The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Day 502 - Hamas fights for survival with 'grand gestures'

Feb 19, 2025

Jacob Magid, US bureau chief for The Times of Israel, shares insights on recent hostage releases by Hamas, discussing the surprising shift from three to six hostages and what it signals for peace negotiations. He explores Hamas's survival tactics and the political pressures they face. Magid also examines U.S. foreign policy's role in the conflict, the dynamics of hostage negotiations, and the criticisms of Egypt's President el-Sissi in exploiting the Palestinian crisis. The conversation dives deep into the emotional impact on families affected by these negotiations.

28:39

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Episode guests

Jacob Magid

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The imminent release of six hostages by Hamas, despite initial agreements for three, signifies a tactical shift in negotiations reflecting their survival strategy.

Diverging approaches between the Biden and Trump administrations reveal how historical negotiating styles impact the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amidst rising tensions and accusations against regional players.

Deep dives

Release of Hostages Linked to Ceasefire Negotiations

A significant development in the ongoing conflict involves the imminent release of six hostages, which reflects a change in the original ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Initially, three hostages were set to be freed, but both parties expressed concerns that the negotiations could collapse, prompting Hamas to propose releasing all six at once. This decision highlights Hamas’s determination to recover 47 prisoners from a previous exchange, underscoring the symbolic importance these individuals hold for the group. The release strategy appears to be a move by Hamas to maintain leverage in negotiations while ensuring its continued survival amid ongoing political pressures.

Intro

5min

Hamas's Political Survival and Hostage Dynamics

8min

Analyzing the Dynamics of Hostage Negotiations and Political Responsibility

6min

U.S. Foreign Policy and the Israel-Hamas Conflict

7min

The Complex Ties Between Qatar, the U.S., and Israel

5min

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

In a surprise move, six living hostages will be released on Saturday, including Israelis Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who have been held by Hamas since entering the Strip on their own in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The other four — Tal Shoham, Omer Shem-Tov, Omer Wenkert, and Eliya Cohen — were kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel. Why are six being released versus the agreed-upon three, and why is Hamas offering a much more generous phase 2 deal?

Former White House Mideast czar Brett McGurk last week penned his first op-ed since leaving government, taking the opportunity to defend the Biden administration’s handling of the hostage negotiations and insisting that Hamas was consistently the obstacle to an agreement. We hear Magid's thoughts on McGurk's statements, as well as the timing of them.

Israel’s envoy to the United States has accused Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of violating the US-brokered peace deal between Jerusalem and Cairo, profiting from the desperation of Palestinians seeking to flee the Gaza Strip and duplicitously operating to benefit Hamas. This comes as Egypt is working with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to formulate a day-after plan for Gaza. Magid weighs in.

Please see today's ongoing live blog for more updates.

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

For further reading:

These are the six living hostages set to be released Saturday

6 hostages to be freed Sat.; Hamas says bodies of Bibas mom, kids set for Thurs. return

News of Bibas family’s tragic fate met with confusion, mourning and rage

Biden’s Mideast czar says Trump ‘right to stand firmly by Israel’ on hostage deal

Arab plan for Gaza could involve up to $20 billion regional contribution

Israel’s US envoy: Egypt’s Sissi is breaking peace deal, ‘playing both sides’ with Hamas

IMAGE: Palestinian Hamas terrorist fighters in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on February 15, 2025. (Eyad BABA / AFP)

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