Shimon Or, uncle of hostage Avinatan Or, issued a scathing critique of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on the government to halt the developing prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, which reportedly involves the release of ten living hostages and the return of fifteen bodies.
Speaking in an interview on Kan Moreshet, Or declared, "Of course I'm against it. Even when you read the fine print, ultimately Hamas remains in the same position. It's as if nothing has changed—they continue attacking, they free themselves, and in practice, there's no progress."
Or argued that Israel's security achievements on other fronts contradict its current approach toward Gaza. "It’s a terrible injustice. This idea of a half-deal is the only thing keeping Hamas as a governing power," he said.
He disclosed a conversation he had with Gal Hirsch, the government’s envoy for hostage and missing persons affairs: "I told him, maybe get rid of this murderous deal. You know as well as I do that when you release one hostage, you condemn the others to stay inside."
According to Or, "there was no one to talk to." Addressing the Prime Minister directly, he warned, "If you think you can make regional agreements on the backs of the hostages—forget it. It won't happen. As long as we're in a position of weakness against Hamas—there will be no agreement. Everything we've gained with Iran and Hezbollah will be lost."
Or also touched on Hamas’s ideological outlook and the stance Israel must adopt: "Hamas is a religious entity that believes Israel will cease to exist in 2027, based on a 40-year desert prophecy. So nothing will move forward unless we’re in a position of strength."
As a potential solution, he proposed issuing an ultimatum to all involved: "On one hand, offer an escape corridor to Hamas leaders, give civilians a chance for a future—and then they'll give up the hostages. We've already recovered bodies of seven fallen soldiers thanks to cooperation inside Gaza, primarily due to our presence there."
He concluded with a decisive call: "We must enter Gaza completely—militarily and civilly—until everyone comes back. There is no other way."