Loading summary

Transcript33 lines

[00:01]
A
Hi, listeners. We love making this podcast and we're always looking at ways to make it even better. We'd really appreciate it if you could take a couple of minutes to fill out our short survey. You'll find the link in the episode description. Hello, it's me, Yelda, and me, Richard.
[00:23]
B
And we are together once again back in the American colony. And it's been quite an extraordinary few days, which is why we are bringing you this special episode to bring people up to date. There's been a lot of questions. People want to know, why is this deal different? Is it going to hold? And let's try and break it down.
[00:45]
A
Yeah. I mean, over the past few days, Richard, it's been like an emotional rollercoaster. You know, in the last 24 hours, we've woken up to cheers and joy, celebration. People have felt excitement, but nerves as well, because they know these sorts of things have collapsed in the past. The Israeli security cabinet has ratified the deal now, which means that it's on its way to being enforced, essentially.
[01:15]
B
And we'll get into all of that. So don't forget to follow us on Spotify or Apple and please do watch us on our YouTube channel. We're together and this is a rare treat. Let's get going and lots to talk about.
[01:32]
A
Yeah, Richard. I started to get around 8 o' clock at night UK time, so 10pm local time. I started to get notes, messages from Sharm El Sheikh saying, stay tuned. And then I got a message from someone very close to those with knowledge of what was going on in the room that a statement would be issued that that night. Now, I have to be frank with you, we broke it. But I was. I got nervous because, you know, I just thought, just in case everybody's wrong. But then around 1:32 o' clock in the morning, the news came out and, you know, we were seeing for the first time in a long time, both Palestinians and Israelis celebrating at the same time. We don't often see these images of.
[02:21]
B
Both sides, almost never that the Israelis and Palestinians are celebrating the same thing, the end of the conflict. And y. We've covered a lot of conflicts and whenever I see something like that, you see the two sides celebrating the end of the war. Both sides are relieved that the war stopped. It makes me think, well, so both sides wanted this to stop. Both sides wanted the killing to stop. Well, then why the hell did they do it sooner? If both sides are like, oh, we're so happy that's over. Makes you wonder, well, couldn't they have done This a little bit earlier and stopped all this bloodshed and stopped all this killing quite a bit sooner.
[02:59]
A
You know, sometimes I know you raise an eyebrow at me when I praise Donald Trump. You look at me like, okay, where are you going with this? And I know, I know that you've also said in the last few weeks, look, who cares who it is? If it's Donald Trump, it's Joe Biden, whoever it might be. You know, credit where credit is, is due. It doesn't matter who the characters are, as long as the bloodsh ends.
[03:20]
B
Let's get some of the nitty gritty because it's not that clear. I think a lot of people are curious about this. Last night at the last hour, the Israeli government approved the deal. Finally approved the deal and now it's in effect. It's quiet in Gaza and it wasn't quiet yesterday. Right until that last minute there were attacks in Gaza right until the last minute.
[03:44]
A
Reports coming in that up to 40 people were killed, including women and children.
[03:49]
B
Yeah. A building was hit. Initially there were four people confirmed dead and then 40, as many as 40 people buried under the rubble. I don't know what the number is right now, but as of last night, they were unaccounted for and missing. So right until the last minute, there were strikes, deadly strikes. Now that the government approved the deal, we're into today, the Israeli military has 24 hours to pull back from parts of Gaza, pulling back to this so called green line. There's maps out there showing where they're supposed to pull back. They don't pull back from all areas, but they pull back from some of the population centers. That gives Hamas the ability to gather the hostages, dig up remains, get all the hostages together and they have three days to do this. Three days to gather all the hostages, living and dead, and hand them over.
[04:43]
A
So 24 hours for the military to pull back. And there's also the way that Israeli society operates and works. There's also 24 hours for anyone, hostage, families or whoever to object this in the courts. And that's unlikely to happen because of course, as we've said, the majority of the Israeli public want this war to end and the hostage families want their hostages back. So there's that 24 hour window. Then Hamas has 72 hours to get all of the living and the dead hostages back. You've been speaking to some of those families who have the remains of their loved ones back in Gaza. Just talk us through that.
[05:23]
B
So I, we spoke to this, this father yesterday, his son, guy was at the Nova Music Festival. Remember it was one of these all night raves. The people had been up all night dancing. And around 6 in the morning, the attack begins with a rocket attack. A lot of people didn't really take that, that seriously because there's frankly quite a few rocket attacks and Israel's protected Iron Dome, the Hamas guys start arriving, paragliders, trucks, they start opening fire. So guy, the son calls his dad and says goodbye to him. And his dad is telling me, don't do this, don't you dare do this. Don't say goodbye. I'm not accepting this. Put blood on your body, hide under the bodies, play dead, do whatever you can do. Run, hide. I'm coming, I'm coming. Stay alive. Send me your gps. And his son is like, dad, I don't have time. And his dad grabbed a gun, got in his car, drove down on his own and got there 15 minutes late. Son was taken into Gaza, killed just about two weeks later. And now he's waiting for the remains and he's telling me, I want to touch the bones, I want to have the remains so we can give him a proper burial, so we can have some closure. And that's what he's waiting for. So when people are, we talk about, yeah, they're celebrating in, in Tel Aviv and they're celebrating in Gaza. It's celebration that's more like relief. Yeah, celebration that this trauma is over.
[07:08]
A
And you know, one of the points that that was made during these negotiations as well around the bodies was that Hamas was saying, we don't know where these bo are. In fact, they were saying that some of the, their leaders who'd kept the bodies had been killed. So they didn't know where to locate the bodies. And that's why it was going to take beyond the 72 hours. That was a sticking point that Donald Trump sort of said, look, just get the living hostages out, get the remains of the ones that you think you can find. And then, you know, let's start, start a process. So it is going to be again, I think, quite a long and painful moment for many of the families that are waiting for the remains of their, their loved ones.
[07:51]
B
No doubt, because then there's that question, what happens if these bodies aren't found? It's going to be a big problem because that father is not just going to shrug it off and say, you know, okay, well, you know, I guess they couldn't find him under the, under the rubble. They're going to keep going, they're never going to Stop. They're never going to keep pressuring Hamas, but it's going to take, inevitably, it's going to take longer for them to find.
[08:14]
A
Absolutely. And I've spoken to those who have said this could have been done a year ago and that this deal could have been finalized. They that's the sort of purpose and point of this war. About a year ago. But Richard, we've said this over the course of the last week. Is this deal perfect? No. Are there gaps? Yes. Is it a deal for now? Correct. I've also been speaking to people who say this is not a peace deal, this is a sort of a ceasefire for now. And we have to be very careful what happens in phase two because that will be where, you know, everyone will be tested. Everyone who's come around the table, who's brought this deal together will be tested. Can they take this to phase two or will this, you know, beyond the ceasefire, beyond the hostages being returned, beyond Israeli troops moving back and beyond the aid reaching the desperate people of Gaza, will we ever get to a phase two? And that will be the big question. Okay, let's take a quick break and when we come back, we'll take some listener questions. Welcome back. We're recording this special edition of the podcast because of the developments over the last few days. Richard, we've got some listener questions. Should we go through them?
[09:33]
B
Let's do it. Okay, I've got them right in front of me here from email from jem. Hi, Alden. Richard, hi. It seems to be that the Trump's peace plan has the backing of the world on the basis that everything, almost everything Trump and Netanyahu do seems to be very calculated, calculated often in their favor. What elements of the plan concern you and are there any potential hidden longer term agendas woven into it?
[10:00]
A
Well, I, I think in, in the first instance, you know, one of the big questions that's, that's being asked right now is Hamas disarmament and will Hamas accept that they will not govern Gaza and will they disarm? I spoke to the Palestinian ambassador in the the UK yesterday. To me, this is something that Hamas has accepted that they will be a much weaker power and force in Gaza. And part of the deal also sort of specifies that any Hamas fighters who want to lay down their arms and stay in Gaza can, they won't be forced to leave. And then those who don't want to accept the terms of this deal can, can leave. And, and I think Donald Trump has reiterated that everyone will be treated fairly. But of course there are gaps and holes in, in this and already last seeing leaks where members of Hamas were saying we're not going to disarm. So I think there are tricky aspects of this. An Israeli official said to me, in this region we have a lot of let's sees and tomorrow is another day and let's just be cautious here about this. I think for me the focus will be that point. Because if that idea breaks down, then do elements of Netanyahu's far right government and whether or not his government collapses or not, the idea of Hamas not disarming, does it give the Israeli government another excuse to say, look, see, they're not disarming, they're not choosing to end this war and therefore this ceasefire is broken and we go back to where we were? I think that is a worst case scenario.
[11:44]
B
Jem. I think it's not if, but when this deal is going to break down. Okay, Hamas is supposed to leave power and give up their weapons when and how and who's the new government? I don't know who the new government is. There's been no explanation of that. There's supposed to be this international security force and the Pentagon just said, okay, we're going to send 200 troops to work out logistics. So there is this concept that there will be some international supervision force. But the only thing that we know about it so far is that at some stage the Pentagon is sending over 200 troops to help with logistics. That's going to take not days or weeks, that could take years to put together. And with this kind of situation over months and years, yes, it is going to break down. Maybe it starts up again, it breaks down again, but there will be breaks.
[12:38]
A
We've got another question from Instagram. Do you think that Trump will keep Israel accountable should they break the ceasefire? I think we've talked about the fact that we got here because of the maximum pressure on both sides. Netanyahu, like we said, it's about political survival. It's about coming out of this and showing that he was able to bring the hostages home and bring an end to this war. Even though we know behind the scenes Donald Trump put maximum pressure on him and said it's now or we're not with you. On the Hamas side, they needed this as well. The Qataris came, the Egyptians, the Turks all have some kind of influence over Hamas. They put pressure on Hamas, the US President put pressure on Netanyahu. I think the only way, and as Richard has rightly said, it's not a matter of if this deal is going to Break down. This is going to be a fluid, challenging situation, but I think maximum pressure needs to remain. It's whether everyone gets distracted.
[13:40]
B
The people of Gaza just couldn't take anymore. If Hamas had pushed this further, the people of Gaza would have said, we're not doing this anymore, and you're not our heroic saviors. You're a problem. And I think they were already starting to turn on them.
[13:56]
A
Richard, before we sign off and go, there is another question here. The question is, should it work out? Would Trump deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? Look, he's angling for it. He's wanted it for the.
[14:10]
B
Wow. What gives you that impression?
[14:12]
A
I mean, even in his, his first term, he talked about the fact that, you know, he brought together the Abraham Accords and he really deserved this. Obama got it for much less, frankly, if we're going to be, you know, there are people who got it who, you know, had launched all sorts of wars and were in the middle of wars. And I think at one point, Barack Obama was confused about why he was, why he won it. Guantanamo Bay was still open, which is.
[14:38]
B
A point that Trump is raised every day. You know, Obama got it, you know, just for being elected. And look at me, I've done this.
[14:45]
A
Which is, which is probably one of the reasons why he wants it. If Obama got it, I should get it right. We know how he feels about, about Obama.
[14:53]
B
So what is it? Do you think he deserves it?
[14:55]
A
Like we said, people have gotten it for far less. If it means that maybe he's committed and he sees this as his war that he needs to ensure doesn't flare up and he keeps an eye on it and keeps the pressure on it. Like I said, others have gotten for doing Follus.
[15:11]
B
He just got a deal that was hard to get to, and he did, I think, bully it over the line. So should he deserve it? I'm with you. Why not? It's a prize. It's a symbolic thing. Why not? Other controversial figures have gone in the past. Why not?
[15:29]
A
Before we go, I'm just going to quickly tell you the story. I've been speaking to some Arab leaders who were in the room in New York having those negotiations and conversations with Donald Trump at the UN General assembly on the sidelines about this Gaza peace talk. Texting with one yesterday, and she said to me, you know, she said, I've been on the phone with the Norwegian saying, for the love of God, give the man the prize.
[15:52]
B
But the, the question was, does he deserve it? It's debatable. What you think is it the spirit of peace or is it actually pushing peace deals over the line? But as you, as you said, maybe you encourage people, you want to encourage people to, to be better and act better.
[16:11]
A
Richard, always good to talk to you.
[16:12]
B
And it's fun to be in person.
[16:14]
A
In person, Exactly. And thank you so much to our listeners for listening to this latest episode of the pod.

