As Israel mourns the return of four hostage bodies, pressure mounts ahead of negotiations for the next stage of the deal. Meanwhile, Donald Trump lays out his vision for Gaza in a bizarre, AI-generated video. At the same time, new IDF investigations into October 7th reveal years of misreading Hamas, leaving southern Israel dangerously exposed.

Yonit and Jonathan speak with Ahmed Fouad Al-Khatib, an expert on Hamas, to understand what Gazans really want—and how perceptions on the ground differ vastly from those imagined in Tel Aviv or New York.

Plus: a literary Chutzpah and a stardust Mensch.

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Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib is a Palestinian American humanitarian activist, writer, and policy analyst specializing in Gaza’s political and humanitarian affairs. Born in Saudi Arabia to Palestinian parents from Rafah’s Al-Shaboura refugee camp, his family later returned to Gaza, where he survived an Israeli airstrike at age 11, causing permanent hearing loss. After participating in a U.S. State Department exchange program, he sought asylum in the U.S., earning degrees in business administration and intelligence studies. He is the founder of Project Unified Assistance, advocating for a UN-operated humanitarian airport in Gaza, and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Forward, Haaretz, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Despite losing 31 family members in Gaza since October 7, 2024, Alkhatib remains committed to advocating for peace and coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis.

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