The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim:

Episode: “Not a Palestinian in Sight: Inside Gaza After the Ceasefire”

Release Date: February 25, 2026
Hosts: Yalda Hakim (London), Richard Engel (Jerusalem)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Yalda Hakim and Richard Engel discuss Richard’s recent visit to Gaza as an embedded journalist with the Israeli military, exploring the stark realities on the ground after the ceasefire. They also examine wider regional issues, including the looming threat of a US-Iran conflict and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now entering its fifth year. The discussion is rooted in their frontline reporting and interviews, offering candid, firsthand insights into the complexities of conflict, power, and the inertia of peace efforts.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Richard Engel’s Embed in Gaza

• Restricted Access and Conditions
  • Journalists are not allowed independent access to Gaza; Richard’s entry was only possible embedded with the Israeli military.
  • "Even if you go in with the Israeli military, which is limiting, it's not independent access, it's not ideal, it's not how journalists want to cover the story." (Richard, 00:56)
• Physical and Political Division
  • Gaza is now effectively split in half by a “yellow line.”
  • Roughly 2 million Palestinians are crammed into a devastated portion, while Israeli military controls the other side.
  • "We didn't see any Palestinians, not one… the entire time I was in Gaza, I didn't see one building intact or standing."
    (Richard Engel, 04:43-06:23)

2. Atmosphere and Devastation Inside Gaza

• Visual and Sensory Juxtaposition
  • Entering Gaza from Israel feels like moving between different worlds: “a wormhole from one dimension to another.”
  • "You leave a lush area with beautiful roads… enter into Gaza and immediately, dirt roads, destroyed roads, rubble everywhere. Military vehicles. No Palestinians. Rubble as far as the eye can see.” (Richard Engel, 06:48)
• Lack of Reconstruction
  • Only activity observed: Israeli bulldozers fortifying military positions. No visible clearing of debris or efforts at reconstruction.
  • "Not even clearing debris. Nothing. …There's no progress to make [Jared Kushner’s vision] happening. There wasn't any kind of construction at all." (Richard Engel, 08:53)

3. Tour of a Newly Discovered Hamas Tunnel

• Israeli Military’s Rationale
  • Israelis argue they can't leave Gaza because of the continued discovery of tunnels—potential shelters, arms caches, and staging grounds for Hamas.
  • "This tunnel…hasn't been fully explored yet, went from Gaza City almost all the way to the Israeli border...very well built and deep." (Field Reporter, 10:47-12:02)
• Human Elements
  • Evidence found of Hamas fighters’ families taking refuge inside — “women’s underwear hanging up to dry on an electric line because there's electricity down in this tunnel.” (Richard Engel, 12:02)

4. Stalemate: Ceasefire Unrealized

• Failure to Meet Ceasefire Terms
  • According to the agreement, Hamas was to disarm, Israel to withdraw, and reconstruction to begin—none of which is occurring.
  • "So none of the objectives of the ceasefire at this stage are being met." (Richard Engel, 12:02)
• Entrenchment, Not Transition
  • The yellow line isn’t seen as temporary by soldiers or Richard; Israeli fortifications suggest a new, sustained border.
  • "I got the sense this yellow line is going to be a new border for Gaza… they're reinforcing their military positions, which suggests they're going to stay there for a while." (Richard Engel, 15:06)

5. Public Mood and Regional Polarization

• Dissonance Within Israel
  • Small minority of activists in Israel protest the death toll in Gaza, facing indifference and backlash from the majority traumatized by 7 October.
  • "This is a nation deeply divided… the majority of people, even though they're a few kilometers away, frankly, don't want to know about what has happened there.” (Yalda Hakim, 16:25)
• Ongoing Violence
  • Bombardments and gunfire continue in parts of Gaza—ceasefire is partial and precarious.
  • "There are still military strikes. …there is still this ongoing fight." (Richard Engel, 18:14)

