The Israeli newspaper Haaretz said in its editorial that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted for the first time since Operation Flood of Al-Aqsa in October 2023 that the release of Israeli prisoners can only be achieved through a deal, but there is no hope to be hoped for from his statement.

Netanyahu assured the prisoners' relatives of his readiness for a ceasefire in Gaza. He added, in reference to the ceasefire agreement between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Hezbollah, "What succeeded in the north will succeed in the south," according to the editorial.

But the newspaper stressed that it is wrong to be optimistic about Netanyahu's statements, as he is "addicted to lying", and experiences show that in order to know the truth of his intentions and actions, one must ignore everything he says and focus on the pressures he is under.

Haaretz pointed out that the main factor influencing the fate of the prisoners and Netanyahu's decisions is the opinions of the "extreme" right-wing members of his coalition. Every time there is any progress in the negotiations, this group objects, claiming that there is a security need for the continuation of the war.

The editorial explained that the Israeli security establishment, unlike the political leadership, prefers to move forward with the prisoner deal, especially after the army achieved major military objectives, such as the assassination of the head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Yahya Sinwar and the third secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, which led to a halt to the escalation in the north.

The newspaper added, "It has become impossible to cover up the fact that the desire to continue the war in Gaza stems from political, not security, motives."

Haaretz concluded its editorial by warning that continued attacks on Hamas leadership could make it difficult to find a unified party to negotiate with.