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Inside the Final Push to Free the October 7 Hostages
The Free Press • • world
Key Points:
- Brett McGurk, former National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa under President Biden, details the intense negotiations to free 251 hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel in his new book, *Brink: Inside the Race to Free the October 7th Hostages*.
- The book recounts McGurk’s role up to the final hours of the Biden administration, highlighting the successful release of 33 hostages and the initial implementation of a ceasefire agreement.
- In the transition period after the 2024 U.S. presidential election, McGurk and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan briefed their Trump administration successors, emphasizing the need for a united front to advance the Gaza deal.
- Military developments favored Israel following the collapse of hostage talks, including a significant operation on September 17 that targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, known as Operation Grim Beeper, which severely disrupted Hezbollah’s capabilities.
