Paul Moss

In the Gaza Strip this morning, three more hostages were driven to freedom. There was no chaos this time, and the hostages, Sagi Dekelchen, Yair Horn and Sasha Trufanov, seemed in better shape. But once again, Hamas put on a display of military strength, designed to show to Israelis and Palestinians alike that they are still a force to be reckoned with.

In the Gaza Strip this morning, three more hostages were driven to freedom. There was no chaos this time, and the hostages, Sagi Dekelchen, Yair Horn and Sasha Trufanov, seemed in better shape. But once again, Hamas put on a display of military strength, designed to show to Israelis and Palestinians alike that they are still a force to be reckoned with.

In Tel Aviv, where friends and supporters gather each week, a wave of relief. Until yesterday, this whole complex deal seemed in jeopardy. There were tears of joy in Yair Horn's hometown, Kfar Saba, but apprehension too. His younger brother, Eitan, is still a hostage. No one knows when or even if he'll be released. Ronli Nisan is a friend of the family.

In Tel Aviv, where friends and supporters gather each week, a wave of relief. Until yesterday, this whole complex deal seemed in jeopardy. There were tears of joy in Yair Horn's hometown, Kfar Saba, but apprehension too. His younger brother, Eitan, is still a hostage. No one knows when or even if he'll be released. Ronli Nisan is a friend of the family.

There were plenty of mixed emotions in Gaza too, as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails returned home. Some, like Abdul Majid Rajab, telling tales of humiliation and violence in captivity.

There were plenty of mixed emotions in Gaza too, as hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released from Israeli jails returned home. Some, like Abdul Majid Rajab, telling tales of humiliation and violence in captivity.

So the ceasefire deal is still on, a source of relief for Israelis and Palestinians alike. But we're still in the first of three phases. The really difficult issues, Israel's military withdrawal and the future of the devastated Gaza Strip, have yet to be decided, even negotiated.

So the ceasefire deal is still on, a source of relief for Israelis and Palestinians alike. But we're still in the first of three phases. The really difficult issues, Israel's military withdrawal and the future of the devastated Gaza Strip, have yet to be decided, even negotiated.

Well, it doesn't appear to be, no. Gaza is regarded as occupied territory under international law. Now, that is something that Israelis dispute. They say their occupation ended in 2005. But for various reasons, the broad sweep of opinion today is that it is still occupied. And as such, Israel does not have the right to remove or transfer civilians from areas under its control.

Well, it doesn't appear to be, no. Gaza is regarded as occupied territory under international law. Now, that is something that Israelis dispute. They say their occupation ended in 2005. But for various reasons, the broad sweep of opinion today is that it is still occupied. And as such, Israel does not have the right to remove or transfer civilians from areas under its control.

And frankly, no one has that right. It is simply a violation of international law to deport civilians against their will. The Palestinians also regard Gaza as sovereign territory. So any changes to the status of that territory would obviously be the subject of Palestinian rejection. For a number of reasons, this does not seem to be a feasible proposal.

And frankly, no one has that right. It is simply a violation of international law to deport civilians against their will. The Palestinians also regard Gaza as sovereign territory. So any changes to the status of that territory would obviously be the subject of Palestinian rejection. For a number of reasons, this does not seem to be a feasible proposal.

And I don't frankly think that it is what Donald Trump is suggesting. I think what he wants is to create a set of circumstances in which Palestinian civilians decide to leave of their own accord, as probably upwards of 150,000 people already have.

And I don't frankly think that it is what Donald Trump is suggesting. I think what he wants is to create a set of circumstances in which Palestinian civilians decide to leave of their own accord, as probably upwards of 150,000 people already have.

It is. I mean, the negotiations on phase two of this protracted ceasefire have yet to really begin. And it is hard to see how Mr. Trump's intervention is likely to increase the chances of success. If you are in Hamas's shoes right now, you're thinking, what exactly are we negotiating about? If the end result of all of this is that Gaza is to be simply destroyed,

It is. I mean, the negotiations on phase two of this protracted ceasefire have yet to really begin. And it is hard to see how Mr. Trump's intervention is likely to increase the chances of success. If you are in Hamas's shoes right now, you're thinking, what exactly are we negotiating about? If the end result of all of this is that Gaza is to be simply destroyed,

depopulated, not just Hamas losing its political and military control, but the entire population removed, then what incentive is there for Hamas to release the remaining hostages, dead or alive, that it still has? And so that is going to be a I think, on the other hand, Donald Trump has made it easier for Benjamin Netanyahu to proceed because he's given Israel a bit of a gift here.

depopulated, not just Hamas losing its political and military control, but the entire population removed, then what incentive is there for Hamas to release the remaining hostages, dead or alive, that it still has? And so that is going to be a I think, on the other hand, Donald Trump has made it easier for Benjamin Netanyahu to proceed because he's given Israel a bit of a gift here.

It's something that has caused Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline right-wing colleagues to say that they're not planning on leaving the government just yet. So it's given him a bit of political breathing room on his own side. But it's hard to see the negotiations working with this prospect looming in the distance.

It's something that has caused Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline right-wing colleagues to say that they're not planning on leaving the government just yet. So it's given him a bit of political breathing room on his own side. But it's hard to see the negotiations working with this prospect looming in the distance.