President Trump totally broke open the war in Gaza and perhaps put together a workable peace plan.
President Trump has received an inordinate amount of hatred for actually being good at foreign policy. Perhaps the best thing about President Trump&#8217;s first term was his foreign policy. He has always been heterodox in his foreign policy views, and that heterodoxy has actually served him quite well, particularly in the Middle East.
He didn&#8217;t get the credit he deserved over the Abraham Accords. He has not received the credit that he deserves for his continuing support of Israel in the face of genocidal hatred and terrorism from Hamas.
And now he has somehow drawn a fascinating path to peace in the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for a long time before actually going out and doing a full press conference where they unveiled President Trump&#8217;s peace plan, which has been signed on to by Israel, the United States, Qatar, all of the regional players, and by the Europeans, which is an amazing achievement for the president.
Let’s be clear: Hamas has not accepted this deal yet, but the deal totally changes the game.
Why?
Because if everybody is on the same page but Hamas, that means that Hamas is totally isolated. And Hamas has relied on the kindness of strangers. Hamas has relied for this entire war on having the public relations of Qatar on its side, of having other countries in the Middle East on its side, and of having the Europeans on its side.
Just a week ago, we were talking about how the Europeans were moving steadily and not so gradually toward declaring a Palestinian state in the aftermath of the worst terror attack on Israel in its history and the worst attack on Jews since World War II. That is how badly things were going for Israel in the PR war.
That was because there is a strong drive among the “suicidally empathetic” — as the philosopher Gad Saad has said — in Europe to side with the people who wish to destroy Western civilization.
But now President Trump has now done something incredible. He has put together a deal that is workable, a deal that has now been signed off by the Israelis and from everybody else in the region. Even the Europeans have signed off on it.
Whenever you hear that a deal has been signed off on by everyone, the inclination is to say that it is a weak deal. That&#8217;s just the reality. And indeed, when you read the deal, you could find points where certainly quibbles would be necessary.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2289-breaking-trump-unleashes-groundbreaking-gaza-plan"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
But overall, what President Trump has done here is to achieve the strategic goals of the West. He has allowed Israel to achieve its strategic goals in Gaza if Hamas were to accept this deal while allowing for a path forward.
Some points regarding the deal:
<blockquote>“Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.”</blockquote>
That’s more of a goal than it is an actual plan. Whether that goal is achieved depends on whether the rest of the plan is actually achieved.
<blockquote>“Within 72 hours of Israel publicly accepting this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.”</blockquote>
That is to prevent Hamas from basically dragging out this process. If we get to 73 hours and Hamas has not handed over hostages, Israel will have every right and capacity to go back in.
<blockquote>“Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained after 7 October 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.” </blockquote>
This sort of math makes me insane. It has always made me insane. It is ridiculous for any Western country to trade live terrorists for hostages.
<blockquote>“Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party. Opening the Rafah crossing in both directions will be subject to the same mechanism implemented under the 19 January 2025 agreement.”</blockquote>
This should be a sticking point. Israel is giving a lot on this. The United Nations has been and will continue to be a tool for terrorism. It always has been. It will continue to be.
<blockquote>“Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional governance of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services and municipalities for the people in Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts, with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the ‘Board of Peace,’ which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of state to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair.”</blockquote>
This is Israel&#8217;s guarantee against the possibility that Hamas immediately reconstitutes and that the aid that flows in is somehow handed over directly to a reconstituted Hamas by another name. In reality, it&#8217;ll have to be run by Tony Blair with input from the United States, because the reality is that there are not a whole hell of a lot of “Palestinian moderates.”
And this brings us to the question of the Palestinian Authority.
According to the Trump plan:
<blockquote>“This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform program, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump&#8217;s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment.”</blockquote>
Let&#8217;s be real about that. It&#8217;s never going to happen. The Palestinian Authority is corrupt top to bottom. Every Arab and Jew in the region knows this. This is not a secret. The reality is the Palestinian Authority is wildly unpopular in Judea and Samaria, thanks to its incredible levels of corruption, thanks to the fact its leadership bilks the population and aid agencies out of literally billions of dollars.
The PA is never going to end up governing Gaza. They can&#8217;t even govern cities in Judea and Samaria, in Nablus and Jenin. They&#8217;re not going to govern any of these areas. So this is a pipe dream. Presumably, that pipe dream is put out there for the pleasure of various Arab nations who are signing on to President Trump&#8217;s agreement here.
<div id="attachment_979193" style="width: 870px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-979193" class="size-large wp-image-979193" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238139190-860x576.jpg" alt="WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 29: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) looks on as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers remarks during a joint news conference in the State Dining Room at the White House on September 29, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump welcomed Netanyahu for his fourth visit to the White House, where the two leaders met to discuss the latest U.S. backed plans to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)" width="860" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238139190-860x576.jpg 860w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238139190-300x201.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238139190-768x515.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2238139190.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 860px) 100vw, 860px" />Win McNamee/Getty Images</div>
Trump’s plan is going to be dependent on decent governance. Unfortunately, it is just a fact that the vast majority of Palestinians support terrorism. There is zero, literally zero evidence that Palestinians overall do not support terrorism. Every single Palestinian poll statistic ever taken shows a vast bulk of Palestinian Arabs supporting terrorism against Jews and the destruction of the State of Israel.
<blockquote>“Hamas and other factions agree not to have any role in the governance of Gaza directly, indirectly or in any form. All military terror and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors.”</blockquote>
Why would Hamas accept the deal if they&#8217;re going to have no governance power in the Gaza Strip? Why would they give up the hostages?
Because if they have no hope, if it turns out that even their terror masters in Qatar aren’t behind them &#8230; But let&#8217;s be clear: Qatar plays both sides of the table. They always have. Qatar could have put pressure on Hamas to give up the hostages. On October 8, they could have.
Qatar did not do that. Instead, Qatar sponsored Hamas. Qatar apparently has joined in on the process of isolating Hamas. That is the only reason why this has happened and it is worthwhile noting the reason that Qatar did that, at least in part, is because they are quite concerned that if this war continues, Israel might say, you know what? It’s not worth it anymore. They go into Qatar and they kill Hamas members in Qatar.
And Qatar does not wish to be in the crossfire at this point. So that unsuccessful strike that Israel launched directly into Qatar to kill Hamas&#8217;s leadership may have been tactically unsuccessful, but it was strategically successful in putting pressure on Qatar to join the international consortium dedicated to ending Hamas rule over the Gaza Strip.
That would be the only reason why Hamas would give up the ghost here.
<blockquote>“The United States will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in Gaza.”</blockquote>
What&#8217;s important there is that this international stabilization force will not be a nontransparent force. It will have coordination, including Israel. Israel is simply not going to give up all eyes on the ground and trust the Egyptians and Jordanians, all of whom have been acting, by the way, in tacit consultation with Hamas throughout this conflict.
<blockquote>“While Gaza redeployment development advances, and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.”</blockquote>
Notice what that isn&#8217;t. That is not a recognition of a Palestinian state. That is not even a recognition of a real pathway toward a Palestinian state. It is a recognition that if gigantic changes happen on the ground and the Palestinian Authority somehow moderates and somehow does all of the reform, and that if all of these hurdles are jumped, then maybe at some point there&#8217;s a pathway to a Palestinian state.
What this doesn&#8217;t do is say there must be a Palestinian state in order for there to be a settlement in Gaza.
The Trump administration is making no bones about that. And now neither is the international community.
All in all, it’s a very good start.

