Trump loses out on Nobel Peace Prize, but hostage's brother says: 'he deserved it'

0:02The Telegraph

0:09A historic day for the world, but particularly US President Donald Trump, credited with bringing peace to the Middle East. Should he get a Nobel Peace Prize? We speak to his friend, the journalist Piers Morgan. We also discuss what will happen next in Gaza with Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Shiren Haskell. and we speak to a man who has been helping to support the families of the hostages held in captivity for two years, due to be released this weekend. Welcome to The Daily Tea with me, Camilla Tomini.

0:49It was an extraordinary moment at a press conference at the White House last night. Yeah, I was just given a note by the Secretary of State saying that we're very close to a deal in the Middle East and they're going to need me pretty quickly. So I will take a couple of more questions. The US president then posted on his social media site soon after in typically understated fashion. I'm very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first phase of our peace plan. This means that all of the hostages will be released very soon and Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps towards a strong, durable and everlasting peace.

1:31We thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey who worked with us to make this historic and unprecedented event happen. And then in capitals, blessed are the peacemakers. And there was a lovely moment where Donald Trump spoke directly to the hostages' families on a mobile phone. What do you guys have to say to President Trump? Thank you! I know you've done so much for us since you became a president and even before that. And we trust you fulfilled the mission until every hostage, every 48 of the hostages are home. Thank you so much. Blessed be the peacemakers. God bless you, Mr. President.

2:09God bless America. Thank you very much. You just take care of yourselves. The hostages will come back. They're all coming back on Monday. All back. So the details of the ceasefire are as follows. It's expected to begin tonight. The hostages are to be released from Gaza over the weekend in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. It's, of course, a historic breakthrough, although key details remained unconfirmed. For example, around the disarmament of Hamas and the future governance of Gaza, both important parts of Trump's 20-point peace plan, of which this is the first phase. Details remain sketchy on how the prisoner release will work.

2:51There are reports that there are 1 ,700 detainees in Israel that include women and children and 250 prisoners that include people imprisoned for terror offences. Of course, there's also now mounting speculation as to whether the US president should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It cannot happen for this year because the deadline is literally this week. Questions now raging as to whether he deserves it, being such a controversial and outspoken figure on other areas. But at the same time, clearly, his impetus has always been to secure peace, to end the bloodshed in the Middle East, and that's what he appears to have achieved.

3:32Intriguingly, I have interviewed Piers Morgan for a future podcast about his new book, Woke Is Dead, and I asked him about whether his friend, who he speaks to a lot on the telephone, Donald Trump, should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Look at what's happened this morning. We've seen the first phase agreed. It looks like the hostages will be released over the weekend into Monday. And if that happens, if Trump gets these hostages back, and there aren't many left alive, maybe 20, we think, but if he gets the hostages back and he gets the IDF to stop bombing Gaza, And he has a ceasefire, which is then a workable start of a plan to a genuine settlement over there.

4:12It will be one of the most remarkable achievements that any American president has achieved in modern times. And I suspect he will deserve, not get, because there'll be a lot of people who just on principle won't want to give him a Nobel Peace Prize. If Trump gets peace in this war, I think he not only deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, he should absolutely get the Nobel Peace Prize. And the only thing that will stop it happening is a ludicrous double standard. Well, joining us now from Israel is the Deputy Foreign Minister Shiren Haskell. Thank you for reappearing on The Daily Tea. Lovely to see you.

4:45We were together at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester and you've returned to Israel to what appears to be extremely good news, the potential release of these hostages on Sunday. What's your reaction to what's been announced? Wow, it's a mixed feeling. On the one hand, we are extremely excited. Finally, hopefully during this weekend, you know, hostages who were held for two years being tortured, abused, sexually, physically, emotionally, will be able to be back in the loving arms of their family. We are really excited and thrilled and happy about it. At the same time, we need to understand what's the cost for that as well.

5:31The families of the victims of terrorist attack were murdered in the most brutal way you can imagine. Those perpetrators who were convicted of murder, hundreds of them will be released back into society with no restrictions. And this is a very difficult place for many of these families, for many people in Israel, people who took part in the 7th of October massacre. occur. It is very difficult at the same time. You're talking there, Ms. Haskell, about the 2 ,000 or so people who have been imprisoned on Israel's side. I mean, some of them are women and children, aren't they? No, no. All of them.

6:17So women and children were released, not children, but women were released in the first stage. Okay. And right now, the convicted prisoners who are going to be released on the Palestinian side are people that many of them have committed terrorist attacks. I think all of them are men, but I'm being very cautious because in an hour, there's going to be a cabinet meeting here in the government. We're going to talk about the in-depth detail, the names of the people that are going to be released, what they've committed, what crimes they were convicted of. And that's going to be very difficult. But there has to be some kind of quid pro quo in any negotiation, doesn't there?

