Special Coverage: Hamas Agrees To Release Israeli Hostages

Summary

Bloomberg Talks - Special Coverage: Hamas Agrees To Release Israeli Hostages

Date: October 4, 2025
Host: Joe (Bloomberg)
Guests: Congressman Gregory Meeks, Eric Martin (Bloomberg Correspondent), Wendy Sherman (Former Deputy Secretary of State)

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Episode Overview

This special episode covers breaking news: Hamas has agreed to release Israeli hostages, responding to President Trump's 20-point peace plan. The episode features instant analysis from U.S. lawmakers, foreign policy experts, and Bloomberg correspondents, focusing on the diplomatic breakthrough, regional ramifications, skepticism about implementation, and what this means for peace prospects in the Middle East.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking News: Hostage Release and Trump's Peace Plan

• Announcement ([01:42])
  • Hamas states it agrees to "parts, at least, of President Trump's peace plan" and to "release all of the Israeli hostages".
  • President Trump responds by urging Israel to immediately stop its bombing of Gaza, expressing belief in Hamas's readiness for peace.

2. Diplomatic Context and Regional Involvement

• Congressman Gregory Meeks’s Perspective ([02:11], [02:55])
  • Thanks to regional contributors: Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan.
  • Affirms support for Trump’s 20-point proposal: "I agreed with [the proposal] as well as the regional partners... This is diplomacy. This is the way that I think that we ultimately will solve what's happening in the Middle East..." ([02:55])
  • Emphasizes the importance of negotiations, regional and international involvement (including Europeans and Pakistan), and support for the Abraham Accords.
  • “We’ve got to give diplomacy an opportunity to work... Israel should not continue bombing Gaza. I agree with the president on that.” ([02:55])

3. Scepticism and Details Needed

• On Ceasefire & Credibility ([04:00])
  • Host Joe raises concern about ceasefire failures on both sides.
  • Meeks: "Diplomacy needs more time than just to Sunday, that's for sure. I would think a week, a couple of weeks should be able to hash this thing out.” ([04:20])
  • Stresses need to get every detail right: "The devil is always in the details..." ([04:20])

4. Diplomacy versus Military Strength

• Strength vs. Diplomacy ([05:09])
  • Joe asks if this vindicates the use of strength for peace.
  • Meeks: "We know that just bombing your way out of this will not create a peaceful situation... Diplomacy is always much harder and takes generally longer than just bombing." ([05:30])

5. Practical Steps and Hard Work Ahead

• Goals Beyond Hostage Release ([06:20])
  • Meeks: "Hostages being released and humanitarian aid getting in. This is what we want... Trying to stabilize the region, rebuilding Gaza without Hamas being in control of anything." ([06:20])
  • Acknowledges "very good, but hard work" ahead; underscores ongoing need for diplomatic persistence.

6. Analysis from the Field: Eric Martin

• On the Ground Observations ([07:27])
  • Eric Martin notes the historical weight of the moment, near the two-year anniversary of the October 2023 attacks.
  • Describes recent conversations with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Prime Minister Netanyahu, both previously skeptical but preferring a diplomatic resolution if hostages could be released.
  • Highlights the significance of Trump's call for Israel to halt bombing.
  • "This is really a monumental moment... this initial response from President Trump I think is quite important." ([07:27])

7. Feasibility of Hostage Release

• Operational Realities ([08:41])
  • Open question if Hamas actually knows the location of all hostages.
  • Notes potential shift in Hamas's willingness to relinquish control of Gaza to technocratic governance, aligning with points in Trump’s plan.
  • "From the Israeli side ... to make sure that Hamas cannot be a threat, does not have the weaponry to pose a threat..." ([08:55])

8. Senior Analysis: Wendy Sherman

• State of the Deal ([10:07])
  • Sherman: "Positive response from the White House... diplomacy is hard work. It all comes down to the details... we don't know the answer to a number of questions, including whether really Hamas can produce all the hostages and bodies...” ([10:07])
  • Applauds the U.S. for “taking a yes, even a yes, but for an answer and getting diplomacy underway.”

