That stance runs counter to much of the Israeli public’s sentiment. For many, the release of hostages is the immediate moral imperative. Netanyahu, once the loudest voice for “total victory,” no longer uses the phrase. After more than a year and a half of public messaging, the promise now sounds hollow. Even familiar lines about being “a step away” from triumph over Hamas have faded.
Notably absent from the address was any response to Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer’s recent remark suggesting the hostage release could take up to six months. Nor did Netanyahu address how long the military campaign might continue or offer reassurance to families whose loved ones remain in Hamas captivity.
One of the more puzzling moments came when Netanyahu argued that “Hamas is certainly not stupid”—a statement meant to dismiss Israeli analysts who propose releasing the hostages now and resuming military operations later. Netanyahu called that idea a “deception,” claiming that Hamas demands international guarantees to prevent Israel from restarting the war after a deal. “There’s no fake commitment,” he said. “If we commit, we won’t be able to return to fighting.”
That rationale has only deepened the despair among hostage families, who say time is running out. In the hours after the speech, their disappointment was palpable. Still, Netanyahu received praise from the far-right flank of his government, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich voicing support. The Likud party issued no statement of its own.
Yuval KarniNetanyahu claimed his policies have delayed Iran’s nuclear ambitions by at least a decade. “Without these actions,” he said, “Iran would have had nuclear weapons 10 years ago.”
Yet after nearly seven months of war, with no cease-fire in sight and no sign of a breakthrough on the hostages, Netanyahu’s reassurances increasingly ring hollow. The public wants answers. What they got instead was another carefully managed performance—long on messaging, short on hope.
