Jerusalem, 27 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar is in Kazakhstan this week for the first visit by an Israeli foreign minister to the country since 2010, a trip that coincides with the return of the last Israeli hostage held in Gaza, Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili.
“Yesterday, the late Ran Gvili, our last abductee held by Hamas in Gaza, was returned home. Ran will be brought to Israel’s grave. These are great moments for the people of Israel and the State of Israel,” Sa’ar told Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev. “Every Israeli is moved by the fact that we resolutely upheld the vow of internal solidarity between us and returned all the abductees, living and dead, to our country.”
Sa’ar used the occasion to reiterate Israel’s position on Gaza and regional security. “We support the Trump plan for Gaza. In order for it to be implemented, Hamas must be disarmed, and Gaza must be demilitarized. This is necessary both for Israel’s security and for a better future for Gaza,” he said. He also criticized Iran-aligned groups across the region, stating, “The terrorist states, Iran’s proxies in the Middle East — Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen — must be dismantled. Without this, there will be no regional stability.”
Sa’ar met with Kosherbayev to discuss the country’s accession to the Abraham Accords in November, making it the first Central Asian nation to join the agreements. The ministers signed memoranda of understanding to promote cooperation in public diplomacy, diplomatic training, and visa abolition, strengthening bilateral ties between the countries.
“Over the past two years — throughout our war with the radical axis of evil led by Iran — the Abraham Accords have remained stable. They have created a stable alliance of moderate states, in contrast to the extremist axis,” Sa’ar said after the meeting.
Sa’ar is due to meet with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Jewish community leaders, and participate in an event marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Meanwhile, Tokayev stressed Kazakhstan’s commitment to preserving the memory of Holocaust victims in a message to Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
“While strongly condemning any manifestations of ethnic and religious hatred and violence, our country supports the collective efforts of the international community to prevent the recurrence of such crimes against humanity. Kazakhstan became home to many Jews evacuated during the Holocaust, and today the Jewish community is an integral part of our society,” Tokayev wrote. An estimated 3,000–4,000 Jews live in the Central Asian country.
Accompanying Sa’ar is a senior business-economic delegation of more than 40 Israeli leaders and government representatives, covering sectors including water and agriculture, cyber and engineering, finance, and health. The delegation aims to strengthen economic and technological cooperation between Israel and Kazakhstan.
On the first leg of his trip, Sa’ar visited Baku, where he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other senior officials on Monday. Talks focused on advancing bilateral relations, with an emphasis on deepening cooperation in energy, artificial intelligence, agriculture, water management, defense, and tourism. Azerbaijan is reportedly interested in Israeli agri-tech as it rehabilitates the recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Sa’ar also invited Aliyev to visit Israel.
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