Good day and welcome to the January 14th, 2025 edition of the Daily Article Podcast.

I'm Chris Elkins of the Denison Forum, narrating today's daily article written by co-founder, CEO,

and good friend, Dr. Jim Denison.

President Joe Biden delivered his final foreign policy address yesterday, stating that a Gaza

ceasefire and hostage release deal was on the brink of being finalized.

Israel and Hamas have reportedly been presented with a final draft of such an agreement

after a breakthrough was reached Sunday evening

following talks between Cutter's prime minister, Israel's intelligence chiefs, and envoys

from President Biden and President-elect Trump. A Palestinian source said he expected the deal to be

finalized today if, quote-unquote, all goes well. According to the terms,

Hamas would release 34 hostages during the first of three phases in the ceasefire, while Israel

would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Women, children, and elderly,

and the ill, would be among the hostages released in the first phase,

though Hamas has not so far publicly confirmed how many of them are alive.

Israeli troops would eventually withdraw from Gaza,

though Israel has reportedly proposed the establishment of a new buffer zone in the strip

to prevent future terror attacks.

Humanitarian aid would be significantly increased to Gaza during the first phase of the ceasefire.

Discussions about a new governing body and reconstruction of Gaza would be held in the final phase.

Whatever happens with these negotiations, they obviously cannot undo 18 months of suffering caused by

Hamas' horrific invasion on October 7, 2023. None of us can imagine the pain and suffering of these

hostages and their families or the grief of those who lost loved ones on that day and in the

...