Netanyahu Says Hamas Turned Down Hostage Exchange

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on April 19 that Hamas had rejected an Israeli proposal offering the return of half of the remaining living hostages in Gaza, demanding instead a complete end to the war and a full Israeli military withdrawal from the territory.

In a recorded video statement, Netanyahu warned that “if we capitulate to the dictates of Hamas now, all the great achievements of the war … will disappear,” dismissing suggestions that Israel could trick Hamas into freeing all captives before resuming military operations.

Earlier the same day, the Al‑Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, released a four‑minute video featuring Israeli hostage Elkana Bohbot speaking on a landline phone. In the recording, Bohbot appears frail and distressed, stating “My health is not good. I am screaming for death. Please, do this for me,” before the clip ends with the message “They will not return except in a capacity,” a phrase widely interpreted as indicating Hamas’s refusal to release hostages alive under current terms.

The release of the video sparked immediate public outcry in Israel. Television and online reports showed demonstrations in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beersheba, and Haifa, where thousands rallied to demand the government secure the captives’ release without further delay. Families of the hostages have repeatedly pressed for urgent action as nearly two years have passed since the October 7, 2023 attacks that began this cycle of violence.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that its armored units had killed more than 40 Hamas militants in the Rafah area of southern Gaza over the weekend, underscoring that military operations continue unabated despite international appeals for a pause. Israel’s campaign, resumed in earnest in March, has been marked by intense airstrikes and ground engagements, which Palestinian health authorities say have led to significant civilian casualties and widespread displacement.

According to Israeli officials, of the original 251 people taken hostage on October 7, only 59 remain in captivity, and fewer than half are believed to be alive. Negotiators and international mediators have repeatedly sought temporary truces tied to hostage‑for‑prisoner exchanges, but each overture has collapsed amid mutual distrust and incompatible terms.

The standoff over hostage negotiations highlights the deepening humanitarian and political crisis. As Israel refuses to halt its offensive without full guarantees for the hostages, Hamas portrays the captives as leverage to force an end to what it calls an unlawful siege. Meanwhile, families on both sides endure agonizing uncertainty, and global actors face mounting pressure to craft a compromise that addresses the captives’ plight without rewarding further violence.

This impasse comes as diplomatic efforts, including indirect U.S.‑Iran talks and regional backchannel discussions, have failed to yield a framework acceptable to both parties. With the war entering its nineteenth month and no breakthrough in sight, the fate of the remaining hostages remains one of the most urgent and tragic questions in a conflict already defined by profound suffering and division.