FOX Business host Larry Kudlow breaks down the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas on “Kudlow.”
Am I being handcuffed Israel in their fight to destroy terrorism and save freedom in the Middle East and America? That’s what the riff is about.
Every time hostages are released, it is a wonderful and joyful development.
Israeli and American families have suffered so much that their children, spouses and soldiers have been held captive in Hamas’ hellhole for the past 15 months. So let’s start there and be grateful for that.
Let us hope that the release of the 33 hostages will take place. Unfortunately, this figure was around 250 15 months ago. Several American hostages are expected to be released during Phase I.
Three are presumed still alive and four are declared dead. The barbaric and evil Hamas terrorists have already murdered others – this is a hate crime against humanity.
This brings us to the second point, which is a question: how good is this agreement? I don’t know all the details. Maybe no one knows all the details, but this is essentially the same deal Joe Biden wanted last May.
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Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., unveils the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on “Kudlow.”
President-elect Trump undoubtedly brought Hamas to the negotiating table by implementing a firm promise that “all hell would break loose” if Hamas did not release the hostages.
Even Joe Biden’s State Department said Mr. Trump’s involvement was “absolutely critical,” but as a former ambassador. As David Friedman and others have pointed out, the war in the Middle East is not over.
According to reports, Israeli troops will be allowed to stay in the so-called Philadelphia Corridor separating Egypt and Gaza for at least six more weeks, but then they are expected to leave and the so-called Phase II of the deal imposes a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a sort of “permanent” ceasefire.
Meanwhile, at least 1,000 Palestinians – including 200 who murdered Israelis – will be released from Israeli prisons. Well, don’t they go straight to Gaza and resume their violent Jihad against Israel and America?
Amid all this, numerous reports suggest Hamas is regrouping, recruiting and re-energizing. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli forces, but his brother Mohammed Sinwar became the new leader in one fell swoop.
So if – and it’s a big if – the hostages are released in two phases and Israeli troops are ordered to leave Gaza, and 1,000 Palestinian prisoners are released from Israeli jails, and Hamas rebuilds …How can this really be possible? a good deal?
President Trump calls this agreement an “epic ceasefire agreement,” and he and his special envoy Steve Witkoff should certainly be given the benefit of the doubt and should certainly be given credit for freeing the hostages.
There may be many details behind the scenes that we don’t know. Perhaps Saudi Arabia was convinced by President Trump to join the Abraham Accords. Perhaps Mr. Trump will give Israel the green light to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities.
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Perhaps the IDF still intends to completely destroy Hamas – as new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said yesterday, who supports the assassination of every Hamas member.
The new national security adviser, Mike Waltz, repeated it this morning. New Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that if Hamas is there, there will never be a ceasefire. Maybe, maybe, but knowing what we think we know that Hamas will remain in power in Gaza and the Israeli military presence will end in Gaza. Not good.
I always thought that we were going to liberate the IDF against all Middle East terrorists, and that we would all be grateful to Israel not only for saving freedom in Israel and the Middle East, but also for frankly saving all Western freedom and our Judeo-Christian culture and thus saving America as well, but Putting the handcuffs back on the IDF will prevent them from destroying terrorism and this higher mission of saving freedom in Israel, the Middle East and America.
That’s what worries me.
This article is adapted from Larry Kudlow’s opening commentary in the January 15, 2025 edition of “Kudlow.”