The Hostage Deal, a New Administration, and the Future of the Fight Against Hamas

62 Views

  • Thanks! Share it with your friends!

    You disliked this video. Thanks for the feedback!

garethpon
Published
On January 17, 2025—just days before President Trump began his second term in office—Israel's government approved a deal with Hamas to free Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. In the first stage of a potential three-stage agreement, Israel will receive 33 hostages, most of whom are alive, in return for a ceasefire, the release of nearly 2,000 imprisoned Palestinian terrorists, and redeployment of forces from most of Gaza.

On January 21, Tikvah's Jonathan Silver hosted a special briefing about the deal with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and White House veteran and Tikvah Chairman Elliott Abrams.

Friedman is a longtime confidant of President Trump and was one of history's most consequential U.S. ambassadors to Israel. Abrams has served in foreign-policy positions under Presidents Reagan, Bush, and Trump, including as Deputy National Security Advisor, with a special focus on the Middle East and human rights.

Together, they discussed how this deal came about, the role the incoming Trump Administration played in the negotiations, the price that Israel will pay to return its hostages, and why Israel and Hamas agreed to this deal now.

They also looked ahead to what comes next. What does the deal indicate about a second Trump presidency's approach to Israel? Did Israel receive other American commitments in return for accepting these terms? Is the war against Hamas actually over or is this only a tactical retreat? How does the deal change Israeli domestic politics?
Category
Bondage Challenges
Tags
Be the first to comment