Netanyahu To Meet Trump As US Intensifies Gaza Ceasefire Push

Trump Unleashes Groundbreaking Gaza Plan

Ben Shapiro

Benjamin Netanyahu

Donald Trump

Gaza

Hamas

Hostages

Israel

Jews

Middle East

Opinion

Qatar

Western Civilization

President Donald Trump meets with congressional leaders in hopes of avoiding a government shutdown, anti-ICE protests in Portland take a riotous turn, and an audit in Maryland turns up some disturbing findings.
It’s Tuesday, September 30, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump’s Duel Crises &amp; Maryland’s Foster Care Failures" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xPUNx341xBU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you would rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trumps-duel-crises-marylands-foster-care-failures-9-30-25/id1576594336?i=1000729248895" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Seeks Deals For Washington And Jerusalem</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-978543" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Shutdown-Looms-Large-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Shutdown-Looms-Large-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Shutdown-Looms-Large-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Shutdown-Looms-Large-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Shutdown-Looms-Large-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Shutdown-Looms-Large.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The White House buzzed Monday as President Trump sought deals at home and abroad. The president hosted Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and congressional leaders as he pushed to simultaneously end the war in Gaza and avert a government shutdown.
What Washington is watching: At midnight, fiscal year 2025 for the federal government will come to a close. As of now, the 2026 budget has not been passed by Congress. If leaders can’t reach an agreement in the next 24 hours, a shutdown will commence, with large swaths of the federal government closing their doors, and only essential services will remain open.
Republicans have proposed a continuing resolution, a temporary stopgap measure to keep the lights on while lawmakers finalize the budget. The House passed that measure 217-212 earlier this month, but it has stalled in the Senate. While Republicans have a slim majority there, the Senate filibuster requires them to win over at least seven Democrats, and Democrats are not budging.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a> 
What Republicans want: Republicans want to pass a clean resolution to keep funding levels the same across the board and worry about policy debates later. Their measure would maintain federal spending levels set under President Joe Biden, while offering some additional funding for personal security for lawmakers, judges, and other federal officials.
What Democrats want: Democrats say they will only pass the stopgap if it includes billions of dollars in new funding for Obamacare subsidies and Medicaid, some of which were cut under Trump’s &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill.&#8221; They also want the deal to include measures that would prevent the White House from blocking congressionally appropriated funds. Democrats know that Republicans are unlikely to give in to those demands and are daring them to allow a shutdown.
Step back: Government shutdowns can feel like a &#8216;boy who cried wolf&#8217; scenario, as the two sides often reach a last-minute deal. But there’s a real chance a shutdown happens this time. Remember, when Democrats ultimately failed to stop Trump’s &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill&#8221; during the summer, the party’s far-Left base was furious and hasn’t let them live it down. So they’re facing pressure to push back this time.
What Jerusalem is watching: Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday —  the two met privately before a joint press conference in which Trump formally released a 20-point ceasefire plan to end the war in Gaza.
That plan offered some concessions — for example, it offered Palestinians the right to remain in Gaza after the war, amnesty for Hamas members who turn in their weapons, and a vague acknowledgment of the potential for the creation of a Palestinian state in the future, assuming certain conditions. 
It includes many things that Israelis will also appreciate. For example, it requires Hamas to “not have any role in the governance of Gaza … in any form.” It calls for all military and terror infrastructure to be destroyed and never rebuilt, and it demands all remaining hostages be released within 72 hours.
Netanyahu offered support for the proposal, saying it “achieves our war aims.” He added that if Hamas accepted, Israel would withdraw its troops from Gaza and place them “in the security perimeter for the foreseeable future.” However, “if Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President,” Netanyahu said, “or if they supposedly accept it and then basically do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself.”
Worth consideration: Hamas has already rejected a number of the points included, but Trump said that because so many of the terror group&#8217;s leaders have been killed, they’re dealing with “new people.” He also said that if they rejected this final offer, the United States would support Israel in eliminating the group. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Portland Rioters Escalate</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-978541" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Portland-Rioters-Escalate.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The Trump administration has deployed troops to Portland as part of a nationwide crackdown on violent protests surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities.
In response to riots in Portland around an ICE facility, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requested that Trump deploy troops to the area to stop the clashes. Across the country, these protests have turned violent at ICE facilities.
Trump wants to stop these violent protests, and the president is doing this in Portland and in Broadview, Illinois. Though the situation is lesser known, in Broadview, ICE has made arrests, including of armed rioters. One reportedly carried what looked like an explosive device that law enforcement is still investigating.
The president said the effort is part of a nationwide effort to crack down on crime and &#8220;Antifa,&#8221; which the president described as a &#8220;domestic terrorist organization.&#8221;
Paging Des Moines: The superintendent of Des Moines public schools was arrested by ICE last week on multiple charges, including immigration infractions. Dr. Ian Roberts has a standing deportation order from an immigration judge from last year, in addition to a 2020 arrest on a firearms charge.
When ICE attempted to pull Roberts over, he drove away. ICE said he tried to escape; agents later found his car abandoned in nearby woods, and they found Roberts a distance away. Roberts had $3000 in cash on him at the time. He had a switchblade for hunting and a loaded firearm.
Illegal immigrants are barred from having firearms. The ATF has launched an investigation into how he was able to obtain firearms, given his legal status. That, in addition to the pressing questions as to how he became the superintendent in Des Moines, given his illegal status in the United States.
According to the school district, he underwent background checks conducted by a third party. A third party also recruited him for the position. 
According to his LinkedIn profile, Roberts previously held school leadership positions in several other municipalities, including D.C. and Maryland. He has had a track record in the United States since arriving in 1999 under a student visa, which he has long since overstayed.
<h2>Maryland Placed Foster Children With Sex Offenders And A Convicted Murderer</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-978539" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Maryland-Foster-Failure.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: Maryland auditors have excoriated the state’s Social Services Administration for placing foster children with known sex offenders and failing to act on reports of abuse. One state lawmaker is calling the findings “abhorrent” and demanding someone be fired immediately.
According to a government report, in as many as half of the cases, Maryland&#8217;s Social Services faked the verifications that background checks had been done on foster parents, either through incompetence or malfeasance. The shoddy work last year resulted in 10 children living with seven different registered sex offender adults in foster homes.
In 2023, a branch of Maryland’s Department of Human Services reviewed a group foster home but failed to note that it was employing a man convicted of sexually assaulting a minor. Three months later, the man transported three children in his care to abuse them, prosecutors said.
In another case, the government was paying a convicted murderer to offer “one-on-one care” to foster children in hotel rooms. At a rate of $1,300 per night per child, the department funded this placement instead of utilizing foster homes that offered safer and more cost-effective care.
Repeat offender: This wasn’t the first time that many of these issues had been raised, and still, the agency made almost no effort to change. After the registered sex offender allegedly abused kids in his care, the Social Services Administration “could not document any corrective action as a result of this incident to ensure the criminal background checks were in fact obtained,” the audit found.
What were they thinking? It seems that, basically, they didn’t want to do the work and just wanted the data to look good, even if the kids were suffering. One of the Social Services Administration’s responsibilities was to ensure that foster children attended school. It publicly claimed that virtually all of them were. However, when auditors examined their database, they found no evidence that 38% of them were. 
Auditors stated that the agency made numerous excuses that appeared to be false. There were 17,000 allegations of abuse or neglect of foster kids, and county agencies are required to investigate them immediately. If they don’t, the state agency is required by law to report it to the legislature. Neither one happened. The state made excuses for some investigations being delayed by months, citing a “natural disaster,” even though no one could say what natural disaster occurred in that part of Maryland in 2024.
Social Services responds: The agency acknowledged that “our regulations for privately-certified foster parents lacked a ‘crimes of violence’ prohibition required by … the Social Security Act, and we are updating this regulation.”
It said after the cases of children living with sex offenders were identified, “we took action.”
“In one case, we contacted law enforcement who conducted a safety check and confirmed the children were safe. In another case, we contacted the Office of Parole and Probation and found that while an identified individual was on the registry, there were no restrictions prohibiting their presence around children,” the agency said. “For the remaining cases, law enforcement and probation officers determined there was insufficient information to warrant a welfare check.”

MRN 9.30.25 Thumbnail V1

Morning Brief: Trump’s Peace Push, Portland Riots, & Maryland’s Foster Care Fumble

