Economist Podcasts One peace at a time: hopeful Gaza talks
38 snips
Oct 6, 2025 
Anshul Pfeffer, The Economist's Israel correspondent, dives into the delicate Gaza ceasefire negotiations. He highlights the international pressure motivating talks and traces the crisis back to a significant airstrike misstep. Pfeffer elaborates on a proposed plan featuring hostage exchanges and aid access. He also contemplates the complexities of post-ceasefire governance and questions surrounding Hamas disarmament. Plus, there’s intriguing discussion on Donald Trump's unexpected influence in this diplomatic landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Window For A Short-Term Ceasefire
- A short-term ceasefire deal is plausible because Israel, Hamas and external mediators now share exhaustion and incentives to pause fighting.
- Trump is actively reshaping the narrative by pushing a plan and 'babysitting' negotiations to force progress.
Doha Strike Accelerated Diplomacy
- Israel's strike on Doha changed regional calculations by risking escalation with US allies and spurred faster diplomacy.
- That strike convinced Donald Trump to push a grand plan to prevent wider regional fallout.
Practical First-Stage Tradeoffs
- First-stage negotiations focus on a ceasefire, partial Israeli withdrawal, hostage releases and mass aid entry.
- These concrete swaps form the bargaining core and are the most likely elements to be agreed quickly.