Israel’s national security advisor says ‘government will not stop the war for the hostages’

Harsh exchange between Hanegbi and hostage families provides clearest statement by government on hostage situation

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The head of Israel’s National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, met with the families of hostages on Thursday evening when a very difficult conversation reportedly ensued.

According to Israeli news site N12, Hanegbi told the families of the hostages the Israeli government is not willing to end the war against Hamas for a hostage release deal and that it has no contingency plan for the return of the hostages.

“We will be able to achieve phase one of the deal, the humanitarian part, within a few short months. It will not take long months nor years,” Hanegbi reportedly said, referring to the first phase of the hostage deal currently in indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas leadership.

In this phase, women, elderly, and wounded hostages would be released first, as part of an operational pause. Officials believe this initial phase would only see the release of about 30 of the remaining 125 hostages.

“If the hostages don't return within a few weeks or months, we don't have a contingency plan. We will continue to fight in Gaza and in the north and only then will we sit down to assess the situation,” Hanegbi explained.

One of the hostage family members responded, “So, we’re lost,” to which Hanegbi reportedly responded, “Correct.”

These remarks appear to indicate the Israeli government does not believe that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) will release the remaining hostages.

On Thursday, Hamas said it is unwilling to release any hostages unless there is a permanent ceasefire. The group announced it would refrain from further negotiations but expressed a willingness to negotiate a deal involving a permanent ceasefire.

“Today, we informed the mediators of our clear position that if the occupation stops its war and aggression against our people in Gaza, we are ready to reach a complete agreement that includes a comprehensive exchange deal,” Hamas leaders said in a statement.

Hanegbi continued and said the government is obligated to ensure there is no repeat of an Oct. 7 type of massacre in Israel.

“I don't believe this government will be able to complete the whole deal,” Hanegbi explained. “This government will not make a decision to stop the war for the return of all the hostages. We must continue to fight so that there will be no more October 7, 2027.”

When one of the participants blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hanegbi reportedly responded, “These are despicable things. There is no room for these things in these conversations.”

“I have all the room for hurt and hate,” the family member responded, “because I was 15 hours in the safe room, running away from terrorists and stepping on corpses, you didn’t.”

Also on Thursday evening, PIJ released a second video of Israeli hostage Alexander (Sasha) Trupanov, in which he encouraged people to demonstrate and protest against the government.

Israeli news media did not broadcast the video, as it describes its release as a form of propaganda used by the terror groups for psychological warfare, allegedly to pressure the Israeli government to agree to another ceasefire in exchange for releasing the hostages.