Foster Care

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Maryland

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

Portland

United States

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk warned Israel&#8217;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a growing wave of anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment in the United States, adding that advocating for Israel was one of his &#8220;greatest joys&#8221; in life.
Kirk’s final letter to Netanyahu, published on Monday by the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/09/29/us-news/charlie-kirk-wrote-of-his-deep-love-for-israel-in-letter-to-netanyahu-about-how-to-counter-rising-opposition-to-the-jewish-state-in-the-us/">New York Post</a>, expressed frustration over what Kirk saw as a massive failing by Israel to fight for its own interests in the public square. Kirk urged the prime minister to consider a “communications reset” and build an approach to public relations modeled off the Trump administration’s.
&#8220;The purpose of this letter is to lay out our concerns and outline potential remedies,&#8221; Kirk wrote. &#8220;Everything written here is from a place of deep love for Israel and the Jewish people.&#8221;
“I know you’ve got a 7 front war and my kvetching pales in comparison. But I’m trying to convey to you that Israel is losing support even in conservative circles,&#8221; Kirk wrote. &#8220;This should be a 5 alarm fire.”
The late conservative commentator gave the prime minister a series of recommendations on how to approach the information war raging across social media and driving anti-Israel bias even among the “conservative MAGA community.” He also warned that the wave of antisemitic content on social media was bleeding into college campuses, where Kirk could often be found advocating for conservatism. 
“Israel is getting CRUSHED on social media and you are losing younger generations of Americans, even among MAGA conservatives. In my opinion, you are losing the information war which will eventually translate into less political and military support from America,” said Kirk. “The Holy Land is so important to my life, and it pains me to see support for Israel slip away.”
Some of Kirk’s recommendations included hiring an aggressive public relations team, mentioning White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House official Stephen Miller as examples of people who know how to fight. Kirk also urged Netanyahu to task his government with creating a “one stop shop” for rapid response to counter the most pressing questions of the day about Israel’s conduct in war, its treatment of minorities, its use of U.S. aid, and other issues pressed by anti-Israel voices.
Throughout the letter, Kirk expressed his support and joy for defending Israel and the Holy Land. But he also vented significant frustration. Kirk repeatedly expressed that he was taking on the responsibility that should rightfully be shouldered by the Israeli government. Kirk could play a supporting role, but “pro Israel surrogates like me should not be in charge of fact checking every piece of anti-Israel information that pours into social media,” he wrote.
Kirk suggested that Netanyahu even launch an “Israel Truth Network (ITN)” to begin to counter rampant anti-Israel stories going viral across social media platforms such as X and TikTok. The pundit suggested a number of concrete ideas, such as getting normal Israelis to go on camera and talk about what they love about their country, or capture video of Israeli planes dropping warnings ahead of airstrikes to save civilian lives.
Kirk suggested that Israel create public relations material out of Israeli efforts to help the United States recover from natural disasters. The project would show the world that Israel is on the side of “humanity.”
Kirk offered his private number to Netanyahu to discuss the letter further, as well as any way Kirk’s team could assist the prime minister in putting into action any of the suggestions listed in the letter. 
Though Kirk was always clear about his support for Israel, his views have come under new scrutiny after he was assassinated. The letter offers additional clarity to his views, putting an end to any effort to rewrite the history of his views on the issue.

Charlie Kirk

‘5 Alarm Fire’: Charlie Kirk Warned Bibi Of PR Crisis In Letter, Said He Had ‘Deep Love’ For Israel

‘5 Alarm Fire’: Charlie Kirk’s Final Letter To Netanyahu Warned Of Israel’s Collapsing Support In US

The White House released a plan on Monday that could establish “eternal peace in the Middle East” by ending the war in Gaza and creating a pathway for Palestinian statehood.
The plan contains 20 points, one less than an initial framework proposed by the United States and passed around by diplomats and world leaders. President Donald Trump announced the plan on Monday in a White House event alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The 20-point plan begins with the plan for Gaza in the days following the war and ends with the hope for future Israeli-Palestinian relations.
“Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough,” the first two points of the plan state.
“The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence,” the plan concludes.
In between are 17 points largely outlining the steps to begin transitioning Gaza from a warzone to a self-governing entity, starting with a ceasefire once both Hamas and Israel agree to the framework. Once both sides agree, aid will begin to flow into the strip, including rebuilding hospitals, bakeries, roads, and other key pieces of infrastructure.
The Israeli military will cease its advance through Gaza City and withdraw to a predetermined line while Hamas must return all hostages, living and dead, to Israel within 72 hours. In return, Israel “will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children detained in that context. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans,” the proposal says.
The hostage exchange, while massively biased in favor of Hamas and Gaza, is not out of step with past prisoner swaps Israel has struck with Palestinians.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout</a>
Members of Hamas who agree to disarm and commit to “peaceful co-existence” will be given amnesty and may live in Gaza, or they will be given safe passage elsewhere.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Gaza will be administered by “qualified Palestinians and international experts” under oversight from the “Board of Peace,” an international body chaired by the United States president.
“No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who wish to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza,” point 12 states.
No terror group may be involved in administering Gaza. All of Hamas’ terror infrastructure, including its vast web of tunnels and weapons facilities, will be destroyed alongside the military sites of all other terror groups operating within the Gaza Strip. Israel will agree to neither occupy nor annex Gaza.
“New Gaza poses no threat to its neighbors or its people,” the framework says. Toward that end, an “interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
President Donald J. Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict:
1. Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
2. Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
3. If… <a href="https://t.co/veqhr9MW28">pic.twitter.com/veqhr9MW28</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972726021196562494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></blockquote>

Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu

What’s In Trump’s 20-Point Plan For ‘Eternal Peace In The Middle East’

