A former Israeli general who served as the military’s lead negotiator for hostages at the outset of the Gaza war stated that a comprehensive deal to secure the release of all captives could have been reached significantly earlier than October 2025. Major General Nitzan Alon argued that the conflict was prolonged unnecessarily, suggesting that concluding the war approximately a year sooner would not have compromised other strategic military objectives.
Speaking during a Washington Institute for Near East Policy webcast marking the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, Alon characterized the eventual ceasefire as a “strategic achievement” that successfully diminished Hamas’s military capabilities. However, he emphasized that this outcome could have been realized much sooner, potentially preserving the lives of captives who died during their captivity.
Alon directly challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that Israel was required to achieve “total victory” before entering into any agreement, labeling the claim as inaccurate. He reflected on the October 2025 prisoner exchange, which resulted in the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails and 20 Israeli captives, noting that a quicker resolution might have saved thousands of lives on both sides.
Former Israeli diplomat Alan Pinkas echoed these sentiments in an interview with Al Jazeera, stating that negotiations were viable shortly after the initial attacks but were stalled by the current government. Pinkas described the delay of nearly two years in returning hostages not merely as a missed opportunity, but as a tragedy.
Recent revelations from Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani further supported these claims. Al Thani disclosed that Israeli officials rejected a Hamas proposal for a limited ceasefire shortly after the October 7 attacks, which would have allowed civilians to flee Gaza. He stated that Doha approached Israeli representatives on the very first day of the conflict, but the idea was dismissed.
These comments emerge less than a month before Israel’s October 27 legislative election, where polls indicate a tightly contested race. Pinkas noted that while Alon’s statements highlight government failure, they are unlikely to shift poll results, which already reflect significant public anger over the prevention of the Hamas attacks.
Tensions regarding the war’s origins were further intensified last month by a Haaretz report alleging that UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had warned Netanyahu about an impending assault. Netanyahu denounced the report as fabricated and announced plans to pursue legal action against the newspaper.
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