Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not want the Gaza war to end! Netanyahu was not particularly interested in the release of those held hostage by Hamas. Nitzan Alon, the retired prisoner release coordinator and retired major general of the Israeli army, made such an explosive accusation against Netanyahu recently. As soon as this information came out, there was an uproar in Israel.
Speaking in Washington on Friday, Alon said Israel could have ended the war a year earlier and brought back all the prisoners alive. More than two years after the Gaza war, an October 2025 deal led to the return of prisoners held by Hamas to Israel. “I think we could have reached this point much earlier. Maybe a year or so earlier. It wouldn't have had much of an impact on achieving the other strategic goals of the war. We've actually lost that opportunity. The war has gone on too long,” Allon said.
“This deal was possible immediately after the October 2023 attack. It took nearly two years for the prisoners to return, not just a missed opportunity, but a tragedy.”
Allon described the October 2025 'ceasefire' agreement as a 'strategic success'. He said, after that, the military power of Hamas decreased. But the ceasefire could have been implemented much earlier. Then many of those who died in captivity could have returned home alive. Questioning the agreement, Allon also said, “The government has deliberately chosen a partial agreement instead of a full agreement, so as to continue the war.” Proof of that, even after the cease-fire, there have been repeated attacks on Gaza. Many territories came under Israel's control.
Speaking in this context, Alon said that Israel would still be fighting today if Donald Trump's administration had not forced it. 40 people died in captivity, they could have returned alive if the government was willing. The long overdue deal in October 2025 saw the release of 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 20 Israeli prisoners. Former diplomat Alan Pincus also told Al Jazeera, “The deal was possible immediately after the October 2023 attacks. It took almost two years for the prisoners to return. It's not just a missed opportunity, it's a tragedy.” However, Netanyahu's party responded by saying, “Alon wanted to surrender on the terms of Hamas.”