9. Role of Pressure, Timing, and Qatar

• External Pressure on Hamas ([11:23])
  • Sherman's view: Alignment of U.S.-backed regional partners' pressure (Egypt, Qatar, UAE, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia) likely influential; Qatar’s role pivotal.
  • Notes U.S. giving Qatar an Article 5-style security guarantee, a historic move to solidify negotiations.
  • Suggests progress bolsters the President’s position at the upcoming APEC meeting.
  • "If he really can be the driving force to bring peace... there is a lot of work to be done here. But as I said, we are in a better place today than we were yesterday." ([11:23])

10. Rebuilding Gaza: Serious Challenges

• Reconstruction Realities ([13:14])
  • Sherman skeptical of Gaza’s quick transformation: "The Riviera concept is a long way off. Gaza has been destroyed..." ([13:14])
  • Points to humanitarian crises: “They don’t have homes to go to. There is little health care left. Doctors Without Borders has left because it was such a dangerous situation.” ([13:14])
  • Uncertain if Hamas will disarm or accept new governance structures.

11. Regional Geopolitics: Iran and Proxies

• On Iran’s Response and Future Stability ([14:36], [16:14])
  • Sherman: For peace, curbing Iran’s destabilizing activities is critical. Fresh UN sanctions adding pressure.
  • Raises risk of Iran’s potential nuclear program escalation.
  • "[Iran's] hardliners... probably pressing to make that decision to go for a nuclear weapon. So I hope there are some back channel discussions going on with Iran because we cannot really get to peace... unless we can also deal with Iran." ([14:36])
  • Highlights Iranian-backed provocations in Yemen and continued support for proxies.

12. What Comes Next: Process and Ceremonies

• On Implementation and Ceremony ([17:14])
  • Unlikely to see a traditional signing ceremony.
  • Sherman envisions "collective action in the Middle east if in fact all these details can be worked out."
  • Asserts major details of the 20-point plan remain unaddressed and require clarification.
  • "This is a good day, but there is still a lot of detailed work ahead." ([17:21])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Congressman Gregory Meeks:

  • "This is a big day. We'll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down and concrete." ([02:11])
  • "Diplomacy is always much harder and takes generally longer than just simply bombing the military strikes." ([05:30])
  • "Trying to stabilize the region, rebuilding Gaza for the Palestinians without Hamas being in control of anything. So this is a very good, but hard work and I think there's still hard work to be done, but that's the way diplomacy works." ([06:20])

• Eric Martin:

  • “[This is a] historic day, potentially, what we're seeing here... seeing this message from Hamas in response to the President's 20 point plan.” ([07:27])
  • “Prime Minister Netanyahu told me... that if they could find a way to get the hostages out, to get Hamas to give up the hostages without escalating the war, that was of course preferred.” ([07:27])

• Wendy Sherman:

  • “This is a positive moment, but a heck of a lot more work to be done here and we don't know the answer to a number of questions, including whether really Hamas can produce all the hostages and bodies...” ([10:07])
  • "I think the riviera concept is a long way off. Gaza has been destroyed. The President has suggested that." ([13:14])
  • "I know the President... is desperate for a Nobel Peace Prize. I don't think he's going to get one in 2025... But maybe he's trying to get to 2026." ([13:14])
  • "We cannot really get to peace in the Middle east unless we can also deal with Iran." ([14:36])
  • “This is an issue that really shouldn't be sidelined. The administration should continue, even if it's through quiet back channels, to make sure that people don't take their attention away...” ([16:30])
  • "This is a good day, but there is still a lot of detailed work ahead." ([17:21])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:42] - Breaking News Update, announcement on Hamas's agreement to Trump's plan.
• [02:11] - Congressman Gregory Meeks’ initial reaction and gratitude to regional partners.
• [02:55] - Meeks discusses his support for Trump's plan and the importance of diplomacy.
• [04:00] - Doubts about the credibility of ceasefire deals.
• [05:09] - Examining the role of strength versus diplomacy.
• [06:20] - The future of Gaza and regional involvement.
• [07:27] - Eric Martin’s reporting from Israel and update on negotiations.
• [08:55] - Feasibility of hostage release and Hamas’s control over Gaza.
• [10:07] - Wendy Sherman provides her diplomatic analysis.
• [11:23] - Role of external and regional pressure and the importance of timing.
• [13:14] - Challenges in rebuilding Gaza.
• [14:36] - Implications for Iran and regional stability.
• [17:21] - Prospects for official ceremonies and unresolved details.