Summary5 min read

Podcast Summary: "BONUS EPISODE: Will the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas last?"

Podcast: The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim
Host: Sky News
Air Date: October 10, 2025
Episode Format: In-person discussion with listener Q&A
Guests: None (just Richard and Yalda)

Overview

In this special bonus episode, veteran journalists Yalda Hakim and Richard Engel analyze the newly brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Speaking candidly from the American Colony in Jerusalem, the duo draw on their frontline reporting and conversations with both officials and families affected by the conflict. They explore the details and uncertainties surrounding the deal, the emotional impact on people on both sides, and address pressing listener questions regarding the fragility of peace, the roles of world leaders, and whether this truce can truly hold.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anatomy of the New Ceasefire Deal

Timestamps: 00:23–04:43

Both hosts reflect on the emotional rollercoaster of recent days as news of a ceasefire broke:
- Yalda describes celebrations among Israelis and Palestinians as news spread, noting the rarity of simultaneous hope on both sides. (01:31–02:20)
- Richard observes, “Almost never that the Israelis and Palestinians are celebrating the same thing, the end of the conflict… It makes me think, well, so both sides wanted this to stop. So why the hell did they do it sooner?” (02:20)
Details of the Deal (03:20–04:43):
- Israeli government approved the ceasefire deal in the final hours.
- Israeli military given 24 hours to withdraw from parts of Gaza (not all) to facilitate hostage returns.
- Hamas then has 72 hours to gather and return all hostages—living and deceased.
- Israeli society/families have a 24-hour window to contest the deal in court, but objections are unlikely due to widespread desire for peace.
- Even during final negotiation hours, deadly strikes continued in Gaza (up to 40 killed).

2. The Human Toll: Hostage Stories and Unresolved Trauma

Timestamps: 05:23–07:51

Richard recounts a harrowing story of a father whose son ("Guy") was killed after being taken hostage at the Nova Music Festival:
- The son called his father as the attack began; details of the desperate attempt to save him evoke profound loss and ongoing grief.
- The father’s need for closure and a proper burial epitomizes the anguish felt by families uncertain about their loved ones’ fate.
- Quote: “It’s celebration that’s more like relief. Yeah, celebration that this trauma is over.” (06:45)
Practical and Emotional Challenges:
- Hamas claims they don’t know the locations of all the bodies, complicating full closure for families.
- Trump reportedly urged negotiators to at least get living hostages and as many remains as possible, with further efforts ongoing.
- Quote (Yalda): "So it is going to be again, I think, quite a long and painful moment for many of the families that are waiting for the remains of their loved ones." (07:41)

3. Is the Deal Sustainable or Just a Pause?

Timestamps: 08:14–09:59

Imperfection and Uncertainty:
- The deal is labeled a "ceasefire for now" rather than an actual peace agreement. Many gaps remain, particularly regarding what comes after (phase two).
- Key Consideration: Will negotiations progress from temporary truce to lasting settlement, or will this lull be temporary?
Quote (Yalda): “Is this deal perfect? No. Are there gaps? Yes. Is it a deal for now? Correct... It’s not a peace deal, this is a sort of ceasefire for now.”

4. Listener Q&A: Politics, Accountability, and Future Risks

Timestamps: 09:33–15:28

A. Trump’s Peace Plan: Risks and Hidden Agendas? (09:33–11:43)

Hamas is supposed to disarm and leave power, but enforcement is unclear.
Details on who governs Gaza next are missing; only a vague international force is planned—logistics not yet worked out.
Growing skepticism about how lasting the deal can be and concerns about possible “excuses” for breaking the ceasefire.

B. Can Trump Hold Israel Accountable? (12:37–13:40)

Trump put “maximum pressure” on Netanyahu, threatening to withdraw US support if a deal wasn't reached.
Regional stakeholders (Qatar, Egypt, Turkey) also pressured Hamas.
Key Point (Richard): “It’s not if, but when this deal is going to break down… there will be breaks.”

C. Nobel Peace Prize for Trump? (13:55–15:28)

Both hosts agree Trump is angling for a Nobel, referencing his own comparisons to Obama.
Quote (Yalda): “Obama got it for much less, frankly… And I think at one point, Barack Obama was confused about why he was, why he won it.”
Arab negotiator allegedly told her: “For the love of God, give the man the prize.” (15:28)
Richard's take: Awarding the Nobel is symbolic—“Other controversial figures have gone in the past. Why not?”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Richard Engel [02:20]:
“Both sides wanted the killing to stop. Well then, why the hell did they do it sooner?”
Yalda Hakim [06:45]:
“It’s celebration that’s more like relief. Yeah, celebration that this trauma is over.”
Yalda Hakim [07:41]:
“It is going to be again, I think, quite a long and painful moment for many of the families that are waiting for the remains of their loved ones.”
Richard Engel [11:43]:
“It’s not if, but when this deal is going to break down.”
Yalda Hakim [14:11]:
“Obama got it for much less, frankly…there are people who got it who…had launched all sorts of wars.”
Arab Leader via Yalda [15:28]:
“For the love of God, give the man the prize.”

