Israeli Minister of Heritage Amichai Elhaho has said making a deal with Hamas should not be seen as the only way to free the captives held by the group, Al Jazeera reports.

“The Jewish morality does not hold us fully responsible for the release of the captives,” he said, in remarks quoted by the Israeli army radio. “We must get out of mental stagnation that the deal is the only way to free the hostages.”