Two years after Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks and Israel's devastating war in Gaza, the two sides have agreed to a new cease-fire. But can it last, and what kind of Middle East has emerged from the turmoil in the interim? In this episode of Middle East Focus, hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Paul Salem about how the conflict has reshaped the region's geopolitical landscape, from Iran's weakened deterrence and shifting attitudes toward Israel as a prospecitve security partner to the renewed centrality of American power and influence for regional countries. The conversation also explores President Trump's Gaza peace plan and the uncertain path toward reconstruction, regional integration, and enduring stability in the aftermath of the war. Recorded on October 14, 2025. Read Paul Salem's recent article in Al Majalla: Two years after October 7: a region between disorder and transition