7:02I mean, to get the 48 hostages back. And let's be perfectly honest here, Deputy Foreign Minister, some of these hostages, unfortunately, there are bodies going back to families. Yeah, and we look throughout the last two years, every time we had a diplomatic path to reach our goals of the war, which are the release of the hostages, which are to dismantle Hamas, we chose the diplomatic path, even though those huge concessions and the difficulties that comes with it. We always turn to measures of army, of military campaign, when we didn't have any other choice. And I think this is something that any other country would have done to protect and defend its community, to bring back people who were abducted from the beds that for two years are being tortured and abused.

7:54When it comes to the future governance of Gaza, do you have any more detail on the plan, and particularly, of course, Hamas's future in Gaza? So, Hamas right now has accepted only the first stage of the deal that speaks about the return of the hostages and the release of those convicted prisoners. It hasn't accepted the second stage. And I have to say, even though when Trump put that peace plan on the table, Israel accepted it immediately, as it is. The international community embraced it and adopted it. The Arab world, including Turkey and Qatar and Jordan, have said yes to that peace plan, which include the first stage and the second stage.

8:41And I have to also say, even the Palestinian authority have accepted it. Unfortunately, right now, Hamas agreed only for the first stage. The second stage speak about the day after. and the fact that Hamas doesn't have any role in that future, not from a military perspective and not from a civilian perspective. And that was something that was accepted by everybody because we cannot live beside a terrorist organisation, not the Israelis and not the Palestinians either. Ms. Haskell, earlier on we asked Piers Morgan, who is close to Donald Trump, whether the US president should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

9:21What do you think? How influential has his role been in this ceasefire deal? So, look, I think that, first of all, there were two factors in all the ceasefire that you've seen here in Israel, in Gaza, with Hezbollah, with Iran. The first one was military pressure, and the other one was Trump's pressure on the aggressors, on Hamas and on Hezbollah and on Iran to accept that ceasefire. He has a major, major, major place in that, a major role. And I think that during these times when we've seen what he pushed, negotiated and led in the Middle East, but not just the Middle East. Look on what he's done with India and Pakistan, on the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, on many areas and even the first discussions between Ukraine and Russia.

10:22I think that if he will not receive the Peace Prize, the Nobel Prize, it will just turn into another institution that has been politicised, that cares more about politics than actions and what's in the reality. You're going into a cabinet meeting now. How confident are you that your colleagues are going to support this deal? Some members of the coalition, Security Minister Gavir, Finance Minister Smotrich, are saying that they will not vote for the deal. So it's important also to just mention the Israeli governments run very differently to the UK government. You know, we don't speak in one voice.

11:05Many of them have their opinions and they voice it out loud. There's many voices for that. And it's OK. We have that discussion as a democracy, but as a parliamentary system. I think that right now in the cabinet, there's a majority for Prime Minister Netanyahu. I back him. Most of the ministers back him on this deal, as we've done last time. And it's important also to remember the last ceasefire. Ben Gvir actually resigned from the government because he opposed that deal. But the Prime Minister Netanyahu still had a majority and still passed that deal with our backing. What do you make of the criticisms of Netanyahu that he has prolonged the fighting for his own political gain?

11:50Look, we are a democratic society and we can have a conversation about everything. Sometimes even leaders take the wrong decision. You have advisors who advise you wrongly. Personally, I've criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu through the last two years. for example in March when they reduced the intensity of the maneuver and the military operation in Gaza I said that if we go into a quiet ceasefire because of the international pressure that will prolong the war and it did at least in six months and I think that was in the past the wrong decision to make we should have continued with a full operated military campaign you know but we're you know we're not in the past i think that definitely decision that were made during the last year have led israel to many victories and secure a lot of the safety of israel for many years to come whether it was in the lebanese border with hezbollah syria iraq iran and now with hamas as well and finally miss haskell take off your political hat for a moment and let's just speak as mums here because Israel and Israelis have endured the most horrific last two years as have people on the Palestinian side in Gaza.

13:18There has been intense suffering. How does it just feel as a human being to think that there is at least at last a prospect of peace not just for you but also for Palestinians and for both of your children essentially. I mean, this is quite the moment, isn't it? Yeah, it is. And I have to say, it's very important to understand, we have always, but always wanted peace and stability. We never wanted that war. That war is a tragedy for both sides. There isn't a war you can conduct without casualties, without horrendous sites, without bodies. I know that, trust me. I was a combat soldier for three years during the times of the Second Intifada.

