The war against Hamas is not only a war of Israel but also of the “free world”, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said today while addressing MEPs in Brussels.

Israel, Cohen added, is not only fighting the Palestinian Islamist movement but also other organizations supported by Iran, which he called the “number 1 sponsor of terrorism.”

“It’s not just the war of the state of Israel, it’s the war of the free world,” he stressed, adding that it must be won “to make sure the West is not next on the list.”

Cohen was flanked by relatives of some of the 240 hostages held by Hamas since October 7. During the emotionally charged speech he showed a two-minute video which he said showed the “atrocities” committed by the “more than 3,000 terrorists” of Hamas, whom he described as “monsters”.

“October 7 was the worst day for the State of Israel and the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” the Israeli minister continued. He also recalled that of the 240 hostages, about 30 are under 18 years of age.

Later today, Cohen will meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.