Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that the Jewish state "will not pay any price" for the return of the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu's office published a statement echoing the minister's position: "There is a lot of pressure on Israel, both at home and abroad, so that we can stop the war before achieving all our objectives, including an agreement for the release of the hostage at any cost," states the prime minister.