Key Takeaways

Cautious Hope: While both Israelis and Palestinians are relieved by the ceasefire, uncertainty and trauma still cloud the future.
Deal Details Remain Vague: Major aspects (disarmament, transition governance in Gaza, international oversight) are unresolved and could derail progress.
Pressure and Fragility: The agreement is less about trust and more about relentless external and political pressure. Both hosts predict the truce may be fleeting.
Political Endgames: Questions about credit, legacy (notably Trump’s potential Nobel), and accountability were discussed with wry humor and skepticism.

[END OF SUMMARY]

Loading summary

Transcript33 lines

[00:01]
A
Hi, listeners. We love making this podcast and we're always looking at ways to make it even better. We'd really appreciate it if you could take a couple of minutes to fill out our short survey. You'll find the link in the episode description. Hello, it's me, Yelda, and me, Richard.
[00:23]
B
And we are together once again back in the American colony. And it's been quite an extraordinary few days, which is why we are bringing you this special episode to bring people up to date. There's been a lot of questions. People want to know, why is this deal different? Is it going to hold? And let's try and break it down.
[00:45]
A
Yeah. I mean, over the past few days, Richard, it's been like an emotional rollercoaster. You know, in the last 24 hours, we've woken up to cheers and joy, celebration. People have felt excitement, but nerves as well, because they know these sorts of things have collapsed in the past. The Israeli security cabinet has ratified the deal now, which means that it's on its way to being enforced, essentially.
[01:15]
B
And we'll get into all of that. So don't forget to follow us on Spotify or Apple and please do watch us on our YouTube channel. We're together and this is a rare treat. Let's get going and lots to talk about.
[01:32]
A
Yeah, Richard. I started to get around 8 o' clock at night UK time, so 10pm local time. I started to get notes, messages from Sharm El Sheikh saying, stay tuned. And then I got a message from someone very close to those with knowledge of what was going on in the room that a statement would be issued that that night. Now, I have to be frank with you, we broke it. But I was. I got nervous because, you know, I just thought, just in case everybody's wrong. But then around 1:32 o' clock in the morning, the news came out and, you know, we were seeing for the first time in a long time, both Palestinians and Israelis celebrating at the same time. We don't often see these images of.
[02:21]
B
Both sides, almost never that the Israelis and Palestinians are celebrating the same thing, the end of the conflict. And y. We've covered a lot of conflicts and whenever I see something like that, you see the two sides celebrating the end of the war. Both sides are relieved that the war stopped. It makes me think, well, so both sides wanted this to stop. Both sides wanted the killing to stop. Well, then why the hell did they do it sooner? If both sides are like, oh, we're so happy that's over. Makes you wonder, well, couldn't they have done This a little bit earlier and stopped all this bloodshed and stopped all this killing quite a bit sooner.
[02:59]
A
You know, sometimes I know you raise an eyebrow at me when I praise Donald Trump. You look at me like, okay, where are you going with this? And I know, I know that you've also said in the last few weeks, look, who cares who it is? If it's Donald Trump, it's Joe Biden, whoever it might be. You know, credit where credit is, is due. It doesn't matter who the characters are, as long as the bloodsh ends.
[03:20]
B
Let's get some of the nitty gritty because it's not that clear. I think a lot of people are curious about this. Last night at the last hour, the Israeli government approved the deal. Finally approved the deal and now it's in effect. It's quiet in Gaza and it wasn't quiet yesterday. Right until that last minute there were attacks in Gaza right until the last minute.
[03:44]
A
Reports coming in that up to 40 people were killed, including women and children.
[03:49]
B
Yeah. A building was hit. Initially there were four people confirmed dead and then 40, as many as 40 people buried under the rubble. I don't know what the number is right now, but as of last night, they were unaccounted for and missing. So right until the last minute, there were strikes, deadly strikes. Now that the government approved the deal, we're into today, the Israeli military has 24 hours to pull back from parts of Gaza, pulling back to this so called green line. There's maps out there showing where they're supposed to pull back. They don't pull back from all areas, but they pull back from some of the population centers. That gives Hamas the ability to gather the hostages, dig up remains, get all the hostages together and they have three days to do this. Three days to gather all the hostages, living and dead, and hand them over.
[04:43]
A
So 24 hours for the military to pull back. And there's also the way that Israeli society operates and works. There's also 24 hours for anyone, hostage, families or whoever to object this in the courts. And that's unlikely to happen because of course, as we've said, the majority of the Israeli public want this war to end and the hostage families want their hostages back. So there's that 24 hour window. Then Hamas has 72 hours to get all of the living and the dead hostages back. You've been speaking to some of those families who have the remains of their loved ones back in Gaza. Just talk us through that.