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Tone and Language

The conversation throughout is urgent, reflective, and nuanced, balancing hope with skepticism. Speakers are candid about the historic nature of the moment but repeatedly underscore the fragility of the process and the magnitude of unresolved issues.

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Summary Conclusion

This episode synthesizes a dramatic diplomatic breakthrough in the Middle East: the conditional agreement by Hamas to release Israeli hostages per President Trump’s 20-point peace plan. Congressional, journalistic, and expert voices debate the credibility of the agreement, potential pitfalls, required next steps, and the broader regional consequences, especially regarding Iran. While all agree it's a major step forward, the consensus is clear: the hardest and most crucial work lies ahead.

Transcript

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[Wendy Sherman]

Bloomberg Audio Studios Podcasts Radio News.

[Joe]

This is a breaking news update from Bloomberg. Instant reaction and analysis from our 3,000 journalists and analysts around the world. Hamas said it has agreed to parts at least of President Trump's peace plan and it agrees to release all of the Israeli hostages. President Trump responding in a statement saying in part that Israel must immediately stop bombing Gaza, but that believes Hamas is ready for peace.

[Congressman Gregory Meeks]

I want to thank the countries that helped me put this together, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and so many others. So many people fought so hard. This is a big day. We'll see how it all turns out. We have to get the final word down and concrete.

[Joe]

Joining us now with his perspective, Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks of New York. He is of course ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee as well a member of the House Financial Services Committee. It's great to have you back with us, Congressman. How should we be viewing this moment? Donald Trump got the hostages released. Does he deserve vindication for the way he's handled this conflict?

[Congressman Gregory Meeks]

I think that his 20 point proposal I agreed with as well as the regional partners and so therefore that is a good thing. I came out in support of it. This is diplomacy. This is the way that I think that we ultimately will solve what's happening in the Middle east and have some real and true peace. Now, I've been a big proponent, for example, of the Abraham Accords, and that too was started by Donald Trump in his first administration. Again, it's important, significant, and we've got to give diplomacy an opportunity to work. And just what you just reported is important. Also, Israel should not continue bombing Gaza. I agree with the president on that. Let's try to see if we can get this thing done, let the negotiations continue in that regard, at least the clarifications of what the 20 points is. And let's try to make sure we can finally change the situation in the Middle east where you can have a Palestinian state side by side with a Jewish state of Israel.

[Joe]

Well, of course, I don't need to tell you, Congressman, that both parties here have a record of not making good on cease fire agreements, on any agreements for that matter. That goes for both Hamas and Benjamin Netanyahu. As the ranking member of foreign affairs. How much time will you give this before it has credibility?

[Congressman Gregory Meeks]

Well, I think that diplomacy needs more time than just to Sunday, that's for sure. I would think that, you know, know, a week, a couple of weeks should be able to hash this thing out. And I think that with the aid of Gulf countries and other countries that also have signed off on the 20 point plan along with the United States and, and Israel, we should be able to get it done. I think that we're getting close. We're getting very, very close. But of course, the devil is always in the details, that these details be discussed and rationed out because you don't want a situation where there's been a misinterpretation of what should or not happen and then everything goes kaput and we're back to where we started from. So let's dot every I and cross that we have.

[Joe]

Benjamin Netanyahu has been seen as a pariah by many in the region because of the high number of civilian casualties that we've seen among Palestinians living in Gaza. If this is real, Congressman, and this is in fact the path to peace, did we just prove that you must meet strength with greater strength?

[Congressman Gregory Meeks]

I think that what we're doing now is we are using diplomacy ultimately. We know that just bombing your way out of this will not create a peaceful situation in the Middle East. So diplomacy has always been something that I've advocated and what we've not been able to do to this point was to get an agreement on both sides. Diplomacy is always much harder and takes generally longer than just simply bombing the military strikes. So we're at that point now, I think, and hopefully we can get across the tracks with an agreement that will make a substantial difference in the Middle east where we can bring some true peace.

[Joe]

And what's important, Congressman, as he can.