14:02I don't wish those sights to be seen by anyone. And that's why also, you know, in the beginning of the war, it took us three weeks to set a military operation. During this time, we told Hamas, if you dismantle and disarm, and if you return our hostages, there won't be a single soldier in Gaza. And they declined. We know what the price of war is, but unfortunately, it wasn't up to us. And, you know, we think about the prospect of the future. And I think that the peace plan that Trump has put on the table will actually be able to build a path towards coexistence, towards the capability of Palestinians and Israelis living side by side, because he's not obsessed by some slogan like a two-state solution.

14:56He talks about education. He talks about the economy. He talks about security. So we understand the needs of both sides. We understand that the Gaza population is a population that's been radicalized for almost 20 years by a terrorist organization. And so we have to have a conversation about education so that the children of Gaza, We look on Israelis not as enemies, but as people who can live side by side. And that is the only thing that will be able to prevent another war, another round of conflict and another cycle of violence and death. Sharen Haskell, Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, thank you very much for joining me on The Daily Tea again.

15:45Thanks a lot, Camilla. Coming up next, we're going to be speaking to Gilly Roman, whose sister was abducted by Hamas on October 7th for the reaction from the hostage families.

16:07Joining me now is Gilly Roman, whose sister Yarden was taken hostage on October 7th. Yarden was amongst the first hostages to be released in November 2023 but Gilly has been campaigning for the return of the others ever since. Gilly, thank you so much for joining me on The Daily Tea. In the first instance, I mean, this is a nightmare that you have lived. Yes, you got Yarden back, but you've been helping the families of hostages who have remained in captivity since October the 7th to try and get through this ongoing nightmare. What's the reaction to the news that we've heard overnight? I think it's exhilaration.

16:44If you see the photos of people dancing in the streets, families crying, weeping of joy, we can see smiles on faces of a hostage family that we haven't seen for the last two years. And I'm watching closely being side by side with them. It's incredible. But it's not only among the hostage family. I think it's a national thing of just joy, joy and relief. Yes, although it's a double-edged sword, isn't it? Because while some hostages will be coming back alive, other families will be receiving bodies, which must be so difficult to even begin to comprehend the grief and the misery that that will cause this weekend.

17:29It's true. I think that it is something that we are quite acquainted with as Israelis, like living with happiness and pride along sorrow and pain. Even our Independence Day is connected to our Memorial Day. So I think that we will be joyful and extremely happy for the return of all the living hostages, but also grieving afterwards for the dead hostages that will be returned. But let's remember, those families are agonizing for the last two years, some of them less than two years. That will be at least a way for them to have this circle closed and to have the ability to bury their loved ones and give them the honor that they deserve.

18:19But yes, it's heartbreaking. And I'm very sorry that many families are going to experience that. But we as a nation will be able to do both. We'll be able to fully enjoy and share our happiness, but also our grief. I mean, your sister had an appalling experience, but you got her back fairly quickly. Have you been advising the family? Has your sister been helping to prepare them for receiving back relatives who have lived in the most appalling conditions for the last two years? How can you prepare? first of all it's funny that we that not funny but it's funny and disturbing that we are relating to my sister time in captivity as quick she was 54 days without freedom in the hands of terrorists but yes relatively to 700 more days it is quick but just see how much it's not only you it's only us are perceptive it can be twisted look it's very hard to say how to to accept them I don't think there is a manual.

19:23I'm going to have tonight probably a conversation with some of the family members to share with them our experience. I think you just need to be very patient, very loving, very supporting. Each case is unique and it's related to the character of the hostages that is coming back. It's related to the conditions, related to the time, related to the family. So my main advice is just be very patient, be very subtle. So try to listen. But I think the most important thing is give yourself the opportunity to hold this person, to embrace their return, to hug them, to listen to them. Listen to them a lot.

20:06I think the most important thing, I would say, the most important thing for someone who is coming from captivity is to have autonomy and sovereignty over their own life and their decisions. So we need to give them as much freedom to convey their wishes, their desires, and also their reservations from things and to be in tune with that. So this is the most crucial, crucial thing because what has been deprived for them, the essential thing is deprived for them, is their freedom, their autonomy and their sovereignty, their body over their decision. That is the meaning that they need to get back. Yes, the support that they're giving mentally will be as important, if not more important than the support they're given physically, particularly if they return emaciated in ill health.

20:57I mean, this is something beyond comprehension, how their lives have been changed by the last two years. So we wish you very well with those efforts. True. Let's remember all of them. Some of them have been suffered immensely from malnutrition and tortures and maybe some of them haven't seen the light of day for maybe a year or more. So yeah, even the physical is going to be for some of them very hard. Donald Trump is getting a lot of credit for helping to secure this peace deal. Talk of him being given the Nobel Peace Prize. What are your thoughts on that, Gilly? I really hope so. I think that this is clearly a point of saving life and bringing the possibility of peace or at least like a ceasefire that's going to save lives.

