For the first time in over a year, a deal to free the Israeli hostages held in Gaza and end the devastating war there seems imminent. The first stage of the deal will reportedly see 33 people held captive by Hamas return to Israel and a temporary cease-fire.

But much of it is still up in the air – even after it becomes final. Many factors can sabotage the deal in its planning stages or during its implementation. Haaretz correspondent Linda Dayan spoke to Haaretz's senior security analyst Amos Harel about the hurdles that remain, the future of Gaza, the fate of the hostages and the dashed hopes of Israel's radical right wing.

 

For the first time in over a year, a deal to free the Israeli hostages held in Gaza and end the devastating war there seems imminent. The first stage of the deal will reportedly see 33 people held captive by Hamas return to Israel and a temporary cease-fire.
But much of it is still up in the air &ndash; even after it becomes final. Many factors can sabotage the deal in its planning stages or during <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-15/ty-article/.premium/israeli-official-hamas-introduced-last-minute-demands-on-gazas-philadelphi-corridor/00000194-6a75-d876-affe-7e7f3eda0000">its implementation</a>. Haaretz correspondent Linda Dayan spoke to Haaretz's senior security analyst Amos Harel about the hurdles that remain, the future of Gaza, the <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-15/ty-article-live/six-palestinians-killed-in-idf-airstrike-in-west-bank/00000194-67fb-dabc-afff-6fffafaf0000?liveBlogItemId=2077632166&amp;utm_source=site&amp;utm_medium=button&amp;utm_campaign=live_blog_item#2077632166">fate of the hostages</a> and the dashed hopes of <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-01-15/ty-article/.premium/israels-far-right-now-realizes-trump-isnt-the-savior-they-imagined/00000194-69d9-d545-a39e-edd95ddb0000">Israel's radical right wing</a>.
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From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – a weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

Your audio guide to Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.

Haaretz Podcast

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer. 

From Haaretz – Israel's oldest daily newspaper – the Haaretz weekly podcast in English on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World, hosted by Allison Kaplan Sommer.

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