The Middle East Director of the International Communities Organization, who is also the negotiator who secured the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011, believes “the Donald Trump factor” brought about the Israel-Hamas deal adding that a significant role was played by the man Trump has appointed as his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Whilst Gershon Baskin believes that, despite opposition from cabinet ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, the deal will be cleared by the Israeli cabinet, where Netanyahu has a majority on his side, Netanyahu will pay for his incompetence and negligence and his government will eventually fall.
In a 25-minute interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Dr. Baskin explains in detail the terms of the 3 Phase deal, the manner and number of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners who will be released, the arrangements for Gazans to return to their homes and for humanitarian aid to be stepped up and the buffer zones around Gaza. He also talks about how Israeli troops will behave during Phase 1 and about restrictions on military and reconnaissance operations in Gaza during Phase 1.
Dr. Baskin talks about the prospects in Phase 2 of the deal of a permanent ceasefire leading to Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza and then, in Phase 3, the cost of reconstruction and who will foot the bill.
Finally, Dr. Baskin explains that there was a better deal which Prime Minister Netanyahu was unwilling to accept. He shares details of this better deal, which he personally helped to arrange.
There are few people who understand hostage-for-prisoner exchanges better than Dr. Baskin. He was the person who negotiated the release of Gilad Shalit in 2011. His account and explanation of this deal is, therefore, particularly enlightening and will help you understand what has been achieved as well as what remains uncertain and undecided.
