In a press conference that only made sense if read backward, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that ongoing hostage negotiations had stalled because Hamas wants peace.

According to Netanyahu’s office, Hamas had proposed the release of hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza. Instead of accepting the deal, which could have saved lives and reduced tensions, the Israeli government chose to continue its military campaign.

“Hamas is demanding an end to the war. That is not something we can agree to,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “We will not stop until Hamas is destroyed and all hostages are returned.”

This contradiction has not gone unnoticed. Analysts and observers have pointed out that rejecting a deal that includes the release of hostages because it would end the war suggests the hostages are being used as leverage to continue the fighting, not by Hamas, but by Israel.

The Prime Minister’s Office, as well as most major outlets, maintained that Hamas “refused the deal,” despite reports indicating that the group was willing to release many of the remaining captives. The sticking point appears to be the pursuit of peace itself.

Inside Israel, public pressure is mounting. Families of hostages have begun demanding real answers and accountability. Protests have erupted outside government buildings, with demonstrators carrying banners that read “Bring Them Home, Not to Their Graves.”

Meanwhile, United States officials have offered only vague commentary about “ongoing diplomatic efforts,” all while continuing to arm and support Israel’s military campaign.

As negotiations falter and airstrikes continue, one conclusion becomes unavoidable: the hostages may no longer be bargaining chips for Hamas, but they certainly are for Netanyahu.

The broader context of the conflict makes this stance even more troubling. More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, the vast majority of them civilians, according to international observers. Gaza’s infrastructure has been devastated. Hospitals, schools, and refugee shelters have been bombed. Humanitarian aid is severely restricted. Meanwhile, the Israeli government continues to claim that its war effort is focused on dismantling Hamas and rescuing hostages, while openly rejecting ceasefire proposals that could achieve both.

The international community has grown increasingly critical, though action remains limited. While countries like South Africa have brought genocide charges against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and human rights groups continue to document potential war crimes, the United States remains Israel’s staunchest ally, providing diplomatic cover and a steady stream of weapons.

With peace proposals on the table and lives hanging in the balance, the Israeli government’s unwillingness to even consider ending the war speaks volumes. For Netanyahu and his cabinet, continued war appears to be not just a strategy, but the objective itself.