Global Politics

World

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to a U.S.-backed plan to end the war in Gaza and establish “a credible pathway” to a Palestinian state.
The White House rolled out the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whats-in-trumps-20-point-plan-for-eternal-peace-in-the-middle-east">plan</a> shortly before President Donald Trump appeared with Netanyahu for a joint press conference at the White House. Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxcsZrcYuM8">announced</a> that Israel had agreed to the 20-point framework, which the president said would deliver &#8220;peace in the Middle East,&#8221; during his opening remarks.
“Today is a historic day for peace, and Prime Minister Netanyahu and I have just concluded an important meeting on many vital issues, including Iran, trade, expansion of the Abraham Accords, and, most importantly, we discussed how to end the war in Gaza,” Trump said. “I also want to thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for agreeing to the plan and for trusting that if we work together, we can bring an end to the death and destruction that we’ve seen for so many years.”
Trump said a number of Arab nations have also agreed to the outline, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and others.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout</a>
“Under the plan, Arab and Muslim countries have committed … to demilitarize Gaza – and that’s quickly – decommission the military capabilities of Hamas and all other terror organizations – do that immediately – and we’re relying on the countries that I named and others to deal with Hamas. And I’m hearing that Hamas wants this done, too,” the president continued.
Hamas is the only party yet to accept the deal, according to the president. If Hamas rejects the proposal, Israel would receive the “full backing” of the United States to continue the war in Gaza.
“If Hamas rejects the deal, which is always possible – they’re the only one left, everyone else has accepted it – but I have a feeling we’re going to have a positive answer. But if not, you know, Bibi, you’d have our full backing to do what you have to do,” said Trump.
Netanyahu made objections to a Palestinian state, Trump said, citing the October 7 terror attack in which an estimated 3,000 Hamas fighters and thousands of Gazans flooded across the border into Israel and murdered, raped, and kidnapped hundreds of Israeli civilians and soldiers. In remarks after Trump, Netanyahu praised the framework.
“I believe that today, we are taking a critical step toward both ending the war in Gaza, and setting the stage for dramatically advancing peace in the Middle East,” said Netanyahu.
If implemented correctly, the U.S.-backed proposal will accomplish all of Israel’s war aims, including the return of all hostages – those dead and those still alive – to Israel, complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and the destruction of Hamas as an organization.
“If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept it, and then, basically, do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself. This can be done the easy way, or it can be done the hard way. But it will be done,” the prime minister said.

Israel Agrees To U.S. Plan For ‘Eternal Peace In The Middle East’ At White House

Ahead of a Monday meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump said he thinks there is a “really good chance for peace in the Middle East.” 
Trump is set to meet with Netanyahu at 11:00 a.m. ET at the White House before holding a joint press conference later in the afternoon. In the days before the meeting, Trump expressed optimism about negotiating a deal to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
&#8220;We’re doing very well. It looks like there is a really good chance for peace in the Middle East,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/middle-east/trump-talks-netanyahu-gaza-peace-deal-israel-hamas-war-hostages-rcna234370">told</a> NBC on Sunday. &#8220;Everybody is on board. Everybody.”
Those comments echoed an earlier post he wrote on Truth Social Sunday morning. 
“We have a real chance for GREATNESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER. WE WILL GET IT DONE!!” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115282009590636281">wrote</a>. 
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-213759">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a> 
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Vice President JD Vance <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972294333861970197">told</a> host Martha MacCallum there was a series of very complicated ongoing discussions between the Trump administration, Israel, and Arab leaders. He said he was &#8220;cautiously hopeful&#8221; that a deal could be reached. 
“I think the president’s optimism is warranted here. I feel more optimistic about where we are right now than where we have been at any point in the last few months,” he <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1972294333861970197">said</a>. “Our principle here is very simple: we want all the hostages to come home, we want Hamas to no longer be a terror threat to the state of Israel, and we also want to bring the humanitarian aid in Gaza for the many innocent people caught up in the conflict. I think we are close to accomplishing all three objectives.” 
Negotiations from the Trump administration are being headed up by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. 
Speaking at the United Nations last week, Trump said he was “deeply engaged” in seeking a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump tore into nations that have sought recognition of a Palestinian state.
“The rewards would be too great for Hamas terrorists for their atrocities,&#8221; Trump said. “Instead of giving in to Hamas’s ransom demands, those who want peace should be united with one message: release the hostages now.” 
About 50 hostages taken from Israel on October 7 remain in Hamas captivity, though only 20 are believed to still be alive.

TOPSHOT-US-ISRAEL-DIPLOMACY-NETANYAHU-TRUMP

Trump Says There’s A ‘Good Chance’ For Middle East Peace Ahead Of Netanyahu Meeting

Executive

JD Vance

General debate of the UN General Assembly

Netanyahu Delivers Unprecedented, Thunderous Defense Of Israel At UN

Israeli hostages

United Nations

The United Nations Security Council has issued <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/world/middleeast/israel-qatar-un-security-council.html">a statement</a> condemning Israel’s strike last week against the leaders of Hamas in Qatar. The statement only highlights how the international conversation surrounding the mission has been predictably loud and legally uninformed. While critics reflexively cry “aggression,” or “violation of sovereignty,” actual international law tells a very different story. Far from being outlawed conduct, the justification for the operation rests on the very framework the international community itself created after the attacks on September 11, 2001. Ironically, that framework is enshrined in a binding UN Security Council Resolution. 
Here’s the point: Harboring a terrorist organization is an outright violation of binding international law, and any State that does so should expect an appropriate response. 
For decades, the prevailing orthodoxy held that only States could commit “armed attacks” that would trigger the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. That might have made sense in 1945, when only governments fielded armies capable of the destruction envisioned by the Charter. Yet even then, international law acknowledged something crucial: If irregular forces caused destruction on a scale comparable to that of a regular army, those acts could be considered armed attacks. This became known as the “scale and effects” test.
The Hamas of today is not a ragtag insurgency. It is a heavily armed, organized, and entrenched militant army that governs territory, fields thousands of fighters, employs rockets, drones, and tunnels, and has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to inflict destruction on a massive scale. Its October 7, 2023, massacre of Israeli civilians, its ongoing rocket fire, its continued holding of Israeli hostages, and its declared intent to repeat such attacks all plainly qualify under the “scale and effects” test. By any reasonable military or legal standard, Israel has the right to target those directing such operations wherever they are located.
In truth, however, this analysis is almost unnecessary because the narrow legal interpretation requiring State action effectively died on 9/11. After the World Trade Center attacks, the entire world saw that terrorist groups could inflict devastation matching or exceeding many States. The United States invoked <a href="https://legal.un.org/repertory/art51.shtml">Article 51</a>, and the UN Security Council responded, explicitly acknowledging that terrorist groups can carry out armed attacks, and that States have the right under the Charter to respond in self-defense — even when the perpetrators are non-State actors operating abroad.
Resolution 1368 (2001), adopted the day after 9/11, <a href="https://legal.un.org/repertory/art51/english/rep_supp1_vol1_art51.pdf">declared</a>:
<blockquote>Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.</blockquote>
Just a few weeks later, the Council passed another Resolution 1373, which reaffirmed “the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence as recognized by the Charter of the United Nations as reiterated in resolution 1368 (2001).”
It also imposed additional obligations: States must “refrain from providing any form of support, active or passive, to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts” and must “deny safe haven to those who finance, plan, support, or commit terrorist acts, or provide safe havens.” 
This second Resolution, which included the harboring doctrine, explicitly invoked the authority given to the Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Under Article 25 of the Charter, such Chapter VII decisions are binding on all UN Member States and create enforceable international law.
Nor is this practice controversial. Countries around the world consistently rely on the harboring doctrine to go after terrorists. Turkey has conducted operations in Iraq to go after the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), while Russia used it to pursue Chechen militants in Georgia. India cited it to justify surgical strikes within Pakistan to go after groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, and France applied it to conduct operations against violent jihadist groups in Mali, Niger, and Chad.
After 9/11, the U.S. framed the Taliban’s harboring of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda as grounds for self-defense under international law. As President Bush <a href="https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010911-16.html">stated</a>: “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.” 
In the early 2000s and again in the 2010s, U.S. officials invoked the harboring doctrine against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula; Yemen was described as a “safe haven” where terrorists were harbored, justifying U.S. drone strikes and special forces operations. The same rationale guided U.S. policy in Somalia, justifying actions when Somali authorities were unable to restrain al-Shabaab or lacked the capacity to prevent its attacks. In fact, President Obama repeatedly invoked the notion of denying terrorist groups safe havens when he was reinforcing the legal and moral justification for U.S. strikes and operations in regions such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, and Iraq.
Of course, self-defense is not a blank check. International law requires necessity and proportionality. Here, necessity is obvious because Qatar is not detaining Hamas leaders or halting their activities. Proportionality is likewise satisfied. These are precise, intelligence-driven strikes aimed not at Qatari civilians or infrastructure, but at individuals orchestrating terrorist campaigns. In modern military terms, this is a textbook example of how a State can apply force in a manner that is both lawful and restrained, targeting the enemy while minimizing civilian harm.
Wars are decided not only on battlefields but also in the decisions to act, or to refrain from acting, against threats that originate abroad. History shows that when States allow terrorist sanctuaries to fester, violence metastasizes. Israel’s strike in Qatar is part of a long-established, legally grounded, and militarily necessary practice: denying safe haven to those who would continue to massacre innocents if left untouched.
The right to self-defense includes the right to eliminate a threat, even when that threat is being illegally harbored by a so-called neutral party.
If the United States lawfully struck and killed bin Laden in Pakistan, then Israel lawfully struck and killed Hamas leaders in Qatar. That is not bending international law. It is applying it correctly, even when it comes to Israel.
* * *
Mark Goldfeder is CEO of the National Jewish Advocacy Center and a law professor at Touro University.
John Spencer is the executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute. He is the coauthor of “Understanding Urban Warfare.”
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Meets With Congressional Lawmakers On Capitol Hill

The UN Is Wrong. Israel’s Strike In Qatar Was Justified.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF)

Terrorists

JERUSALEM — Israel’s strike against Hamas leadership in Qatar may have been the best shot at resetting negotiations with the terror group, an Israeli military expert says.
Israel struck a building in Doha on Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to kill senior Hamas officials who had gathered to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal. It remains unclear how effective the Israeli strike was. Israel has not made an official determination on the success of the strike. Hamas has said that while the strike killed six – including top aides to senior Hamas leaders – the leadership team remains fully intact.
If Israel’s strike was successful, it may allow outside Arab states to assemble a new Hamas leadership team, one more open to negotiation while having more authority over a terror group that has suffered heavy losses over the course of its two-year war against Israel, according to Eyal Pinko, a senior research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies in Israel.
“Hamas is really a fiction because after [Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar] and all the other leaders in the Gaza Strip that were killed, Hamas was divided into five [factions],” Pinko said in an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbTA6hGJG8g">interview</a> with the Jerusalem Press Club. “They are fighting each other, and sometimes I do believe that they are hating each other much more than they hate Israel.”
Egypt and Qatar, the main Arab state mediators in discussions between Israel and the terror group, may be able to install the next leaders of Hamas who will attend negotiations, Pinko said. Outside the influence of Iran, the next Hamas negotiators could be more amenable to a ceasefire agreement that could secure the release of the 48 remaining Israeli hostages.
Ceasefire negotiations have been stalled for months because of the terror group’s factionalism and its unwillingness to give up hostages — its most effective bargaining piece.
“I think this situation, it&#8217;s the same, but while nothing [was] going anywhere with the negotiation before yesterday, I think now the ability of Qatar to put someone that is really relevant and can push and can be under the sole control of Qatar without Iran — and this is the critical point, without Iran — it can be, I think, that much more can be achieved in this negotiation,” Pinko said.
Historically, Hamas has been slow to recognize when its leaders have been killed. Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya was one official targeted in the strike, and neither he nor others have been seen in public since. The Hamas official was not <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-strikes-hamas-chiefs-in-qatar-terror-group-insists-senior-leaders-unharmed/">seen</a> at the funeral of his son, who was identified as one of those killed in the strike.
The strike kicked off a round of condemnations against the Jewish state and earned a public rebuke from the White House as President Donald Trump said he is “not thrilled about the whole situation.” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115176193823019593">pledged</a> that such an attack “will not happen again on [Qatari] soil.”
Some of the president’s reaction may be more for public effect. Israel likely received approval to conduct the strike in Qatar, and may have allowed more notice to Qatar than has been publicly acknowledged, Pinko told The Daily Wire.
In the immediate aftermath, Qatar condemned the attack as a “blatant violation of all international laws and norms.” Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Thursday, however, said that Doha was committed to the peace process.
“Israel is trying to rearrange the region by force,” the premier <a href="https://apnews.com/article/qatar-israel-attack-hamas-un-gaza-hostages-16a8e9c4a9757eadeec9ef520c0a1e30">told</a> a meeting of the UN Security Council. But “we will continue our humanitarian and diplomatic role without any hesitation in order to stop the bloodshed.”
The Israeli attack came days after Trump publicly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-my-last-warning-trump-tells-hamas-to-release-remaining-hostages-or-else">demanded</a> that Hamas negotiate a release of the 48 hostages or suffer “consequences.”
“Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end! The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!” Trump posted.