[Congressman Gregory Meeks]

Really important, is that all of the Gulf countries and along with the Pakistanis are all involved in this. Our allies in Europe all agree with the 20 point plan. So we're at a point where, you know, you're talking about hostages being released and humanitarian aid getting in. This is what we want. And then trying to stabilize the region, rebuilding Gaza for the Palestinians without Hamas being in control of anything. So this is a very good, but hard work and I think there's still hard work to be done, but that's the way diplomacy works.

[Joe]

Well, it's good to have you, Congressman, come see us when you get back into town. Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks of New York, first reaction there from the House Foreign Affairs Committee on this breaking news on Hamas. Joining us now with details live here on Capitol Hill, Bloomberg's Eric Martin, who was just in Israel with the Secretary of State Marco Rubio only days ago. Eric, who deserves the credit for this?

[Eric Martin]

Joe, this is a historic day, potentially what we're seeing here. Here we sit on October 3, 2025, almost two years to the day since the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. And seeing this message from Hamas in response to the President's 20 point plan. And what caught my eye is the president calling on Israel to stop the bombing. Now, as you mentioned, I was just a couple of weeks ago in Jerusalem with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and with Prime Minister Netanyahu. And I asked both of them about this long planned Israeli offensive to go into Gaza City. Even as we were leaving for Doha, they were encircling Gaza City and planning for this, for this, for this increased escalation of the war. Very controversial in Israel. A lot of people concerned about this and both of them saying that, telling me that if they could find a way to get the hostages out, to get Hamas to give up the hostages without escalating the war, that was of course preferred. And so this is really a monumental moment that we're seeing here in terms of the potential for peace here. Still details to be worked out, but this initial response from President Trump I think is quite important.

[Joe]

Hamas is talking about accepting this deal with conditions. I know that we have some to learn still as to what those conditions are. But should we assume that Hamas actually knows where all of the hostages are? Will they be able to produce them?

[Eric Martin]

That certainly is an open question. And I think there is a degree of skepticism towards the Hamas response in that some of the things included in the 20 point plan, such as Hamas disarming and giving up control of Gaza, we've seen as part of their response saying that Gaza would be led by a group of technocrats and that seeming to indicate that they're willing to give up this control of Gaza, which they've maintained for nearly 20 years. But of course, from the Israeli side, one of the fundamental things, and Prime Minister Netanyahu told me this in a press conference there, was to make sure that Hamas can never return in the way they did on October 7th. And for Israel, that means to make sure that Hamas cannot be a threat, does not have the weaponry to pose a threat to Israel in the way that they did, and to ever Repeat anything approaching October 7th.

[Joe]

Glad you come see us, Eric. Thank you so much. Bloomberg's Eric Martin with us live on Capitol Hill. Joining us now with her analysis, Wendy Sherman, the former deputy secretary of State in the Biden administration, now senior fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center. Wendy, I'm really glad you could be part of our conversation. I'm wondering what you need to see to know this is real.

[Wendy Sherman]

Well, look, I agree with what Eric just said. This is a positive response from the White House. They're taking yes, even a yes, but for an answer and getting diplomacy underway. As Congressman Meek said in your previous segment, diplomacy is hard work. It all comes down to the details. So, yes, this is a positive moment, but a heck of a lot more work to be done here and we don't know the answer to a number of questions, including whether really Hamas can produce all the hostages and bodies of those who are deceased within 72 hours. But I do agree with E that the president saying that Israel must stop its bombing now to create that space and the quiet to get those hostages back is a very positive statement in a very difficult situation. A long way to go, but better than where we were yesterday.

[Joe]

What do you make of the timing here, Wendy? The president posted on Truth Social another threat today, gave him a deadline, 6pm Sunday, or all hell, as he has said, will break loose. Gaza already is all hell. Did that threat unlock this acceptance?

[Wendy Sherman]

I don't know that the threat alone unlocked the acceptance, and I would say it's yes, but acceptance. It's not a total yes acceptance yet, but I think that Egypt cut her, probably United Arab Emirates, even Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, those who have signed on to this proposal have applied pressure to Hamas as well. Qatar being quite important to that. And as we all know, the President just gave Qatar, which is a key negotiator here, what amounts to an Article 5 security guarantee from the United States. Now, I don't know if that will hold up because usually those things are done by treaty, not by an executive action. But nonetheless, the President clearly wants to build a strong relationship with Qatar. And I will say one other thing. This probably, if it keeps going forward, puts the President in a slightly stronger position going into the APEC meeting at the end of October in the Republic of Korea in his negotiations with China and how he is seen in the rest of the world, if he really can be the driving force to bring peace not only to Gaza and the horrific conditions that the people in Gaza have been attempting to live under, some starving to death, a desperately needing to get in. There is a lot of work to be done here. But as I said, we are in a better place today than we were yesterday.

