About this episode
It’s been two years since the October 7th attacks on Israel. On that day in 2023, Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people and took hundreds hostage. In response, Israel unleashed a military campaign that has brought death and devastation to Gaza. Now President Trump, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his side, has unveiled a 20-point plan he says will bring a lasting peace to the region. On Oct. 3, Hamas said it agrees to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of Trump's plan and signalled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details. Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. and a military historian joins The Excerpt with my colleague USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page to discuss the new peace plan. * Note: This conversation was recorded on October 1, 2025. Episode transcript available here . Have feedback on the show? Please send us an email at podcasts@usatoday.com . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .