Transcript [00:00] Ever since Ran Gilli's body came home, [00:02] that's the final hostage, the soldier [00:05] who whose body was still in Gaza. Ever [00:08] since he came home a couple days ago, [00:09] everyone has now really ramped up the [00:12] talk about moving on to phase 2 and the [00:14] reconstruction of Gaza. And the other [00:17] day, Mike Waltz, the United States [00:19] ambassador to the United Nations, was [00:22] talking about all of this in the UN. And [00:24] I want I want to listen carefully to [00:26] what he's saying. And I'm actually going [00:27] to stop this video at a few points and [00:30] talk about it as we go because he [00:31] touches on a number of very important [00:34] topics. Let's have a listen. [00:36] >> Jar Petraas for his statement. I now [00:40] give the floor to the representative of [00:42] United States. [00:44] >> Thank you, Mr. President. [00:47] Thank you uh deputy special coordinator [00:52] Alak Baraf for your briefing. It was [00:55] good to spend time with you. uh late [00:57] last year. Welcome to our colleagues, [01:00] your excellencies of foreign ministers [01:02] from Greece and Liberia. [01:04] First and foremost, [01:06] we should truly take heart that Ron [01:10] Gaville's [01:11] remains have finally returned to his [01:14] family who have suffered through [01:16] unthinkable hardship for far too long. [01:18] His funeral was today [01:21] and we hope his return brings a measure [01:24] of soloulless and closure uh for the [01:27] family that I also had the honor to [01:30] spend some time with. And we are I think [01:32] we all hope the remains of all the [01:36] deceased [01:38] are returned to their loved ones. those [01:41] that were killed in this horrible war [01:44] started by Hamas [01:48] so that these families can have some [01:50] type of closure and peace. Colleagues, [01:53] for the first time since 2014 [01:56] and over a decade, Hamas and its [01:58] terrorist organ terrorist affiliates no [02:02] longer hold any hostages in Gaza. [02:07] That's extraordinary [02:10] and we should take note of it. And I [02:12] hope all those who claimed Hamas didn't [02:16] know the locations of every hostage [02:19] understand frankly their error. [02:22] It is only due to the relentless efforts [02:25] of the Israeli people and government, [02:27] the tireless work of President Trump, [02:29] his special envoys Witoff and Kushner, [02:33] and the strong pressure put on Hamas, [02:36] brought to bear by not only the United [02:39] States, but our partners in the region, [02:41] that all the hostages have at last [02:43] returned home [02:46] and we could take those yellow ribbons [02:48] off our lapels. colleagues. [02:51] >> Okay, I want to talk about this. You [02:53] know, he makes it sound like the that [02:57] the last hostage came home under the [02:59] same circumstances as all the earlier [03:01] ones. Let me explain what I mean by [03:02] that. It's true that we have a lot to [03:04] thank [03:07] President Trump and his team for for [03:08] bringing the hostages home. But when he [03:11] says there that it's only due to the [03:13] relentless efforts of the United States [03:15] and uh and Israel and the partners, he [03:18] left out one very important uh thank you [03:21] there, one very important uh factor that [03:23] led to the finding of of Ran Guile's [03:27] body and the release of his body and [03:29] that is the IDF. Let me explain. You [03:32] see, there is this perception out there [03:35] that finally, finally, Kamas released [03:38] Ran Villi's body or the terrorists [03:40] returned his body. Nothing can be [03:42] further from the truth. All of these [03:44] weeks and months that have gone by that [03:46] they've denied knowing where he is or [03:47] haven't returned him, they were refusing [03:50] to return him. Let me tell you the true [03:52] story of how Ran Villi's body was [03:55] returned. It had nothing to do with [03:58] Kamas helping out. Nothing to do with it [04:00] at all. In fact, they were withholding [04:02] it. What happened was there the [04:06] uh the IDF started suspecting. There [04:09] were some soldiers in the IDF who [04:11] suspected that there were that in a [04:15] certain Islamic uh in a certain Muslim [04:18] cemetery in the Gaza Strip that was [04:20] right next to the home of a very high [04:25] ranking member of Palestinian Islamic [04:27] Jihad, which is another terrorist group [04:29] kind of adjacent to Hamas. They kind of [04:31] work together with kamas, but they're a [04:33] different group that so this highranking [04:35] commander in Islamic jihad had his home [04:37] next to this cemetery and some soldiers [04:40] said, you know, we should really check [04:41] this out. They went into the home. They [04:44] discovered some tunnels. They destroyed [04:45] the tunnels, but then they were also [04:47] suspecting that there was something [04:48] fishy about this cemetery. And they [04:49] asked permission from their commanders [04:52] to to, you know, to look into the [04:55] cemetery. At the same time, they went [04:57] in. There was a special operation that [04:59] went in to one of the most dangerous [05:02] dangerous areas of the Gaza Strip a few [05:04] weeks ago and they kidnapped they [05:07] kidnapped a high ranking terrorist in [05:10] Palestinian Islamic Jihad and they [05:12] brought him over to the Israeli side. [05:14] They pulled him out. They actually went [05:15] in to an Islamic jihad neighborhood in [05:18] Gaza, the special forces in Israel. They [05:21] pulled this guy out, took him to the [05:23] Israeli side and interrogated him for [05:25] two weeks until he revealed that yes, [05:29] Ron Gile's body was somewhere in this in [05:32] this cemetery. And these soldiers went [05:34] in there, but he wouldn't tell them [05:35] exactly where. Maybe he didn't know. The [05:36] Israeli soldiers went in there and they [05:38] actually dug up bodies from the [05:42] cemetery. And they dug up 250 [05:46] bodies. And the 250th body that they dug [05:49] up was that of Ran Guilli. That's how [05:52] his body was brought home. It was not [05:54] brought home because Kamas decided, [05:57] okay, the time has finally come to move [05:58] to phase two. It did not come home [06:00] because of diplomatic pressure from the [06:02] United States. Of course, other other [06:04] hostages did. So, we're going to give [06:06] credit where it's due. But understand, [06:08] this whole saga of the hostages only [06:09] ended not because Hamas was willing to [06:12] end it. It's not because they complied [06:15] finally with the terms of the agreement. [06:17] They did not. They were refusing. And [06:19] they knew all along he was there. They [06:22] The reason he came home is because the [06:24] IDF took on a dangerous operation, went [06:28] in there and found him themselves. [06:31] That's why this whole thing ended. Let's [06:32] go on. There's a lot more that that Mike [06:33] Waltz had to say in the UN. So, let's [06:35] continue with his testimony there. [06:39] On January 16th, [06:42] President Trump celebrated the formation [06:46] of the National Committee for the [06:48] Administration of Gaza. [06:50] For the first time since 2007, [06:56] the people of Gaza who desperately want [06:59] peace and they want peace and not Hamas, [07:03] its supporters or its enablers, they [07:06] have an opportunity to chart a peaceful [07:09] future for the Gaza Strip. Okay, that [07:13] that is uh I wish that were true. It's [07:15] patently false. According to all [07:17] polling, including polling done just a [07:19] couple months ago in October, uh [07:22] Palestinian polling, Kamas still remains [07:24] very popular. Listen to this poll [07:26] question. There was a poll question in [07:29] um in this uh in this poll done in [07:33] October of 2025, just a few months ago, [07:37] where they asked uh the residents of [07:39] Gaza and they also asked the Palestinian [07:42] Arabs, whatever you want to call them, [07:44] in Judea and Samaria, known as the West [07:45] Bank. They asked them the following [07:46] question. Are you in favor of kamas [07:49] laying down its weapons [07:52] to end the war? If it will mean the end [07:55] of the war. That was the question they [07:56] asked them. Very simple question, right? [07:58] Are you in favor of kamas laying down [08:00] its weapons if it will mean the end of [08:04] the war? Well, okay. And here was the [08:08] answer. [08:10] 87% [08:12] in Judea and Samaria in the West Bank [08:14] and 55% still a big majority in the Gaza [08:17] Strip were opposed only and and then [08:20] there were those who were undecided only [08:22] 29% [08:24] only 29% [08:26] of the total of Palestinians supported [08:30] it. So 69% overall 69% close to 70% of [08:34] all Palestinians said that they would [08:36] rather the war continue and kamas hold [08:40] on to its weapons than kamas lay down [08:42] its weapons to end the war. In other [08:44] words, they do they do not want a future [08:47] without kamas. They want kamas to remain [08:49] in power. They want them to remain armed [08:51] and they don't even want the war to end [08:53] if it means that there's no more kamas. [08:55] So it's it's kind of wishful thinking. I [08:57] appreciate the positive sentiment by [09:00] Mike Waltz and by the Americans who keep [09:02] telling us and telling themselves that [09:04] the people of Gaza just want a better [09:06] life and they don't want kamas in power. [09:08] Unfortunately, according to polling and [09:10] according to their behavior, for the [09:13] majority of them, that does not seem to [09:15] be true. Well, but we can only hope. [09:18] Let's go on. We are grateful, deeply [09:21] grateful for Dr. Ali Shaith's leadership [09:25] of the National Committee and for our [09:28] partnership with those serving alongside [09:31] him to restore public services, to [09:33] rebuild civil institutions, and to [09:36] stabilize daily life uh in Gaza. Last [09:40] week in Davos, President Trump announced [09:43] the Board of Peace [09:46] and with it the transition to phase two [09:49] of the 20point plan, both of which were [09:53] established and endorsed by this [09:56] committee in resolution 2803. The [09:59] results of phase one speak for [10:02] themselves. [10:03] [snorts] a ceasefire that the entire [10:06] world were begging for and demanding, [10:10] humanitarian aid that was so desperately [10:13] needed, [10:14] and the release and return of all [10:17] hostage hostages to their families. [10:19] Phase two [10:21] will advance the full demilitarization [10:24] and reconstruction of Gaza in line with [10:27] the president's plan and with Security [10:29] Council resolution 2803. On behalf of [10:32] the United States, I would like to thank [10:35] all those that have committed to joining [10:38] the Board of Peace, especially fellow [10:41] council members Bahrain and Pakistan. [10:45] Under President Trump's chairmanship, [10:48] the Board of Peace is acting and not [10:51] just talking. With the president's [10:53] vision and tenacity, the board will help [10:56] realize a new Gaza and a break from this [11:01] decades old cycle of violence. [11:05] We realize it's unconventional. [11:08] Change makes some uncomfortable, [11:11] but with this innovative approach, we [11:14] are leaving behind decades of wasted [11:17] time, wasted money, and wasted chances [11:19] for peace. And we are already seeing [11:22] results with the cooperation and [11:24] assistance of Israel and our Board of [11:26] Peace partners. Over 55,000 [11:31] trucks have entered Gaza, bringing food, [11:35] shelter, and medicine since the [11:37] ceasefire began. Over one [11:40] Okay, I'm just going to say this quick. [11:42] It's about 600 truckloads a day. And it [11:46] all almost all goes right into the hands [11:49] of kamas. Kamas takes all of this food. [11:52] And there's also fuel in there. It's not [11:55] just food and medicines. It's not just [11:56] sandwiches and and you know and baby [11:58] formula. There's also um uh there's also [12:01] a lot of fuel in there that's used for [12:03] all kinds of nefarious activities. But [12:05] the main thing is that kamas takes all [12:07] of this and they end up being the ones [12:09] distributing the food. They sell it. [12:10] They use it to recruit more people to [12:13] their ranks. So the vast quantities of [12:16] humanitarian aid going into the Gaza [12:18] Strip have only strengthened Kamas. Now [12:20] that doesn't mean that Kamas is still an [12:22] existential threat and that they're [12:23] really they don't really have they're [12:26] not building up weapons. So let's not [12:27] say that the sky is falling, but I [12:30] wouldn't be so quick to celebrate the [12:32] vast quantities of humanitarian aid that [12:35] have gone right into the hands of Hamas [12:37] and made them very uh very cash solvent. [12:41] They're using it to fund all of their [12:43] activities and pay all of their [12:44] operatives. So, it's a bit of a bit of a [12:47] problem there. [12:49] 1.3 million people have received food [12:52] assistance in December. [12:55] We welcomed the reopening of Alen Gate [12:59] and King Hussein Bridge, the crossing [13:01] between [13:03] uh the crossing between uh Israel and [13:05] Jordan. And we welcome the full opening [13:08] of the reopening of the Rafa border [13:12] crossing which will expedite the flow of [13:15] medical evacuations. But we must take [13:17] care. Assistance cannot devolve into [13:20] dependence. [13:22] And with support [13:24] from the high representative for Gaza, [13:27] Nicola Nikolai Miladov, [snorts] [13:32] the National Committee will restore [13:34] essential services throughout Gaza and [13:36] foster an economy where opportunity [13:39] replaces unemploy unemployment and [13:41] dependence. But before we can reach this [13:44] goal, [13:45] Hamas and other militant groups [13:49] must lay down their arms. [13:52] That my friends is the big issue. That [13:56] is the big problem. Kamas must lay down [13:59] their weapons. And yet again, Kamas is [14:01] saying here we have Musa Abu Marzuk. [14:05] Musa Abu Marzuk. Kamas senior official [14:07] Musa Abu Marzuk said yesterday on [14:11] January 28th on Al Jazzer that kamas has [14:14] never agreed to lay down its weapons. [14:17] That's Musa Abu Marzuk, senior [14:19] spokesperson for Hamas yesterday, [14:22] January 28th, on Al Jazzer, saying, [14:25] "We've still never agreed to lay down [14:28] our weapons." And the big problem with [14:30] the with the Trump 20point plan, if you [14:32] read the plan, one of the big problems [14:34] with it, maybe the biggest problem, [14:35] there's a few. I think I'm going to make [14:38] a separate video about the various [14:40] issues in the 20point plan to look for [14:42] in this phase two that are going to [14:44] cause problems because there's a few of [14:46] them and maybe we'll read through the [14:48] plan. But in the Trump 20point plan, it [14:51] talks about the disarming of kamas [14:52] simply as something that will happen. [14:54] Kamas will be disarmed. Kamas will lay [14:56] down their weapons. And he said it here [14:58] again. Kamas has to lay down their [14:59] weapons. Kamas will lay down their [15:01] weapons. The Kazra will be [15:03] demilitarized. What's the problem? The [15:05] problem is that nowhere in the 20point [15:07] plan does it say whose job it is to take [15:09] the weapons away from kamas. It makes it [15:11] sound like it's just something that will [15:13] take place or that kamas will agree to. [15:16] And kamas continues to insist. They in [15:19] they said this the day the 20point plan [15:21] was announced. They've been saying it [15:22] ever since. And like I said, Musa Abu [15:25] Marzuk, senior kamas official on Al [15:27] Jazzer yesterday, saying again that [15:31] kamas has never agreed to lay down their [15:32] weapons. So look, if these board of [15:35] peace people want to start trying to do [15:36] something and trying to make it work, [15:38] all the power to them, but Israel must [15:41] not withdraw even one inch from its [15:43] positions on the yellow line controlling [15:45] 50% of the Gaza Strip. Uh and must not [15:49] allow some sort of dog and pony show [15:51] where they pretend to disarm and give [15:53] their weapons to each other and claim [15:54] that they're not Hamas anymore. Israel [15:56] is going to have to hold firm and that's [15:57] one of the things to watch for in the [15:59] coming days. We're going to come back to [16:01] this topic uh a lot, but uh look, Mike [16:04] Waltz is a good guy. He's been a great [16:06] supporter of Israel and he's obviously [16:07] reading the statement he has to read and [16:09] there's uh but again, I can't stress [16:11] this enough. There's a lot of wishful [16:13] thinking in the American proposal here. [16:17] So, all the power to them. We're happy [16:19] Ron Gilli is home, but let's keep a [16:22] realistic perspective on what's going on [16:23] over there in the Gaza Strip. Okay? If [16:26] you enjoyed this video, please make sure [16:27] to like, subscribe, all that stuff. [16:29] Share it. tell people about the channel. [16:31] We're still just getting started. And [16:34] please make sure to check out all the [16:35] great content that we're putting up at [16:37] Israel 365's YouTube channel. God bless.