6. Iranian Tensions and US Foreign Policy

• Imminent Danger of Regional War
  • US’s “biggest military buildup in decades” in the region; speculation about an imminent strike on Iran.
  • Trump’s administration perplexed by Iran’s refusal to capitulate under pressure.
  • "When you threaten a country and you build up forces on their border, generally people fight. They don't just roll over." (Richard Engel, 23:51)
• No Clear Endgame
  • Fear expressed about escalation without a plan, referencing the disaster of Iraq.
  • "No one yet has given me a clear answer of what the end game is supposed to be. And that’s what frightens me." (Richard Engel, 35:56)

7. Ukraine — Four Years on

• Frontline Reporting Reflections
  • Richard recalls being in Mariupol as the war began and details the sense of foreboding and improvisation by civilians and soldiers alike.
  • “It was a very tense time. …People were just coming out of their houses with their hunting rifles and their shotguns and just setting up checkpoints…” (Richard Engel, 26:10)
• Zelenskyy’s Leadership Evolution
  • From an unpopular comedian-president to a wartime leader who now pledges to step aside if true peace and elections come.
  • "He'd been doing a couple of videos, but he gave his first press conference down in the bunker...he rose to the moment." (Richard Engel, 30:43)
• War of Attrition, No End in Sight
  • Both hosts agree the war will persist as long as Putin desires, regardless of Western efforts.
  • "Only if Vladimir Putin wants it. ...For the Ukrainians, they're going to have to continue to rely on this idea that they are resilient." (Yalda Hakim, 33:32)
  • "Vladimir Putin can stop the war. Today, he just has to stop fighting. The Ukrainians can't stop fighting. If they stop fighting, they lose.” (Richard Engel, 34:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gaza’s Condition:
  • “The entire time I was in Gaza, I didn’t see one building intact or standing. Everything was flattened. …If you took a tree and put it into a wood chipper, that’s like what happened to these buildings.” (Richard Engel, 04:43)
• On Perceptions of War Reporting:
  • "People see me, they're like, oh, Richard, you must love the war. I hate wars. I hate them." (Richard Engel, 36:56)
• On Trump’s Iran Strategy:
  • "President Trump just doesn't get it, why they just haven't rolled over. … The general concept [is] when threatened… countries fight back. I mean, that's as old as ancient history." (Richard Engel, 23:51)
• On Ukraine’s Situation:
  • "You have a war for survival. On the other side, you have a war of choice. Totally, totally different dynamic." (Richard Engel, 34:13)
• On the Future of the Iran Crisis:
  • Yalda’s field source prediction: “80% chance he bombs Iran, 70%, it goes longer than a week, and 20% he targets the Supreme Leader.” (Yalda Hakim, 35:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Embed in Gaza & Physical Devastation:
  • [04:12] – [08:53]
• Tour of the Hamas Tunnel:
  • [08:53] – [12:02]
• Ceasefire Unfulfilled & Israeli Entrenchment:
  • [12:02] – [15:06]
• Societal Divide over Gaza in Israel:
  • [16:25] – [18:14]
• US-Iran Tensions & Analysis:
  • [18:59] – [23:51]
• Wider Strategic Fears (No Endgame):
  • [35:56] – [36:46]
• Personal Reflections on War Reporting:
  • [36:56] – [37:09]
• Ukraine War Reflections:
  • [25:12] – [34:13]

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• The episode starkly contrasts life and scenery inside Gaza and southern Israel, revealing the extent of devastation and absence of Palestinians in zones controlled by the Israeli military.
• Both Gaza and Ukraine are described as being in protracted states of violence and stagnation, where the parties most able to end suffering remain entrenched in their positions.
• The looming threat of a regional war involving Iran is characterized by ambiguity, maximalist stances, and little sense of what success or resolution might look like.
• Personal moments from Richard and Yalda ground the analysis with human perspective—from Richard’s dislike of being equated with “loving war” to the palpable fatigue noted in both conflict regions.

Host request:
Please send us more insightful questions! “Don’t just tell us you love us, you hate us. Send us some questions and we’ll get to them.” (Richard Engel, 37:43)