DAY 521 IN CAPTIVITY: Hostage Talks Continue in Doha, New IDF Spokesman, 20 Day Remain to Pass the Budget

Tel Aviv Diary, March 10, 2025

WHERE DO HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS CURRENTLY STAND?

There has been considerable discussion regarding ongoing negotiations at various levels. U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler, recently made headlines when he spoke about his negotiations with Hamas. During his remarks, Boehler characterized the Hamas representatives he encountered, saying: “Look, they don’t have horns growing out of their head. They’re actually guys like us. They’re pretty nice guys.”

Boehler, who is tasked with negotiating the release of U.S. prisoners, is legally permitted to engage in discussions with terrorist organizations. However, his recent statement describing Hamas as “pretty nice guys” met with strong pushback, prompting him to clarify today that Hamas is indeed a terrorist organization. This incident represents the first confirmed instance of an official U.S. representative meeting with Hamas.

This afternoon, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the meeting with Hamas was a one-time occurrence and yielded no progress.

Earlier this morning, (U.S. time), Steve Witkoff stated on Fox News that for the second phase of negotiations to commence, it is essential for Hamas to recognize their need to disarm and for its leadership to vacate Gaza. Witkoff also emphasized the importance of setting a definite deadline for the next phase of the ceasefire.

The official position of the U.S. remains unclear; however, it is apparent that the U.S., and not the Israeli government, is spearheading the negotiations. The Israeli delegation has traveled to Doha to engage in negotiations, although the specific authority of the negotiators remains undefined. The circumstances remain unchanged— Hamas will not release all hostages without a formal cessation of the war, a condition the Israeli government cannot accept, as such an agreement would likely bring down the government. To be honest, the situation is very disheartening.

One of the most peculiar aspects of this war, particularly regarding the hostage crisis, has been the dynamic between the hostage families and the current Israeli government. For two consecutive U.S. administrations—those of both Biden and Trump—the families of the hostages feel that the American president and his administration have consistently demonstrated greater concern for their plight than the Israeli government.

Throughout this excruciatingly prolonged ordeal, Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli ministers have only met with a select few families of the hostages. President Trump has already met with 6 returning hostages, before Netanyahu even managed to call them.

It is incredibly strange—while no one would ever accuse Netanyahu of being a poor politician, most politicians possess the ability to demonstrate empathy. Yet, somehow, throughout this period of profound crisis, this essential quality has been noticeably absent—and sorely lacking.

Today’s Radio Show

NEW IDF SPOKESMAN

Brigadier General Effie Defrin has been appointed as the new Army Spokesman. Previously, Defrin oversaw the army unit that collaborated with foreign militaries and organizations, including the United Nations, and he served as the military attaché in India. During the Second Lebanon War, Defrin commanded a tank battalion and was severely wounded when his tank was struck by a series of Coronet missiles. Despite the odds, he was immediately airlifted by medevac directly from the battlefield to the hospital. With this appointment, Defrin brings both extensive combat and diplomatic experience to the role.

GAZA

Yesterday, I shared that Israel had cut off electricity to Gaza. However, the shutdown is more targeted and limited. Israel severed the electricity supply to one desalination plant in Gaza. This line had only recently been reestablished a few months prior.

NEW IDF CHIEF OF STAFF CONTINUES FIELD VISITS

The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, met yesterday with Lieutenant Colonel S., commander of the 77th Battalion, during a field tour in Syria.

Since the beginning of the war, the battalion commander and his soldiers have been actively engaged on all combat fronts, exhibiting professionalism, determination, and courage. Their involvement began with the conflicts in the Gaza border communities on October 7, continued with operations in Gaza, and for the past three months, extended into the Syrian sector.

Chief of Staff Zamir stated that the exceptional contributions of these fighting battalions in this war will be recorded in the history books of the IDF

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BUDGET

With only 20 days remaining in the month, the government is at a critical juncture as it faces the imminent need to pass a budget. Failure to approve the budget will result in the government's collapse. Notably, several ultra-Orthodox parties have publicly expressed their opposition to the budget, specifically objecting to the lack of a law that would fully and formally exempt their students from military service.

Despite Gideon Sa’ar’s recent decision to join the government, Netanyahu’s majority remains fragile, and the passage of his budget remains uncertain. There appears to be no viable path for Netanyahu to secure a deal on the hostages while simultaneously ensuring the budget’s passage.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TAKES ACTION AT COLUMBIA

In a decisive effort to address antisemitic and anti-Israeli activities on campus, the United States government has declared its intention to use Columbia University as a test case. This measure involves withholding $400 million in grants from Columbia. Although the legality of this action is unclear, it is broadly seen as a positive development.

Additionally, government immigration agents arrested Mahmoud Khalil, who played an instrumental role in organizing numerous anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents on campus. As a former Columbia student, I wholeheartedly support the government’s efforts to address these troubling events. Nevertheless, I hope that the Trump administration’s actions are conducted within legal bounds.