[05:23]
B
So I, we spoke to this, this father yesterday, his son, guy was at the Nova Music Festival. Remember it was one of these all night raves. The people had been up all night dancing. And around 6 in the morning, the attack begins with a rocket attack. A lot of people didn't really take that, that seriously because there's frankly quite a few rocket attacks and Israel's protected Iron Dome, the Hamas guys start arriving, paragliders, trucks, they start opening fire. So guy, the son calls his dad and says goodbye to him. And his dad is telling me, don't do this, don't you dare do this. Don't say goodbye. I'm not accepting this. Put blood on your body, hide under the bodies, play dead, do whatever you can do. Run, hide. I'm coming, I'm coming. Stay alive. Send me your gps. And his son is like, dad, I don't have time. And his dad grabbed a gun, got in his car, drove down on his own and got there 15 minutes late. Son was taken into Gaza, killed just about two weeks later. And now he's waiting for the remains and he's telling me, I want to touch the bones, I want to have the remains so we can give him a proper burial, so we can have some closure. And that's what he's waiting for. So when people are, we talk about, yeah, they're celebrating in, in Tel Aviv and they're celebrating in Gaza. It's celebration that's more like relief. Yeah, celebration that this trauma is over.
[07:08]
A
And you know, one of the points that that was made during these negotiations as well around the bodies was that Hamas was saying, we don't know where these bo are. In fact, they were saying that some of the, their leaders who'd kept the bodies had been killed. So they didn't know where to locate the bodies. And that's why it was going to take beyond the 72 hours. That was a sticking point that Donald Trump sort of said, look, just get the living hostages out, get the remains of the ones that you think you can find. And then, you know, let's start, start a process. So it is going to be again, I think, quite a long and painful moment for many of the families that are waiting for the remains of their, their loved ones.
[07:51]
B
No doubt, because then there's that question, what happens if these bodies aren't found? It's going to be a big problem because that father is not just going to shrug it off and say, you know, okay, well, you know, I guess they couldn't find him under the, under the rubble. They're going to keep going, they're never going to Stop. They're never going to keep pressuring Hamas, but it's going to take, inevitably, it's going to take longer for them to find.
[08:14]
A
Absolutely. And I've spoken to those who have said this could have been done a year ago and that this deal could have been finalized. They that's the sort of purpose and point of this war. About a year ago. But Richard, we've said this over the course of the last week. Is this deal perfect? No. Are there gaps? Yes. Is it a deal for now? Correct. I've also been speaking to people who say this is not a peace deal, this is a sort of a ceasefire for now. And we have to be very careful what happens in phase two because that will be where, you know, everyone will be tested. Everyone who's come around the table, who's brought this deal together will be tested. Can they take this to phase two or will this, you know, beyond the ceasefire, beyond the hostages being returned, beyond Israeli troops moving back and beyond the aid reaching the desperate people of Gaza, will we ever get to a phase two? And that will be the big question. Okay, let's take a quick break and when we come back, we'll take some listener questions. Welcome back. We're recording this special edition of the podcast because of the developments over the last few days. Richard, we've got some listener questions. Should we go through them?
[09:33]
B
Let's do it. Okay, I've got them right in front of me here from email from jem. Hi, Alden. Richard, hi. It seems to be that the Trump's peace plan has the backing of the world on the basis that everything, almost everything Trump and Netanyahu do seems to be very calculated, calculated often in their favor. What elements of the plan concern you and are there any potential hidden longer term agendas woven into it?
[10:00]
A
Well, I, I think in, in the first instance, you know, one of the big questions that's, that's being asked right now is Hamas disarmament and will Hamas accept that they will not govern Gaza and will they disarm? I spoke to the Palestinian ambassador in the the UK yesterday. To me, this is something that Hamas has accepted that they will be a much weaker power and force in Gaza. And part of the deal also sort of specifies that any Hamas fighters who want to lay down their arms and stay in Gaza can, they won't be forced to leave. And then those who don't want to accept the terms of this deal can, can leave. And, and I think Donald Trump has reiterated that everyone will be treated fairly. But of course there are gaps and holes in, in this and already last seeing leaks where members of Hamas were saying we're not going to disarm. So I think there are tricky aspects of this. An Israeli official said to me, in this region we have a lot of let's sees and tomorrow is another day and let's just be cautious here about this. I think for me the focus will be that point. Because if that idea breaks down, then do elements of Netanyahu's far right government and whether or not his government collapses or not, the idea of Hamas not disarming, does it give the Israeli government another excuse to say, look, see, they're not disarming, they're not choosing to end this war and therefore this ceasefire is broken and we go back to where we were? I think that is a worst case scenario.
