Day 770 - John Spencer: Hamas can be demilitarized. Here's how
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 14 November 2025
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
This week, the duo is joined by military expert John Spencer, chair of War Studies at the Madison Policy Forum and executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute.
As of recording time, some 100-200 Hamas terrorists are estimated to be holed up in tunnels in southern Gaza on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line. The US has pressured Israel to allow the terrorists safe passage back to Hamas-held areas of Gaza, though Israel has not agreed to such a solution as of yet.
For the first part of our conversation, we plumb the depths of the extensive Hamas tunnel network, speaking about its scope and how the IDF is able to destroy or at least neutralize its many tentacles.
In the second half, we speak about where the current ceasefire in Gaza may turn, as reports are circulated about a two-year mandate for an International Security Force that could be implemented to demilitarize Hamas.
Spencer gives bad -- and better -- examples of international forces and discusses why UNIFIL, the force deployed in southern Lebanon, was destined to failure.
Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.
IMAGE: John Spencer (courtesy) / Hamas militants search for the bodies of Israeli hostages in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, November 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Times of Israel's Friday Focus. |
| 0:06.0 | I'm your host, Deputy Editor Amanda Borchelle, Don, here with our diplomatic correspondent, |
| 0:10.0 | Laser Bearman, and a special guest, John Spencer. |
| 0:14.0 | Hello, gentlemen. |
| 0:15.0 | Thank you so much for joining me today. |
| 0:17.0 | Hello, Amanda. |
| 0:18.0 | Good to be here. |
| 0:19.0 | And hi, John. |
| 0:20.0 | Hi, Amanda. Hi, Laser. So glad to have you back. |
| 0:22.3 | John is the chair of war studies at the Madison Policy Forum and executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute. |
| 0:29.8 | He's also what I like to call the tunnel guy. And so for the first part of our conversation, we're going to plumb the depths of the Hamas tunnels in Gaza. |
| 0:39.4 | And in the second half, we're going to turn to John's thoughts on the ceasefire and whether it can reach a new phase. |
| 0:47.1 | And what he thinks about the idea of an international security force with a two-year mandate to basically make order in the Gaza Strip. |
| 0:56.5 | So all of this and more after the break. |
| 1:10.6 | I'm Amanda Borsel Dan here with our diplomatic correspondent, Laser Bearman, and our special guest, John Spencer. |
| 1:17.6 | So, John, as of recording time, there are about 100 to 200 Hamas terrorists estimated to be holed up in tunnels in southern Gaza in the side that Israel controls in the |
| 1:30.7 | Gaza Strip, in the Israeli side of the yellow line, as we call it. And as you know, the U.S. |
| 1:36.6 | has pressured Israel to allow these Hamas terrorists safe passage back into Gaza. Israel has, |
| 1:43.5 | so far, not agreed to do that. And these 100 or 200, |
| 1:48.0 | they're trapped in various different tunnels throughout the Gaza strip in the southern half, at least. |
| 1:53.5 | So, John, I just want to start with, based on your knowledge of this extensive, really extensive |
| 2:00.5 | tunnel network in Gaza, how much of Hamas is |
... |
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