Apple News Today – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Hamas agrees to release the hostages. What to know.
Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Yasmeen Khan (in for Shamita Basu)

Overview

This episode dives into a breaking story from the Middle East: Hamas has agreed to release the 48 remaining Israeli hostages, with hopes rising for an end to the war in Gaza. The episode focuses on the diplomatic maneuvers and reactions to the hostage agreement, the U.S. political dynamics surrounding the ceasefire, and tensions at home including National Guard deployment in Illinois, Trump’s clashes with clean energy, and rising trends in the U.S. condiment market.

Main Story – Hostage Deal and Ceasefire in Gaza

The Hostage Release Agreement

• Announcement: Hamas has agreed to release all 48 remaining Israeli hostages, suggesting a significant shift in the long-standing conflict in Gaza.
• Diplomatic Context: President Trump played a central role in brokering this agreement, as did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
  • Trump learned of a pending deal while hosting a roundtable and left immediately to address the situation ([00:52]).
  • Both Israel and Hamas have agreed on the first phase of the ceasefire, which involves Israeli withdrawal to a specified line and the immediate release of hostages ([01:01]).
  • Quote: “Trump described the agreement as a great day for the Arab world.” – Yasmeen Khan ([01:09])
  • Netanyahu: "With God's help, together we will continue to achieve all our goals and expand peace with our neighbors." ([01:16])
  • Hamas issued a statement, thanking Trump and calling for full implementation of the ceasefire.

International Reactions

• Celebrations: Videos began circulating of Palestinians in Gaza celebrating upon news of the agreement ([01:39]).
• Trump’s Reaction:
  • On Fox News, Trump emphasized international cooperation:
    • Quote: "The whole world came together, to be honest, so many countries that you wouldn't have even thought of, they came together... The world has come together around this deal." – Donald Trump ([02:00])
• Hostage Families:
  • Public joy among families, exemplified by Liran Berman, who expressed relief on social media:
    • Quote: "My Gali and Zivi, I love you so much. You're coming back home." – Liran Berman ([02:22])

The Two-Phase Peace Plan

• Recent Catalysts: Analysts believe a recent Israeli strike on Hamas militants in Qatar was pivotal, pressuring multiple actors into compromise ([02:32]).
• Details of the Phases:
  • Phase One: Israel pulls back, Hamas releases hostages.
  • Phase Two: More contentious; would require Hamas’s disarmament and formation of a new governing committee for Palestine, possibly led by Trump and Tony Blair ([02:54]).
• Expert Perspective:
  • Firaz Maqsad, Middle East Institute:
    • Quote: "The deal that has been struck today does not achieve an end to the occupation... phase two would involve a full withdrawal... and the full dismantlement and disarmament of Hamas. And Hamas is completely silent on that." ([03:37])

Ongoing Uncertainties

• Unresolved Issues:
  • Selina Wang, ABC News:
    • Quote: "The president today, he did not touch on those thornier issues, including the process for disarming Hamas, the future governing structure of Gaza, all of that still unclear." ([04:10])
• Immediate Timeline:
  • Trump expects hostage release by Monday, as part of a prisoner exchange ([04:30]).
• Historical Context:
  • The deal follows the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and sparked a war killing 67,000 Palestinians ([04:35]).

Human Impact and Reflections

• Voice from Hostage’s Family:
  • Yotam Cohen, referring to his brother:
    • Quote: "The Israeli people are tired of fighting... want to get the hostages back, our soldiers back, want to stop this bloodshed... the only way to do so is to end the war, to get the hostages back and to rehabilitate and to rebuild the region." ([05:07])

U.S. National Guard Deployment in Illinois

Federal Action

• Deployment: National Guard troops—200 from Texas and 300 from Illinois—have been sent to Chicagoland to support ICE operations ([05:38]).
  • Troops lack direct policing powers, and specifics of their deployment are murky ([05:46]).
• State Opposition:
  • Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called the move "an unconstitutional invasion," highlighting a lack of coordination and procedural precedent ([06:20]).
    • Quote: "This has never happened before... I don't think, since the Civil War." – J.B. Pritzker ([06:35])
  • Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson characterized Trump as “unstable, unhinged... a threat to our democracy,” vowing to defend the city ([06:48]).

