Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Monday that there is no reason for the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip to continue, and that a prisoner exchange agreement must be concluded to end the war.

"In general, the war in Gaza no longer serves our security interests in any way, but quite the opposite," Lapid told the Israeli news website Ynet.

He pointed out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is refraining from reaching a prisoner exchange agreement "for political considerations."

Addressing Netanyahu's government, he added: "End the military operation in Jabalia (northern Gaza) now. Every day, soldiers are killed. We no longer have strategic goals."