The President's Daily Brief
January 16th, 2025: Israel, Hamas Reach Ceasefire Deal In Gaza & Biden's Parting Gift To Cuba Angers Democrats
Thu, 16 Jan 2025
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: We'll begin in the Middle East, where after 15-months of war, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal that will pause fighting in Gaza and see the phased release of the hostages still being held in the battered enclave. Later in the show, an update on the Putin regime’s shadow war against the west, as Poland’s prime minister accuses Russia of planning terror attacks targeting global airlines. Plus, outgoing President Joe Biden stuns both Republicans and Democrats by lifting Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. In our 'Back of the Brief' segment, we’ll have an update on the devastating wildfires burning around Los Angeles, as powerful winds returned Wednesday, jeopardizing efforts to contain the blazes. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What is the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas?
Hey, Mike Baker here. Still overseas on a trek through the vast desert, and it is vast. Five riders, ten camels, 700 miles, it's been an amazing experience, all to raise awareness for the UK's Special Forces Benevolent Fund. While I'm out, Mike Slater is stepping in to deliver the President's Daily Brief.
Thanks, Mike. It's Thursday, 16 January 2025. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Slater filling in for Mike Baker. Let's get briefed.
Today, we begin in the Middle East, where after 15 months of war and countless failed negotiations, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal that will pause fighting in Gaza and see the phased release of the hostages still being held in the battered enclave.
Later in the show, an update on the Putin regime's shadow war against the West as Poland's prime minister accuses Russia of planning terror attacks targeting global airlines. Plus, outgoing President Joe Biden stuns both Republicans and Democrats by lifting Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
And in today's Back of the Brief, we'll have an update on the devastating wildfires burning around Los Angeles as powerful winds returned Wednesday, jeopardizing efforts to contain the blazes. But first, today's PDB Spotlight.
A diplomatic breakthrough from the Middle East emerged on Wednesday as a ceasefire agreement to end the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas was finally achieved, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and of course the United States. Qatar's Prime Minister heralded the accord, describing the hard-won agreement as a pivotal first step towards peace.
However, the first phase of the ceasefire must still clear procedural hurdles. According to The Hill, Israel's wartime cabinet will vote on the agreement, followed by Israel's parliamentary body, with appeals to the Supreme Court permitted within 24 hours. If finalized, the ceasefire could start as early as Friday, with the first group of hostages released on Sunday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office expressed optimism, signaling that although there are still some outstanding details in the framework, they're resolvable. In the initial six weeks of the three-phase agreement, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, prioritizing women, children, the elderly, and the ill.
The hostages will be released incrementally, starting with three on the first day, followed by weekly releases until all 33 are freed. Israel believes the majority of these hostages are alive. President Joe Biden confirmed that American hostages would be among some of the first released during the initial six weeks.
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Chapter 2: What are the details of the hostage release in the ceasefire?
In remarks from the White House, Biden credited coordination with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, commending their shared commitment to the deal's success.
Trump, who in previous weeks had an unofficial deadline tied to his 20 January inauguration, praised the agreement on truth social, stating, quote, With this deal in place, my new national security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our allies to make sure Gaza never again becomes a terrorist safe haven.
Negotiations for the second phase of the agreement are set to commence 16 days after the first phase is implemented. President Biden revealed this phase focuses on a permanent end to the war. In addition, this phase will see the release of the remaining Israeli hostages and the complete withdrawal of Jerusalem's forces from the Gaza Strip.
The third and final phase, again, this is all as it's written right now, all subject to change, will address repatriating deceased hostages and launching a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza.
This international initiative, led by the United Nations, will reportedly span three to five years and include the rebuilding of homes, infrastructure, and providing compensation for affected individuals. Egypt, Qatar, and the United States will oversee the agreement's implementation to ensure compliance.
The agreement follows 411 days of intense negotiations and represents the first significant stopping of violence since a week-long truce that expired back in December of 2023. While the ceasefire offers a glimmer of hope for regional stability, its success hinges on unwavering adherence to the accord.
For now, the international community remains cautiously optimistic, recognizing that this fragile truce may serve as a foundation for enduring peace. Coming up next, Poland's prime minister accuses Russia of planning terrorist attacks targeting global airlines, and President Joe Biden lifts Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. All those stories when we get back.
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Chapter 3: What accusations are being made against Russia by Poland's Prime Minister?
