3 out of 4 Israelis support ending Gaza War in exchange for hostage release

Nearly 75% of Israelis support the release of all remaining hostages in a deal that would end the current Gaza War, according to a new poll published by the Israel's Channel 12 News. The poll indicated that only 8% of Israelis support the government-backed phased hostage release plan. It also found that 60% of Israelis who voted for coalition parties support ending the Gaza War in exchange for the release of all 50 remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas and its allies. Israeli officials estimate that 20 of those hostages are still alive.

If accurate, the poll revealed that the majority of Israeli citizens believe time has come to ending the 21-month-long war, which when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel, massacred 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 on Oct. 7, 2023.

Critics of the Israeli government argue that the Hamas terrorist organization has been sufficiently weakened, and that Israel should now agree to end the longest war in its modern history. They also warn that Israel risks becoming mired in Gaza, with no clear end in sight.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that he remains committed to securing the release of all remaining hostages.; however, much of his political coalition remains opposed to ending the war against Hamas in Gaza.

Some critics claim that the prime minister's decision to continue the war is influenced by political considerations. Far-right coalition members, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have both threatened to collapse the government if Netanyahu agrees to end the war prematurely.

A senior Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, recently told the BBC that the group has lost 80% of its control over the Gaza Strip

"Let's be realistic here – there's barely anything left of the security structure. Most of the leadership, about 95%, are now dead... The active figures have all been killed," the Hamas official stated.

"So really, what's stopping Israel from continuing this war?" he added.

"So, the security situation is zero. Hamas's control is zero. There's no leadership, no command, no communication. Salaries are delayed, and when they do arrive, they're barely usable. Some die just trying to collect them. It's total collapse," the unnamed Hamas official said.

However, he also revealed that the terror group attempted to reconstitute itself during the last ceasefire agreement at the beginning of 2025. This has fueled Israel's security concerns that ending the war prematurely could allow Hamas to regroup and pose a future threat to the Jewish state

Netanyahu has indicated that he could potentially agree to end the Gaza War permanently when Hamas is dismantled and its remaining leaders are exiled. However, Hamas has so far refused to disarm, and its leaders have shown no willingness to leave the Gaza Strip.