MixCollage-13-Sep-2025-02-31-PM-1903

Israeli Military Expert: Qatar Airstrike May Be The Best Chance At Ceasefire With Hamas

Israeli Military Expert: Airstrike In Qatar May Be The Best Chance At Ceasefire With Hamas

President Donald Trump was critical of Israel’s strike in Doha, Qatar, that targeted Hamas leaders, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying on Tuesday that the administration warned the Qatari government of the “impending attack.”
Leavitt read a prepared statement during the White House press briefing, stating that the administration was notified by the U.S. military of an impending Israeli strike and that special envoy Steve Witkoff gave the Qataris a heads-up before the bombing. While Trump was critical of Israel’s action to strike a target inside the capital of one of America’s “close” allies, he also acknowledged that taking out Hamas “is a worthy goal.”
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Leavitt said, reading from the statement. “However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those in Gaza, is a worthy goal. President Trump immediately directed special envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> reads a statement on the Israeli strike in Doha: &#8220;Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and ally&#8230; does not advance Israeli&#8217;s or America&#8217;s goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/uocd85XKVI">pic.twitter.com/uocd85XKVI</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1965472529545564454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The largest U.S. military base in the Middle East is located in Qatar, just southwest of Doha. Trump has strengthened his ties with Qatar during his second term, despite <a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/editorial-photos-videos/detail?itemid=31ab6ea4e7179489d559c067879defcc&amp;mediatype=video&amp;source=youtube">accusing</a> the country of funding terrorism during his first term in the White House. In May, Trump visited Qatar and <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-historic-1-2-trillion-economic-commitment-in-qatar/">signed</a> a massive economic agreement with the government.
“The president views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” Leavitt added. The White House statement reiterated Trump’s call for Hamas to release the remaining hostages in Gaza and to work out an end to the war.
Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the strike on Hamas leadership in Doha and made his concerns “very clear,” according to Leavitt. The president also spoke to the Emir and Prime Minister of Qatar, “and thanked them for their support and friendship,” assuring them “that such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”
“President Trump believes this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace,” Leavitt added.
Israel said on Tuesday that it conducted a “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-strikes-hamas-leaders-in-qatar-says-it-was-an-independent-israeli-operation?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Israel+Strikes+Hamas+Leaders+In+Qatar%2C+Says+It+Was+An+%E2%80%98Independent+Israeli+Operation%E2%80%99">precise strike</a>” targeting key Hamas leaders in Doha. The strike killed Khalil al-Hayya, the deputy to former Gaza Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar and head of Hamas’s negotiation team, and Zaher Jabarin, a key figure in Hamas’s military wing, according to Israeli authorities. Israel said that several other Hamas leaders who were tied to the planning of the brutal October 7, 2023, attack against Israel were also killed in the bombing.

Trump Criticizes Israel Strike Inside Qatar, But Says Taking Out Hamas ‘Is A Worthy Goal’

Karoline Leavitt

Terrorism

In a move unsurprising given Turkey’s harshly anti-Israel Islamist government, the country’s foreign minister announced Friday that Turkey has cut commercial ties with Israel—barring Israeli vessels from its ports, blocking Turkish ships from Israeli ports, and restricting Israeli planes from entering Turkish airspace.
“We have totally cut our trade with Israel, we have closed off our ports to Israeli ships and we are not allowing Turkish vessels to go to Israel’s ports,” Hakan Fidan <a href="applewebdata://E83BCD95-A919-40A1-B24F-AA45CF3D369A/v">stated</a>. “We are not allowing container ships carrying weapons and ammunition to Israel to enter our ports, and airplanes to go into our airspace.”
Before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power in 2014, Turkey and Israel had strong strategic ties. That soured quickly, although a brief reconciliation occurred in 2016. Erdogan threatened to break relations again in 2017 after the U.S. recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Diplomatic ties were restored in August 2022, but only 16 days after the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre of more than 1200 Israelis, Erdogan stated, “Hamas is not a terrorist organization … [but rather] a liberation group, ‘mujahideen’ waging a battle to protect its lands and people.”
“Turkey’s antipathy toward Israel and its affinity for Hamas is now so well established that diplomats accept it as fact. The open romance between the NATO member and the terror group began in 2006,” FDD reported. Erdogan has <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/03/28/hamas-and-turkey-partners-in-terror/">stated,</a> “I don’t see Hamas as a terror organization. Hamas is a political party.”
Erdogan has accused Israel of “genocide” and supported South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. In March of this year, Erdogan delivered a speech in which he <a href="https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/03/30/turkish-president-calls-for-israels-destruction-and-ruin/">ranted,</a> “May Allah bring destruction and ruin upon Zionist Israel.”
In September 2024, at the United Nations, Erdogan likened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, <a href="https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article253687116/Erdogan-vergleicht-Netanjahu-erneut-mit-Hitler-So-wie-vor-70-Jahren.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">saying,</a> “Just as Hitler was stopped 70 years ago … so must Netanyahu and his murder gang be stopped.” In June 2025, he escalated his rhetoric, <a href="https://cadenaser.com/nacional/2025/06/18/erdogan-acusa-a-netanyahu-de-haber-superado-a-hitler-por-la-masacre-de-palestinos-en-gaza-cadena-ser/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">saying</a>, “Netanyahu has surpassed Hitler in terms of genocide,” an insane declaration. Netanyahu <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67861266">fired back</a>, “Erdogan, who commits genocide against the Kurds, who holds a world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his rule, is the last person who can preach morality to us.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
In August 2024, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz bashed Erdogan after he said the U.S. and Western countries were “taken hostage by the Zionists in Israel.”
“Erdogan, the ones taken hostage are the citizens of Turkey, trapped in your dictatorship,” Katz wrote on X. “You blocked Instagram for 57 million users in your country but left access to your own Instagram account. No matter how many attacks are made against me, I will continue to expose the truth to the people of Turkey and the world. A leader who embraces Hamas, oppresses his people, and acts like a dictator is a dictator.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The anti-Semitic dictator <a href="https://twitter.com/RTErdogan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RTErdogan</a> attacked the US and Western countries yesterday, saying they were &#8220;taken hostage by the Zionists in Israel.&#8221;
Erdoğan, the ones taken hostage are the citizens of Turkey, trapped in your dictatorship. You blocked Instagram for 57 million users… <a href="https://t.co/EOgELcp2G4">pic.twitter.com/EOgELcp2G4</a>
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel_katz/status/1820745033516998797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Erdoğan Holds Press Conference After Cabinet Meeting

No Surprise: Anti-Israel Turkish Regime Cuts Commercial Ties With Jewish State

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey

President Donald Trump said Monday that the 50 remaining hostages in Gaza would return if Hamas were destroyed.
“We will only see the return of remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be,” Trump posted to TRUTH Social.
Trump’s post comes the day after hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv to oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to expand the offensive in Gaza following Hamas’ rejection of multiple ceasefire proposals.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Trump says the hostages will be returned if Hamas is &#8220;confronted and destroyed.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/3x9uqYDECE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/3x9uqYDECE</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1957428831775580590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">August 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!),” Trump added. “Play to WIN, or don’t play at all!”
At the protest in Tel Aviv, organized by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, family members of hostages spoke from the stage, demanding an end to the war and the return of their loved ones. The day of protest included strikes, business shuttering, solidarity, and road blockages.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-new-evidence-calls-into-question-viral-story-of-gazan-boy-amir-killed-at-ghf-aid-site?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+New+Evidence+Calls+Into+Question+Viral+Story+Of+Gazan+Boy+%E2%80%98Amir%E2%80%99+Killed+At+GHF+Aid+Site" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EXCLUSIVE: NEW EVIDENCE CALLS INTO QUESTION VIRAL STORY OF GAZAN BOY ‘AMIR’ KILLED AT GHF AID SITE</a>
Netanyahu <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netanyahu-confirms-israels-plans-to-fully-take-control-of-gaza?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Netanyahu+Confirms+Israel%E2%80%99s+Plans+To+Fully+Take+Control+Of+Gaza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed Israel’s plans</a> to fully take over Gaza earlier this month as an effort to expel Hamas from power and eventually allow an Arab civilian government — free from Hamas or the Palestinian Authority — to take control.
“We intend to in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free in Gaza, and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas or anyone advocating for the destruction of Israel,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer.
According to Netanyahu, there is no path forward with Hamas.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/death-penalty-on-the-table-for-killer-of-israeli-embassy-staffers?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Death+Penalty+On+The+Table+For+Killer+Of+Israeli+Embassy+Staffers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DEATH PENALTY ON THE TABLE FOR KILLER OF ISRAELI EMBASSY STAFFERS</a>
“You met Palestinians who are fighting Hamas because finally they see that they have a future that can rid themselves of this awful tyranny that not only holds our hostages but holds 2 million Palestinians in Gaza hostage,” Netanyahu told Hemmer, who visited a U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation site before the interview.
Netanyahu made it clear that Israel does not wish to occupy Gaza permanently, but would rather turn over control to a capable, Arab-led government.
“We don’t want to keep it, we want to have a security perimeter,” he said. “We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us.”
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;_gl=1*mvupz4*_gcl_au*MzY2NTk5MDEuMTc1MDA5MTgyOC4yMTA3MzU2NzIuMTc1MzI4MDA2OS4xNzUzMjgwMDY5*_ga*MTg3Njc1NzM0Ny4xNzAyMzk3MzQy*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*czE3NTU1MjIzMTUkbzExMjUkZzEkdDE3NTU1MjU4MDIkajU4JGwwJGgw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
Netanyahu’s plan includes first occupying Gaza City before October 7—the 3rd anniversary of Hamas’s massacre of Israeli civilians. Israel currently occupies about 75% of the Gaza Strip.
Some Gazans have already begun evacuating Gaza City, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-864569" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported the Jerusalem Post</a>.

Trump And Hamas

Trump Says Hostages Will Only Return If Hamas ‘Is Confronted And Destroyed’

Menu