21:41I don't think something and somebody can be more deserving this price of something that is not metaphorical. It's not even a process. He actually managed to end this war. I have to say, to be completely honest, I was already starting to be unoptimistic about our ability to end this war in the upcoming years, even. It seems that either of the side, no Hamas or this government, the Israeli government were willing enough to put a plan how it's going to be dissolved. So all the credit goes to him, really. All the credit goes to him. He put all of his political capital, all the pressure, got all the actors in line that we asked for a lot of time.

22:26For two years, we are begging to demand from Qatar, from Turkey, from Egypt to put all of their pressure and to bring Hamas to the table in these conditions. So I think that, of course, he should get this price. And I will be very moved to see this because this is actually what we imagine and inspire when we want to see people reserve in conflict. So it's true it's not a lasting peace that will take much more time and effort. But this is a crucial breaking point. Have you been critical in the past of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when it comes to perceptions, perhaps among some who have been caring for the families of the hostages, that this has been overtly prolonged, perhaps for his own political gain?

23:12Yeah, absolutely. Look, my main criticism is always being put on Hamas. I think this is the focus. I think that you can see it today. They could have ended it like a long time ago. Just give up your weapon, give the hostages. That could be over like a long time ago. But even Netanyahu, I think that, yes, also for political reasons and because he had really governing like the worst Israeli government ever existed with people who are between radicals and lunatics with ideas of like our future that are completely unacceptable. And he was drawn by some of them to not doing what he did, actually, what Trump forced him to do.

23:52say exactly how you want this war to end. Show a plan, commit to a plan, and then put all the pressure on the other side. We are begging for this. We are marching in the streets. We're demonstrating for two years, almost every day, shortly every week, tens of thousands of Israelis, hundreds of thousands of Israelis are demanding that. This is an overwhelming support for more than a year of between 60 to 80 % now of Israelis supporting the end of the deal, the end of the war for the return of the hostages. And I think that it took him a lot of time. Most of the blame should be put on Hamas, of course, and also many of pro-Hamas propaganda and pro-Hamas demonstration and people who are claiming to support the Palestinians, but they actually supported the prolonging of the war.

24:37This is the main problem. But yes, there was also a problem the Israeli side, and we did our best, really, we did our best to pressure our own government to be in the situation that we are today. It's a hopeful time. It's a hopeful moment. I hope we're going to end on a note of hope. I don't want to betray any confidences or invade your sister's privacy, but how is Yarden doing? Well, today she's much better. The healing process is a long process, but I really hope for every single hostage and every single family to be in this process because the amazing thing about it is that you are alive, that you are safe, and you can focus on your healing and not on your survivor.

25:17And although it is a long and slow process also for Yerden and for our family, we are hoping for their return. And you know, also our family has suffered loss. We have our family member, Carmel Gat, who was murdered in captivity. So we know what is it also to get a body back instead of a living person. It makes all the difference in the world. so I really hope for them to return safely and nothing to be damaging this incredible agreement incredible agreement that's going to save life of so many people let's see it happening I really hope for all of them to be in this healing process next week already yes Gili you've achieved so much with all of your campaigning and we wish you all the very best for the next phase of this journey Thank you very much indeed for joining us on The Daily Tea.

26:09Thank you very much. It's a happy day. Thank you.

26:16Before we go, just some feedback from the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, and most specifically, Kemi Badenock's barnstorming speech, which Tim and I agreed was the best she's delivered in her career. And Tim, having gone to all four conferences, poor man, suggested was the best leader's speech of all. Debbie Stone writes, Good morning, Camilla and Tim. Well, I have hope in my heart that the Conservatives are on the right track. I know they have to do a lot of convincing, but what a speech. I could listen to Kemi all day long. And she says about Tim and I, another great listen. Hopefully you can listen to us all day long too.

26:49Richard writes, agree she was excellent, but I don't believe the Tories anymore because of central office and the wet MPs. Will Kemi be able to put them in their place? And Emma Pelly writes, dear Camilla and Tim, just listened to your podcast about Kemi Badenock's speech and wanted to write to say that whilst it did not bring me to tears, like the gentleman at the end speaking to Camilla, lovely Jim, it did fill me with some hope. Finally, the Conservative Party has remembered what they are here for. The speech was a cracker. If they continue on in this vein, then Nigel Farage will not have it all his own way come the next general election.

27:23Well, we will be back tomorrow with that interview that we had previously tasted with former royal butler Paul Burrell. You're going to enjoy it. Back at 5pm tomorrow. Thank you.