[11:44]
B
Jem. I think it's not if, but when this deal is going to break down. Okay, Hamas is supposed to leave power and give up their weapons when and how and who's the new government? I don't know who the new government is. There's been no explanation of that. There's supposed to be this international security force and the Pentagon just said, okay, we're going to send 200 troops to work out logistics. So there is this concept that there will be some international supervision force. But the only thing that we know about it so far is that at some stage the Pentagon is sending over 200 troops to help with logistics. That's going to take not days or weeks, that could take years to put together. And with this kind of situation over months and years, yes, it is going to break down. Maybe it starts up again, it breaks down again, but there will be breaks.
[12:38]
A
We've got another question from Instagram. Do you think that Trump will keep Israel accountable should they break the ceasefire? I think we've talked about the fact that we got here because of the maximum pressure on both sides. Netanyahu, like we said, it's about political survival. It's about coming out of this and showing that he was able to bring the hostages home and bring an end to this war. Even though we know behind the scenes Donald Trump put maximum pressure on him and said it's now or we're not with you. On the Hamas side, they needed this as well. The Qataris came, the Egyptians, the Turks all have some kind of influence over Hamas. They put pressure on Hamas, the US President put pressure on Netanyahu. I think the only way, and as Richard has rightly said, it's not a matter of if this deal is going to Break down. This is going to be a fluid, challenging situation, but I think maximum pressure needs to remain. It's whether everyone gets distracted.
[13:40]
B
The people of Gaza just couldn't take anymore. If Hamas had pushed this further, the people of Gaza would have said, we're not doing this anymore, and you're not our heroic saviors. You're a problem. And I think they were already starting to turn on them.
[13:56]
A
Richard, before we sign off and go, there is another question here. The question is, should it work out? Would Trump deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? Look, he's angling for it. He's wanted it for the.
[14:10]
B
Wow. What gives you that impression?
[14:12]
A
I mean, even in his, his first term, he talked about the fact that, you know, he brought together the Abraham Accords and he really deserved this. Obama got it for much less, frankly, if we're going to be, you know, there are people who got it who, you know, had launched all sorts of wars and were in the middle of wars. And I think at one point, Barack Obama was confused about why he was, why he won it. Guantanamo Bay was still open, which is.
[14:38]
B
A point that Trump is raised every day. You know, Obama got it, you know, just for being elected. And look at me, I've done this.
[14:45]
A
Which is, which is probably one of the reasons why he wants it. If Obama got it, I should get it right. We know how he feels about, about Obama.
[14:53]
B
So what is it? Do you think he deserves it?
[14:55]
A
Like we said, people have gotten it for far less. If it means that maybe he's committed and he sees this as his war that he needs to ensure doesn't flare up and he keeps an eye on it and keeps the pressure on it. Like I said, others have gotten for doing Follus.
[15:11]
B
He just got a deal that was hard to get to, and he did, I think, bully it over the line. So should he deserve it? I'm with you. Why not? It's a prize. It's a symbolic thing. Why not? Other controversial figures have gone in the past. Why not?
[15:29]
A
Before we go, I'm just going to quickly tell you the story. I've been speaking to some Arab leaders who were in the room in New York having those negotiations and conversations with Donald Trump at the UN General assembly on the sidelines about this Gaza peace talk. Texting with one yesterday, and she said to me, you know, she said, I've been on the phone with the Norwegian saying, for the love of God, give the man the prize.
[15:52]
B
But the, the question was, does he deserve it? It's debatable. What you think is it the spirit of peace or is it actually pushing peace deals over the line? But as you, as you said, maybe you encourage people, you want to encourage people to, to be better and act better.
[16:11]
A
Richard, always good to talk to you.
[16:12]
B
And it's fun to be in person.
[16:14]
A
In person, Exactly. And thank you so much to our listeners for listening to this latest episode of the pod.