Sa'ar said.

Miliband conveyed that Hamas must disarm and the IDF should withdraw from Gaza, stating "we must see progress" On Trump's 20-point peace plan. He also raised concerns about settler violence, settlement expansion, and Gaza's humanitarian conditions, calling on Israel to "immediately end blockages on aid into Gaza." Miliband reiterated Britain's commitment to a two-state solution.

Both officials discussed shared security concerns and agreed on the importance of countering antisemitism globally and preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.