Israel and Hamas just struck a ‘phase one’ deal to return hostages. Is the end of the war near?

MENASource Jun 24, 2025

Dispatch from the Gulf: Finding middle ground amid Israel-Iran war

By Allison Minor

Congressional delegation visit coincided with Israel and Iran squaring off in a direct military confrontation.
Iran Israel
Israel and Hamas just struck a ‘phase one’ deal to return hostages. Is the end of the war near?

MENASource Jun 18, 2025

Dispatch from Jerusalem: Inside Israel’s bunkers as Iran war erupts

By Sarah Zaaimi

The stakes are higher as two opposing rhetorics about the region’s future are at play: Pan-Abrahamism and Revolutionary Islamism.
Civil Society Iran
Israel and Hamas just struck a ‘phase one’ deal to return hostages. Is the end of the war near?

Inflection Points Jun 14, 2025

Israel’s Iran strike provides a historic chance for Middle East realignment

By Frederick Kempe

History will remember this moment less for the Israeli strikes themselves and more for what follows.
Iran Israel

Israel-Hamas war

Experts from across the Atlantic Council are providing insight and analysis at speed and in depth on the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel’s response, and how the emerging conflict is upending the Middle East and the world.

Programs

The N7 Initiative, a partnership between the Atlantic Council and the Jeffrey M. Talpins Foundation, seeks to broaden and deepen normalization between Israel and Arab and Muslim countries. It works with governments to produce actionable recommendations to deliver tangible benefits to their people.

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Content

Fast Thinking

Oct 8, 2025

Israel and Hamas just struck a ‘phase one’ deal to return hostages. Is the end of the war near?

By Atlantic Council

In this initial phase, Hamas will return living hostages, while Israel will begin to pull back its forces in the Gaza Strip.

Israel
Middle East

Fast Thinking

Oct 3, 2025

Hamas just agreed to release all remaining hostages. What does that mean for the Trump peace plan?

By Atlantic Council

On Friday, Hamas agreed to release all of the remaining hostages that the militant group captured during its October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. Our experts share their perspectives on what this means for a potential cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Conflict
Crisis Management

MENASource

Oct 2, 2025

Why Israel’s push for West Bank annexation is going mainstream—and what it means for the Abraham Accords

By Itai Melchior

In the past, West Bank annexation was only endorsed by smaller right-wing parties. But today—the demands are far more mainstream in Israel.

International Norms
Israel

New Atlanticist

Sep 30, 2025

How a UN Security Council resolution could help end the war in Gaza

By Thomas S. Warrick

Drawing inspiration from an earlier example, the council should pass a one-time-only resolution authorizing an international transitional governing authority and security force.

Conflict
Israel

In the News

Sep 29, 2025

Wechsler joins CNN to discuss Trump and Netanyahu meeting on Gaza ceasefire plan

By William F. Wechsler

Israel
Middle East

MENASource

Sep 26, 2025

For an increasingly isolated Netanyahu, it’s money time with Trump

By Shalom Lipner

Amid growing international criticism, the Israeli Prime Minister is playing his ace—or rather, his Trump—card in Washington.

Israel
Middle East

MENASource

Sep 26, 2025

The Saudi-Pakistan defense pact highlights the Gulf’s evolving strategic calculus

By Eleonora Ardemagni

In Riyadh’s multi-aligned policy, signing a mutual defense deal with Pakistan is complementary, not alternative, to US security guarantees.

India
Indo-Pacific

MENASource

Sep 26, 2025

How Armenia-Azerbaijan peace could reshape Israel’s regional ties

By Sheila Paylan

If Armenia’s peace with Azerbaijan holds, it could offer an imperfect, but instructive, model for other protracted conflicts.

Eastern Europe
Israel

New Atlanticist

Sep 23, 2025

Dispatch from 2,200 feet over Gaza: What I learned from airdropping desperately needed food aid

By Ahmed F. Alkhatib

The head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project, joined a recent humanitarian flight over the Gaza Strip that delivered much-needed food to Palestinians.

Conflict
Israel

MENASource

Sep 19, 2025

How Israel’s strike on Doha is forcing a Gulf security reckoning

By Giorgio Cafiero

The Gulf monarchies have displayed strong unity at a time when rethinking twenty-first-century Gulf security is no longer optional.

Israel
Middle East
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Experts

Fellow

Amir Asmar

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Intelligence Israel

Staff

Melanie Robbins 

Deputy Director, Realign for Palestine

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Itai Melchior

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Artificial Intelligence Economy & Business

Fellow

Robert Fardi

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Economy & Business Israel

Fellow

Dan Rothem

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Conflict Hebrew

Fellow

Samantha Sutton

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Conflict Israel
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