Two Middle East Negotiators Assess Trump's Israel-Hamas Deal | The Ezra Klein Show

Every Israeli-Palestinian peace deal has failed. Could Trump’s be any different? On Oct. 10, the Israeli cabinet approved a cease-fire deal brokered by the Trump administration, Turkey and Qatar. Since then, the living Israeli hostages have come home. Nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel have been freed. Israeli forces have partially withdrawn from the Gaza Strip, and they’re allowing in more desperately needed aid. This is finally, hopefully, the end of this war. But that was just the first part of the deal. The next phase is a lot more ambitious — and ambiguous. And while President Trump said the region would now “live, God willing, in peace for all eternity,” history would suggest otherwise. Robert Malley has worked on Middle East policy under President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden and President Bill Clinton. Hussein Agha negotiated on the Palestinian side, working under both Yasir Arafat, the first president of the Palestinian Authority, and the P.A.’s current president, Mahmoud Abbas. Together they wrote a sweeping new history of attempts at peace, “Tomorrow Is Yesterday: Life, Death, and the Pursuit of Peace in Israel/Palestine.” They join me to examine what could go right — or wrong — as the rest of the deal takes shape. 0:00 Intro 02:16 Understanding the ceasefire deal 05:48 Palestinian leadership today 16:57 The next phase 23:39 What do the other Middle East stakeholders want? 28:51 Iran’s changing role in the region 32:28 Israel’s understanding of itself 42:01 The future of US/Israel relations 49:35 The future of Palestinian leadership 54:47 Their advice for future negotiations 1:00:25 Book recommendations Read the full transcript here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-robert-malley-hussein-agha.html Watch more on @EzraKleinShow Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.html.