The lesson of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest diplomatic gambit is that in Middle East deal-making, “the devil is in the details, but the most important thing is political willpower,” said Anshel Pfeffer, The Economist’s Israel correspondent and former Haaretz columnist, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast. 

Trump, he noted, “has supplied that political willpower in bucket loads.” 

Hours after Israel and Hamas agreed on a deal to end the war in Gaza and release the hostages, Pfeffer spoke with host Allison Kaplan Sommer about the long road to the deal, the obstacles that lie ahead and the joyful yet nervous mood among Israelis as they anticipate the long-awaited return of all the hostages. 

Pfeffer, a biographer of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also discussed how he expects Israel’s leader to shape the narrative of the cease-fire to serve his political goals ahead of next year’s general election.

“We know how hard Donald Trump had to press him to accept this plan, but he is a very pragmatic person," Pfeffer said. "The moment something is forced upon him, he immediately makes it look as if it was his idea all along.”

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Israel, Hamas Reach Gaza Cease-fire Deal; Trump: Hostages Will Be Released Monday

'A Day of Joy': Hundreds of Israelis Stream to Hostage Square to Celebrate Israel-Hamas Deal With Families

'We'll Go Back Home, Rebuild Our Lives': Gaza's Palestinians Celebrate Deal to End Israel-Hamas War

Turkey, Egypt and Qatar Will Help Israel and U.S. Recover Bodies of Hostages From Gaza

The lesson of U.S. President Donald Trump&rsquo;s latest diplomatic gambit is that in Middle East deal-making, &ldquo;the devil is in the details, but the most important thing is political willpower,&rdquo; said Anshel Pfeffer, The Economist&rsquo;s Israel correspondent and former Haaretz columnist, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast.&nbsp;
Trump, he noted, &ldquo;has supplied that political willpower in bucket loads.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Hours after Israel and Hamas agreed on a deal to end the war in Gaza and release the hostages, <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/ty-WRITER/0000017f-da25-d249-ab7f-fbe5a2c40000">Pfeffer</a> spoke with host Allison Kaplan Sommer about the long road to the deal, the obstacles that lie ahead and the joyful yet nervous mood among Israelis as they anticipate the long-awaited return of all the hostages.&nbsp;
Pfeffer, a biographer of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also discussed how he expects Israel&rsquo;s leader to shape the narrative of the cease-fire to serve his political goals ahead of next year&rsquo;s general election.
&ldquo;We know how hard Donald Trump had to press him to accept this plan, but he is a very pragmatic person," Pfeffer said. "The moment something is forced upon him, he immediately makes it look as if it was his idea all along.&rdquo;
Read more:
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-10-05/ty-article/.premium/netanyahus-last-stand-how-rewriting-the-gaza-war-will-decide-his-political-destiny/00000199-b500-d5c1-ad9d-f54984a60000">Analysis by Anshel Pfeffer | Netanyahu's Last Stand: How Rewriting the Gaza War Will Decide the Israeli Leader's Political Destiny</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-10-09/ty-article/.premium/israel-hamas-reach-gaza-cease-fire-deal-trump-hostages-will-be-released-monday/00000199-c72e-d5c1-ad9d-d76fe6370000">Israel, Hamas Reach Gaza Cease-fire Deal; Trump: Hostages Will Be Released Monday</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-10-09/ty-article/.premium/a-day-of-joy-hundreds-of-israelis-stream-to-hostage-square-to-celebrate-with-families/00000199-c872-d198-abdb-dcf762560000">'A Day of Joy': Hundreds of Israelis Stream to Hostage Square to Celebrate Israel-Hamas Deal With Families</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-10-09/ty-article/well-go-back-home-rebuild-our-lives-gazas-palestinians-celebrate-israel-hamas-deal/00000199-c73b-db56-a5db-cf3b83830000">'We'll Go Back Home, Rebuild Our Lives': Gaza's Palestinians Celebrate Deal to End Israel-Hamas War</a>
<a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-10-09/ty-article/.premium/turkey-egypt-and-qatar-will-help-israel-and-u-s-recover-bodies-of-hostages-from-gaza/00000199-c8c0-dd44-ab99-ebd770980000">Turkey, Egypt and Qatar Will Help Israel and U.S. Recover Bodies of Hostages From Gaza</a>

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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