Chapter 4: What are the implications of Biden lifting Cuba's terrorism designation?
Hey, Mike Baker here. Still overseas on a trek through the vast desert, and it is vast. Five riders, ten camels, 700 miles, it's been an amazing experience, all to raise awareness for the UK's Special Forces Benevolent Fund. While I'm out, Mike Slater is stepping in to deliver the President's Daily Brief.
Thanks, Mike. It's Thursday, 16 January 2025. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Slater filling in for Mike Baker. Let's get briefed.
Today, we begin in the Middle East, where after 15 months of war and countless failed negotiations, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal that will pause fighting in Gaza and see the phased release of the hostages still being held in the battered enclave.
Later in the show, an update on the Putin regime's shadow war against the West as Poland's prime minister accuses Russia of planning terror attacks targeting global airlines. Plus, outgoing President Joe Biden stuns both Republicans and Democrats by lifting Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
And in today's Back of the Brief, we'll have an update on the devastating wildfires burning around Los Angeles as powerful winds returned Wednesday, jeopardizing efforts to contain the blazes. But first, today's PDB Spotlight.
A diplomatic breakthrough from the Middle East emerged on Wednesday as a ceasefire agreement to end the 15-month war between Israel and Hamas was finally achieved, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and of course the United States. Qatar's Prime Minister heralded the accord, describing the hard-won agreement as a pivotal first step towards peace.
However, the first phase of the ceasefire must still clear procedural hurdles. According to The Hill, Israel's wartime cabinet will vote on the agreement, followed by Israel's parliamentary body, with appeals to the Supreme Court permitted within 24 hours. If finalized, the ceasefire could start as early as Friday, with the first group of hostages released on Sunday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office expressed optimism, signaling that although there are still some outstanding details in the framework, they're resolvable. In the initial six weeks of the three-phase agreement, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, prioritizing women, children, the elderly, and the ill.
The hostages will be released incrementally, starting with three on the first day, followed by weekly releases until all 33 are freed. Israel believes the majority of these hostages are alive. President Joe Biden confirmed that American hostages would be among some of the first released during the initial six weeks.
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Chapter 5: How is the international community responding to the ceasefire?
Once the Russians learned how to bypass air cargo screenings, they reportedly planned to expand the operation with the goal of igniting fires aboard cargo and passenger planes. Moscow, of course, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the DHL hub explosions. That's not a surprise.
We do know, however, that the Biden administration sent a warning to the Kremlin last summer, urging them to stop the operation during a mass casualty event should one of those packages explode in the air. The incident is just one example of the Putin regime's escalating belligerence as the war against Ukraine continues to grind on.
Russia has been waging a campaign of sabotage against allies of Ukraine across Europe since the war began, with the attacks increasing in 2024. Russia's hybrid warfare tactics involve arson attacks, espionage, cyber attacks, targeted assassinations, and the sabotage of critical infrastructure. It aims to spread panic among the European public and sow doubts about supporting Ukraine.
Recently, Russia has been accused of sabotaging European transport infrastructure on multiple occasions, jamming GPS signals used by airliners in several Baltic countries. Moscow is also suspected of being behind increased attacks on critical communication infrastructure, such as undersea fiber optic cables.
Senior officials in Kiev have warned that Russia may soon escalate its hybrid warfare tactics beyond covert acts of sabotage, and that NATO must do more to deter Moscow's belligerence before it's too late.
Shifting gears, outgoing President Joe Biden may be headed for retirement come Monday, but his final days in office are proving to be intensely controversial among both Republicans and Democrats. Biden left supporters and critics in shock on Tuesday as he abruptly lifted Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism less than a week before he set to exit the Oval Office.
The move drew bipartisan condemnation as it undoes a host of longstanding sanctions aimed at Havana's communist government. Additionally, the Biden administration said they would be suspending a provision of the Helms-Burton Act, which allows Cuban exiles in the U.S. to file claims against Havana and seek financial compensation over seized assets.
Officials in the White House defended the decision, saying the conciliatory actions were made in deference to the Catholic Church, which has been negotiating the release of hundreds of political prisoners that remain in Cuban custody. They also claimed that Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism over the past six months.
which they apparently feel is enough justification to remove Cuba from the terror sponsor list. Shortly after the White House announcement, Cuba's president said his government would gradually begin releasing 553 prisoners held on the island, though he said this was due to successful talks with leaders from the Vatican, not because of the Biden administration.
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