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The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | January 21st, 2025: Hamas Reasserts Control Over Gaza & Trump Reverses Biden Policy With Cuba Crackdown
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Hey, it's, it's Mike Baker here. If you're keeping score at home, I am still in the Middle east on an epic trek through the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Five riders, 10 camels, and a remarkable support team. While I'm away, Mike Slater is here to guide you through the President's daily brief.
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Thanks, Mike. It's Tuesday, the 21st of January 2020. Welcome back to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Mike Slater filling in for Mike Baker. Let's get briefed. First. As the ceasefire in Gaza takes hold, Hamas has flooded the streets with thousands of its fighters in a major show of force, demonstrating that they will remain the dominant power in the territory. We'll discuss Israel's reaction and with the terror group's continued hold over the enclave, means for the fragile truce. Later in the show. In a quick reversal of Biden policy, President Trump has returned the nation of Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. I want to start today's show by bringing to your attention a Wall Street Journal report that details how in the first hours following the start of the ceasefire agreement with Israel, Hamas has quickly moved to reassert its control over the Gaza Strip. As Israeli troops withdrew, Hamas's forces reemerged, taken to the streets in a highly visible display of authority. Thousands of armed and uniformed militants paraded through Gaza, flashing victory signs to cheering crowds, showing that despite months of conflict, Hamas remains the dominant power in the territory. The images were a stark reminder that despite all the military might that Israel deployed in Gaza, it stated war goals. Destroying Hamas and replacing it with alternative governance remains unrealized. Gershon Baskin, a former Israeli hostage negotiator, described the situation as a, quote, slap in the face to Israel, highlighting the limited impact that the military campaign may have had on Hamas's core structure. The ceasefire, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United States has paused one of the deadliest conflicts in recent Middle Eastern history. Over 47,000 people in Gaza have been killed since October 2023 following Hamas's deadly attack on Israel, which killed over 1,200 Israelis. While the truce allows for hostages and prisoners to be exchanged, it also raises pressing questions about Gaza's governance in the AfterMath, something the PDB has been highlighting extensively since the start of this 15 month conflict. Now it's important to point out that the Israeli officials argue the high civilian casualties are because Hamas fighters embedded themselves within the population, and their quick reappearance seems to back that up. Many Hamas members reportedly stashed their uniforms and weapons laying low until the ceasefire gave them the chance to come back out. Under the ceasefire terms, Hamas police are tasked with maintaining law and order, overseeing displaced Palestinians, and coordinating aid deliveries. Aid groups, including the United nations, report that the humanitarian situation is slowly improving, with more supplies entering Gaza than at any time during the war. However, observers warn that Hamas's continued presence complicates reconstruction efforts and future stability. Many Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign minister, maintain that a permanent peace is impossible as long as Hamas remains in power. Meanwhile, discussions about Gaza's future governance have intensified. The Palestinian Authority, ousted by Hamas in 2007, has expressed willingness to assume control but faces resistance from Israel and skepticism from Palestinians. Hamas, for now, continues to hold a monopoly on force. Israel estimates that before the war, Hamas had up to 30,000 fighters, though Israel claims to have killed over half. The group continues to reorganize under the leadership of Muhammad Sinwar that's the brother of Yahya Sinwar, the slain former leader of Hamas and architect of the October 7th attacks. As rebuilding begins, the future of Gaza and whether it remains under Hamas rule remains highly uncertain. Quick programming note before we take a break. The great Mike Baker. He's going to be back behind the microphone a little earlier than expected. He's returning to host the PDB starting tomorrow morning, and he'll bring you all the details of his adventure in the Saudi desert. I won't be here behind the microphone, but I'll definitely be listening. Thank you for letting me fill in these last few days. Coming up after the break, in another reversal of Biden policy, President Trump has returned the nation of Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism. More on that after the break.
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- [06:08]
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Welcome back to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Just hours into his presidency, Donald Trump reinstated Cuba to the list of state sponsors of terrorism, overturning a late term decision by then President Joe Biden. The swift action underscores Trump's commitment to a hard line stance towards the communist island, mirroring policies from his first term that unraveled Obama era detente. As we reported last week on the pdb, Biden's removal of Cuba from the terrorism list coincided with Havana's Vatican mediated agreement to gradually release over 500 political prisoners detained following the mass anti government protests of July 2021. For now, it remains unclear whether Cuba will continue prisoner release in light of Trump's policy reversal. Republican lawmakers fiercely criticized Biden's decision, citing what they view as insufficient scrutiny of the Cuban regime's role in harboring individuals linked to terrorism and its destabilizing activities in the region. Incoming Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was just confirmed today unanimously by the Senate, a Cuban American and staunch critic of Havana's leadership, foreshadowed the reinstatement during his confirmation hearing last Wednesday. When Monday's announcement came, Rubio lauded it as a necessary response to Cuba's ongoing harboring of Colombian guerrilla commanders whose peace negotiations with Bogota collapsed over the weekend due to accusations of war crimes. This breakdown, which we reported earlier today on the pdb, further reinforced the rationale for Trump's actions. In tandem with this terrorism designation, the Trump administration reimposed restrictions on Cuban government linked entities, barring them from participating in certain financial transactions under US Law. These measures, initially introduced during Trump's first term, had been rolled back under Biden, marking another flashpoint in the partisan tug of war over Cuba policy. Cuba's communist leadership wasted no time in responding to Trump's actions. Their president condemned the move, Trump describing it as, quote, an act of arrogance and disregard for truth. The country's foreign minister echoed this sentiment on X, asserting that the policy would inflict harm but would not quote subdue the firm determination of our people. It's important to note that Trump opted to preserve one key element of Biden's Cuba policy, the suspension of Title 3 of the Helms Burton Act. This provision allows Cuban exiles to sue Havana for property that was confiscated after Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, which has been sparingly used primarily by multinational corporations. While the administration has yet to articulate a justification for the policy shift, Republicans frame it as a corrective to Biden's perceived leniency. Trump's actions set the stage for a renewed era of antagonism between Washington and Havana in the years ahead. And that is the PDB Afternoon bulletin for Tuesday, 21st January. Thank you again for letting me fill in. Mike Baker will be here bright and early tomorrow morning to listen to the show ad free. Become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Slater from the podcast Politics by Faith and host of the morning show on Sirius XM Patriot. Mike Baker. I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay safe. Spread the word.