Did Hamas actually accelerate the hostage release?!

Israeli officials and analysts are at odds over the circumstances leading to tomorrow's accelerated hostage release, with competing narratives about who initiated the changes and what they actually mean for both sides.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) strongly rejected media reports from Channel 12 and other Israeli outlets that suggested Hamas had pushed for the expedited release to secure key Palestinian security prisoners. Calling these claims "a new peak of absurdity and echo of Hamas propaganda," the PMO presented a different timeline of events.

According to the PMO, Netanyahu had set the goal of releasing all remaining living hostages from Phase A in a single group approximately two weeks ago. They attribute Hamas's agreement to this accelerated timeline to three key factors: Netanyahu's "firm stance," increased IDF military pressure around Gaza, and U.S. President Trump's demands for complete hostage release.

"Let's recall that Hamas announced its refusal to release our hostages and thereby violate the deal – and only Israel's resolute stance led to Hamas's collapse," the PMO stated.

However, prominent analyst Tamir Morag offers a sharply different assessment of the situation. In a detailed analysis, Morag dismisses claims of Hamas initiating the early release as "ridiculous and despicable nonsense." He further challenges the notion that this represents a significant Israeli achievement, noting that it merely advances the release of three hostages by a few days.

Regarding the terms of the deal, Morag provides a nuanced view of its costs. While the hundreds of Palestinian prisoners set for release were already part of the original agreement, he notes that the inclusion of construction equipment - specifically 9 to 15 diggers and several dozen caravans - though minimal compared to Gaza's destruction, provides Hamas with a propaganda opportunity. This allows Hamas to showcase reconstruction efforts even as Netanyahu and Trump discuss potential evacuation plans for the Strip.

The public disagreement over the deal's details and implications highlights the complex nature of the ongoing negotiations and their interpretation within Israeli society, as the nation prepares for tomorrow's anticipated hostage release.

The Times of Israel contributed to this article.