Hamas' acting Gaza chief Khalil Al-Hayya stated that there would be no hostages-for-prisoners swap deal with Israel unless the war in the Palestinian enclave ended. He emphasized that without an end to the aggression, there is no reason for Hamas to return the prisoners. Al-Hayya blamed the lack of progress on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who he believes undermines the negotiations. Netanyahu, on the other hand, stated that Hamas would not rule Gaza after the war and that Israel had destroyed the group's military capabilities.