DAY 495 IN CAPTIVITY • DAY 25 OF THE CEASEFIRE: Uncertainty Looms Over Saturday’s Hostage Release, Antisemitism in Australia

Tel Aviv Diary, Febrary 12, 2025

More details have surfaced from last night's security cabinet meeting, following four different announcements made regarding its conclusions. A considerable amount of time during the meeting was reportedly dedicated to interpreting President Trump's remarks on releasing all hostages by Saturday at noon. It remains uncertain whether the President meant the return of all remaining hostages in Gaza, or only those identified for release in this current phase. Trump’s remarks were ambiguous, and a significant effort was expended on attempting to understand his intentions.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly emphasized that “leadership sometimes requires placing national interests above personal pain.” A peculiar dynamic has suddenly developed in which the Israeli government cannot appear less demanding or assertive than President Trump. Consequently, the government has officially endorsed Trump's warning to Hamas, though it remains unclear what the outcome will be if Hamas chooses to release just three hostages on Saturday.

Another key outcome of the meeting was the cabinet’s formal approval of Trump’s proposal for the “day after” regarding Gaza. Netanyahu gleefully told the Knesset, “You wanted a day after plan and claimed we didn’t have one?” Well, now we do. The problem—aside from the fact that it’s more of an idea than a concrete, detailed plan— is its lack of endorsement from anyone in the Arab world. King Hussein of Jordan, who has been friendly with President Trump, initially hinted that he might consider the President’s Gaza plan. However, it soon became evident that Jordan would accept only a small number of children from Gaza, if any. Meanwhile, the President of Egypt, who was scheduled to meet with Trump, canceled his trip. Egyptian authorities stated that he would not visit the White House until Trump discards the proposal to relocate Gaza’s population to Egypt and Jordan.

One argument supporting Trump's plan is that it might compel Arab nations to offer their own solutions. Indeed, today Egypt recently introduced a plan, but it focuses exclusively on reconstructing Gaza without incorporating any political elements. Surprisingly, the leader of the Arab League declared today that Hamas cannot remain in control of Gaza. Moreover, Steve Witkoff reaffirmed President Trump’s position that Hamas must be removed. While there is a broad consensus on this point, it remains unclear how that can be achieved while ensuring the safe return of the remaining hostages.

There is widespread fear among the hostage families and the Israeli public who share their pain and empathize with their plight. With only three days until Saturday and two days until Friday afternoon—when Hamas is expected to release a list of hostages scheduled for release—the tension is palpable. In the Middle East, 2-3 days can feel like an eternity. If there is a determination to resolve the situation swiftly, a solution may be found. However, that resolution might not become clear until the very last moment.

Meanwhile, the IDF has remobilized some reserve forces and canceled leave for all soldiers serving in the Gaza area. Echoing President Trump's sentiments, Defense Minister Katz forcefully stated in Hebrew that “hell will descend on Hamas” if all hostages are not released by Saturday.

Currently, the prevailing view is that Hamas wants to extend the current ceasefire at least through the week, in hopes that Israel will engage in negotiations for the next phase. However, this prospect remains uncertain.

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE —ANNUAL ANTISEMITISM SURVEY

Here are the findings from the American Jewish Committee's annual survey on antisemitism and relations with Israel: