Episode Details

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After more than two years, the mission to bring home every Israeli held hostage in Gaza has come to an end. For many Israelis, that moment has lifted an enormous emotional weight and raised a difficult question: Is the October 7 war over?

Host Aviva Klompas is joined by Dr. Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the United States, to reflect on what this moment represents and what comes next. They discuss how wars actually end and what the return of the hostages means for a country emerging from prolonged trauma.

The conversation also looks ahead to Gaza: proposals for postwar governance, the challenge of dismantling Hamas, and the risk that Israel could become stuck in a prolonged holding pattern - neither fully withdrawn nor fully reengaged.