What Trump's Peace Plan Means for Israel and Hamas
Trump and Netanyahu announced a 20-point plan for Gaza, widely hailed by global leaders What comes next?
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Alex Brandon / AP
About the Episode
Nearly two years after the Hamas attacks, President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are pushing a 20-point plan to end the Gaza war. Experts Steven Cook and Sanam Vakil say the terms essentially demand Hamas’ surrender—so is peace possible, and what does this mean for the future of regional stability and alliances? They join Deep Dish to debate the deal and what it reveals about shifting American power in the Middle East.
About the Speakers
Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Steven A. Cook is the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies and director of the International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He is an expert on Arab and Turkish politics as well as US-Middle East policy.
Director, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House
Dr Sanam Vakil is the director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House. Her expertise spans Iranian and Gulf politics, regional security dynamics, and US foreign policy, with a particular focus on the evolving strategic landscape of the Middle East and its global connectivity.
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She brings nearly 30 years of experience working at the intersection of international affairs, research, policy, and public engagement.