Watch Webinar – Gaza Ceasefire Breakdown and Trump’s Ultimatum
Hamas’s sabotage threatens to collapse the fragile Gaza ceasefire deal. The terror group’s refusal to release more hostages “until further notice” threatens the resumption of hostilities in Gaza and other fronts and drew fury from Washington. Warning that “we’re going to lose our patience,” President Donald Trump demanded Hamas release all hostages on February 15 or face “all hell” breaking out. Similarly, Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu promised “intense fighting until Hamas is defeated” if the deadline is not met.
To discuss the latest developments with President Trump’s ultimatum and the ceasefire deal, JINSA hosted a conversation with JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror and JINSA Visiting Fellow IDF BG (ret.) Effie Defrin. The discussion was moderated by JINSA’s Vice President for Policy Blaise Misztal.
IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy Distinguished Fellow. MG Amidror was formerly the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of the National Security Council, from 2011-2013. During his 36-year career in the IDF, MG Amidror served as Commander of IDF Military Colleges, Military Secretary for the Minister of Defense, Director of the Intelligence Analysis Division, and as Intelligence Officer for the Northern Command. |
IDF BG (ret.) Effie Defrin IDF BG (ret.) Effie Defrin is a Visiting Fellow at JINSA and a former participant in JINSA’s 2019 Brigadier Generals Military Leadership Education Program. Prior to joining JINSA, BG Defrin served as the head of the IDF’s International Cooperation Division, and previously served as Israel’s Defense Attache to India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka and Commander of the IDF’s 27th Armored Brigade. |
Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. His research interests include Iran and its nuclear program, U.S.-Turkey relations, countering extremism, and strategic competition. Misztal served as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States, a congressionally mandated project convened by the U.S. Institute of Peace, and Director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s National Security Program. He has testified before Congress and published widely—including op-eds in the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New Republic, and Roll Call. Misztal holds an M.Phil. in political science from Yale and an A.B. with honors from the University of Chicago. |