Protests & Civil Rights Concerns

• Escalating Tensions:
  • Protests and arrests have increased; over 900 detentions as ICE conducts "Operation Midway" ([07:04]).
  • Notably, U.S. citizens have been arrested without cause; a Mexican immigrant was fatally shot; a journalist was attacked with pepper balls ([07:36]).
    • Quote: "I could have been anybody and I could have been killed." – Asel Rezai, CBS Chicago reporter ([07:36])
• Legal Backlash:
  • Grand jury refused to indict two protesters; judge found ICE violated consent decrees on warrantless arrests ([07:46]).
• Wider Impact:
  • Due to security concerns, an international soccer match was moved from Chicago to Florida ([08:25]).
  • Pritzker filed a lawsuit; bipartisan former governors publicly oppose Trump’s deployment. Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act if courts block him ([08:55]).

Trump and the War on Wind Energy

Policy Shifts

• Funding Cuts: The Department of Energy canceled over $7 billion in clean energy funding, part of a broader retreat from renewable energy ([09:07]).
  • Cuts have sparked concern—even in Trump-supporting states like Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Kansas, which are major wind energy producers ([09:36]).
• Economic Fallout:
  • John McCormick, Wall Street Journal:
    • Quote: "His actions threaten jobs in those states, tens of billions of dollars of potential investment. There are turbine factories... under threat..." ([10:07])
  • Iowa’s Governor Kim Reynolds noted wind helps keep electricity affordable ([10:32]), and wind supplies 60% of Iowa’s power ([10:45]).
• Regulatory Hurdles: The administration is increasing permitting and environmental reviews for wind projects ([11:04]).
• Political Dilemma:
  • Some Republican leaders are quietly urging Trump to slow or soften the rollback, but public dissent is minimal ([11:39]).
    • Quote: "He declined an interview... and that maybe gives you a little bit of a sense for just how sensitive Republicans are in terms of challenging Trump in public." – McCormick ([11:57])

Other Notable Stories

Palisades Fire Arrest

• Suspect Jonathan Rindernecht arrested for allegedly starting a fire that devastated Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, in early 2025 ([12:07]).

Economic Snapshot

• Government shutdown delays official jobs data; private sources signal a weakening labor market but layoffs remain low ([12:51]).

Condiment Market Boom

• Sales of condiments—mayos, mustards, ketchups—are sharply up, driven by changing food habits, protein trends, and Gen Z’s “little treat” culture ([13:35]).
  • Quote: "Don’t feel bad about that $12 bottle of fancy mayo the next time you need a little mood boost." ([14:07])

Memorable Quotes by Timestamp

• [01:09] "Trump described the agreement as a great day for the Arab world." – Yasmeen Khan
• [02:00] "The world has come together around this deal... so many countries that you wouldn't have thought of..." – Donald Trump
• [02:22] "My Gali and Zivi, I love you so much. You're coming back home." – Liran Berman
• [03:37] "The deal... does not achieve an end to the occupation...full withdrawal, full dismantlement and disarmament of Hamas... Hamas is completely silent on that." – Firaz Maqsad
• [04:10] "The president today, he did not touch on those thornier issues...all of that still unclear." – Selina Wang
• [05:07] "The Israeli people are tired of fighting... want to stop this bloodshed... to rehabilitate and rebuild the region." – Yotam Cohen
• [06:20] "It's unconscionable. This has never happened before... I don't think, since the Civil War." – J.B. Pritzker
• [06:48] "Unstable, unhinged... a threat to our democracy." – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
• [07:36] "I could have been anybody and I could have been killed." – Asel Rezai
• [10:07] "His actions threaten jobs... tens of billions of dollars... turbine factories... under threat..." – John McCormick

Conclusion

This episode centers on the historic hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, examining the political, diplomatic, and human dimensions of its negotiation and aftermath. It also spotlights domestic turbulence—from federal-state conflicts over National Guard use in Illinois to the economic and political stakes of wind energy policy. The episode rounds out with consumer and economic trends, tying global headlines to local impacts and everyday life.

Listeners come away with clear insight into the complexity of international peacemaking, the ripple effects of U.S. political decisions, and even a fun twist on the evolving American condiment aisle.