[Joe]

Assuming this is real, Wendy, and we project to rebuilding Gaza, this could also be extremely complicated. I know the President has talked about making this the Riviera of the Middle east or something, but how do you rebuild Gaza without removing significant portions of the population?

[Wendy Sherman]

I think the riviera concept is a long way off. Gaza has been destroyed. The President has suggested that. And Israel has suggested that people move out of Gaza City, but they don't have fuel to do so. They don't have homes to go to. They don't have a way to move. They're worried about their children and their health. There is little health care left. Doctors Without Borders has left because it was such a dangerous situation. So what is critical here is to get aid in and to begin the rebuilding. And to go back to part of your previous discussion, we don't know whether Hamas will agree to the governmental structure that the President has agreed to. We don't know if they will disarm. So there are lots of details here yet to go. I know the President of the United States is desperate for a Nobel Peace Prize. I don't think he's going to get one in 2025. That will get announced October 10th. All of the nominations are closed. But maybe he's trying to get to 2026.

[Joe]

We'll see how that goes. I know it's something that he's been talking about quite a bit lately. What would this mean then for the future of A Palestinian state. And what would it mean for Iran, obviously pulling the strings for Hamas?

[Wendy Sherman]

Two very good questions, I think, for peace in the Middle East. Clearly both the Abraham Accords and the further work that's been done is trying to bring the whole, whole region together. Obviously the fall of Assad was an important piece of that puzzle, sort of degrading. Hezbollah and Hamas and the Syrian militia supported by Iran, critical to being able to move forward towards peace. But an enormous amount of work to go on. And it looks like the President is sort of pulling back as sanctions, including the new sanctions at the UN that have just been imposed on Iran, put pressure on Iran in hopes that Iran will do what it needs to do. I think it's a little bit of a risk here, however, probably more than a little bit, because Iran is moving forward to reconstitute its nuclear positions, reconstitute its facilities. Even Israel has said that the huge amount of enriched uranium is probably still there. They have advanced centrifuges to increase the likelihood of getting all that they need for a nuclear weapon. And even if they haven't decided to go there yet, the, what I call hard hardliners, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Kurds, Quds Force, is probably pressing to make that decision to go for a nuclear weapon. So I hope there are some back channel discussions going on with Iran because we cannot really get to peace in the Middle east unless we can also deal with Iran.

[Joe]

What would this mean for Iran's other proxies, like those in Yemen, for instance, who've been attacking ships on behalf of what's happening or in protest, maybe a better way to put it, of what has been happening in Gaza?

[Wendy Sherman]

No, with without a doubt what they're doing in Yemen. Still giving some support to Hezbollah, clearly still engaged in some ways probably with Hamas and still trying to see what else they can do in the Middle East. So your point is well taken, Joe. This is an issue that really shouldn't be sidelined. The administration should continue, as I said, even if it's through quiet back channels, to make sure that people don't take their attention away from getting what is necessary here in order to make sure that peace can be long standing, if it can be achieved with ending the war in Gaza.

[Joe]

Just lastly, Wendy, how does this end if the deal is real? Is there a signing ceremony and who shows up for Hamas?

[Wendy Sherman]

Well, I don't know that there's a signing ceremony. I think that Qatar has really been the country that houses Hamas. Whether Hamas's leader would sign a document I don't see that happening, but I do see a collective action in the Middle east if in fact all these details can be worked out. As I said, this is is a good day, but there is still a lot of detailed work ahead. And I hope all of that detailed work, as the President seemed to indicate, is truly going on, because without it, there are a lot of pieces of the 20 point proposal that Hamas did not address. And we need those answers.

[Joe]

A hopeful Wendy Sherman, Senior Fellow at Harvard's Belfer center, former Deputy Secretary of State in the Biden Administration Wendy, it's great to have you with this breaking news. Thanks for your insights.

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