Podcast Summary: "Is Hamas ready to give up Gaza?"

The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim – Sky News
Date: October 15, 2025

Overview

In this episode, hosts Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim provide an on-the-ground account from Tel Aviv as historic events unfold: the release of Israeli hostages from Gaza, a major prisoner exchange, and Donald Trump's high-profile arrival in Israel. Against the backdrop of public celebration and cautious optimism in Israel, the hosts analyze whether Hamas is truly prepared to relinquish control of Gaza, drawing from Yalda's exclusive interview with senior Hamas official Dr. Bassem Naim. The realities in Gaza, internal Palestinian dynamics, and prospects for peace are critically examined.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Atmosphere in Tel Aviv: Hostages Returned, Celebrations and Skepticism

• Hostages Square as Focal Point:
  Yalda and Richard report from the site where hostages' families gathered for two years, creating a sense of communal solidarity and persistent public pressure. On this momentous day, a clock counting every minute of their captivity stopped at 738 days.
  • “It was, and it continues to be, a joyous atmosphere here in Hostage Square for two years. ... For two years, they’ve had one message: bring them home now. And now they are home.” – Richard (02:56)
• Hostage Handover by Hamas:
  Differing from previous exchanges, this time hostages were shown making emotional video calls to family as Hamas handed them directly to the Red Cross, signaling not humiliation but a seemingly deliberate emphasis on dignified transfer.
  • “Instead of putting them up on the stage, they allowed them to have this communication with their parents to say, ‘we’re coming, we’re on our way.’” – Richard (03:54)
• Trump’s Arrival and the Optics:
  Trump’s touchdown on Air Force One intentionally coincides with hostage releases, feeding into a narrative of American-led diplomacy and peace. The public in Hostages Square gives standing ovations to Trump, while Prime Minister Netanyahu remains unpopular among the gathered Israelis.
  • “The people here in Hostage Square were celebrating him, but not Prime Minister Netanyahu.” – Richard (07:28)

2. The Shifting Power Dynamics in Gaza

• No Power Vacuum:
  Despite Israeli attempts to dismantle Hamas, masked Hamas militants confidently conducted the hostage handover, indicating continued control over Gaza’s streets.
  • “What we have is, we’ve basically gone back to October 6, 2023, when Hamas have been policing the streets and maintaining the law and order in Gaza... They’re very much present.” – Yalda (05:02)
• Destruction and Humanitarian Crisis:
  For Gazans, the post-ceasefire reality is bleak: ruins, homelessness, and looming insecurity.
  • “For Gazans, the tough part or a new tough part is just beginning. Yes, the bombs may have stopped falling, but they are still homeless. They are still living on a pile of rubble.” – Richard (08:54)
• Growing Internal Chaos:
  Infighting between militia groups, criminal gangs, and Hamas’s attempts to reassert authority fuel fears of potential civil war.
  • “We’ve heard about, you know, gun battles between these militia groups and Hamas... This power struggle could frankly lead to a civil war... when there is no law and order, when there is a vacuum of that, then what happens is it creates anarchy.” – Yalda (13:17)

3. Exclusive Interview: Dr. Bassem Naim on Hamas’ Future

• Readiness to Step Down from Governing (but Not Disarm):

  • Hamas Will Leave Government, Not the Scene:
    Dr. Bassem Naim, senior Hamas official, claims readiness to cede administrative control of Gaza to a Palestinian entity, but insists Hamas must remain an active political and resistance movement.
    • “Yes, we are ready to hand over the government. ...But when it comes to Hamas as an entity, as a Palestinian liberation movement, I think no one can overcome or exclude Hamas. ...Therefore, yes, we are ready to leave the government for a Palestinian body, but we are still there on the ground.” — Dr. Bassem Naim (15:31)
  • Refusal to Disarm Until a Palestinian State Exists:
    Weapons will not be surrendered to any international or temporary authority, only to a “Palestinian state.”
    • “Weapons are going to be handed over only to the hands of a Palestinian state, and our fighters can be integrated into the Palestinian national army. Before that, no one has the right to deny us the right to resist the occupation by all means.” — Dr. Bassem Naim (16:25)

• Implications for Demilitarization and Peace:
  Richard and Yalda emphasize this hard line on arms as an obstacle to stable peace. The planned handover is strictly conditional and future-oriented—there is no real demilitarization in sight.

4. The Trump Factor and International Mediation

• Trump’s Unexpected Transformation:
  Previously hawkish, Trump now calls for stability, Palestinian self-determination within Gaza and the West Bank, and peace with Iran.
  • “Suddenly he’s become almost as conventional as any other US President... talking about the need for stability, for peace, and for a place for the Palestinian people that is their own.” – Yalda (10:11)
• Trump’s Unorthodox Brokerage:
  Even critics admit his style forced both sides to the table. According to Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin, U.S. pressure was critical.
  • “He told me... without [Trump], it wouldn’t have gotten over the line... if you’re negotiating with Prime Minister Netanyahu, you’re never gonna get there. Imagine you’re talking to the Americans now, because that’s the only side that matters, and that’s how we got here.” – Richard relating Gershon Baskin’s comments (18:15)
• Skepticism and Remaining Challenges:
  Both hosts question how long this ceasefire will last, as key questions about governance, disarmament, and Palestinian statehood remain unsettled.
  • “I don’t at this stage see this ending well, this holding with this current government. ...Israelis don’t want [a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital]. Prime Minister Netanyahu has said it, it’s clear as day—it’ll never happen.” – Richard (19:45)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Human Connection Amid Negotiation:
  “An image that I think I will never forget: as the hostages were being brought out... Hamas put them on the phone... with their own families. ...So you saw a hostage that were still being held by Hamas talking to his mother or his father, and there were 20 men who got out. And behind them... were the masked Hamas gunmen. So an incredible scene.” – Richard (03:44)

• A Stark Warning About Gaza’s Future:
  “We could see is a situation... this power struggle, which could frankly lead to a civil war.” – Yalda (13:54)

• Dr. Bassem Naim’s Position:
  “We are ready to be totally away from any government or governing body. ...But when it comes to Hamas as an entity, as a Palestinian liberation movement, ...no one can overcome or exclude Hamas.” – Dr. Bassem Naim (15:31)

• On Whether the Deal Will Hold:
  “There will be challenges along the way and there will be challenges soon. ...As long as you have these two vastly competing visions of the future... I worry about what the end result is because they’re both painting different pictures.” – Richard (19:45)

Important Timestamps

• [02:56] – Hostages Square, public atmosphere, and the release sequence
• [05:02] – Hamas’s visible presence and effective control in Gaza
• [08:54] – Analysis of humanitarian crisis facing Gazans
• [10:11] – Trump’s evolving policy position
• [13:54] – Risks of civil war in Gaza following ceasefire
• [15:17] – Exclusive interview with Dr. Bassem Naim
• [16:25] – Hamas’s stance on weapons and integration
• [18:15] – U.S. pressure in negotiations; Trump's unorthodox role
• [19:45] – Discussion of prospects for implementation and peace

Conclusion

The episode offers a revealing, multilayered analysis of a historical moment: the end of a brutal two-year conflict, a tenuous new beginning, and a rare inside perspective on Hamas’s intentions. The mood swings between celebration in Israel and foreboding in Gaza, while the fate of the region hangs on whether negotiated intentions can overcome entrenched mistrust and decades of trauma. The hosts’ field reporting combined with frank interviews and pointed skepticism make for essential listening for anyone seeking to understand the stakes of Middle Eastern peace efforts today.