Breaking with gov’t, 69% of Israelis, 54% of coalition voters back ending war in exchange for hostages — poll

Sixty-nine percent of Israelis support ending the war in exchange for a deal that releases all of the hostages, compared to 21% who oppose the trade, according to a poll aired by Channel 12.

Even among coalition voters, 54% back ending the war in exchange for the remaining 59 hostages, compared to 32% who oppose such an exchange.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has long refused to end the war in exchange for the remainder of the hostages. It has refused to even hold negotiations on phase two of the ceasefire deal, which envisions the release of the remaining living hostages in exchange for a permanent end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The deal’s third phase envisions the release of bodies still held by both sides.

Netanyahu instead has sought to secure the release of additional hostages through an extension of phase one’s temporary ceasefire, which would allow Israel to resume fighting against Hamas. The government argues that agreeing to end the war now in exchange for the remaining hostages would allow Hamas to remain in power.

Critics have argued that additional military operations endanger the remaining hostages — 24 of whom are still believed to be alive — and won’t accomplish what Israel was unable to do during the first 15-plus months of the war. Arab allies have instead proposed sidelining Hamas through a diplomatic initiative that includes gradually returning the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza, something Netanyahu has flatly rejected.