Danon Speaks Out: The Gaza Ceasefire Unfolded – An NPR Exclusive

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

The ceasefire that commenced on Sunday in Gaza has allowed Palestinians the opportunity to return to homes they abandoned months prior. NPR producer Anas Baba portrayed this situation in Rafah, a town in southern Gaza on the Egyptian border.

ANAS BABA, BYLINE: Eight months ago, this road was known as Paris Street in Rafah. Today, it appears that the Israeli bombardment has obliterated this Champs-Elysees of Rafah. The infrastructure – the streets, roads, water systems – every essential component necessary for habitation is missing here in Rafah.

SHAPIRO: It remains uncertain who will rebuild Gaza, how the area will be administrated, or if this ceasefire will endure. To assist us in addressing some of those inquiries, we have Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, with us now. Welcome back to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.

DANNY DANON: Thank you for having me, Ari.

SHAPIRO: President Trump is taking credit for the ceasefire agreement, and you have commended his administration. What specific actions did he or his team take that contributed to finalizing this agreement?

DANON: We express gratitude to both administrations, the Trump administration and the Biden administration, for their collaboration on this specific matter. And, you know, Ari, you are quite familiar with politics. Observing both administrations unifying and cooperating is unusual. I believe the support we received from President Biden and his team, along with President-elect Trump at the time and his team, was crucial in achieving this framework for hostage release.

SHAPIRO: As an ambassador and diplomat, you aim to maintain neutrality. Before Joe Biden exited the White House, he mentioned that this deal was not significantly different from one proposed last summer.

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JOE BIDEN: This was the deal that I presented to the world back on May 31, which many have reported on.

SHAPIRO: Ambassador, do you concur with that assessment? And if it is essentially the same deal, why did the conflict persist for over another six months?

DANON: So, several points – to start with, it’s not the identical deal. It’s a comparable deal, yet the number of hostages we accepted – those we were set to receive is higher in this agreement. The second and most critical point is that Hamas turned down the proposals back in May. Therefore, the fact that now, due to ground pressure, the negotiators’ insistence, and the pressure exerted by both President Biden and President Trump on the negotiators, led to this agreement, and we anticipate it will be executed.

SHAPIRO: Netanyahu has also encountered opposition from members of his own government, his coalition. As you’re aware, extreme far-right Israeli politicians have either resigned or threatened resignation over the ceasefire agreement. One of them, Bezalel Smotrich, claims he has “demanded and secured a commitment from Netanyahu that Israel will return to the battlefield to dismantle Hamas.” Is this accurate? Has Israel pledged to re-engage in combat, or is it focused on maintaining the ceasefire?

DANON: If you return to the objectives approved by the government, it is to secure the release of hostages and ensure that Hamas does not regain control over Gaza. Therefore, we’ll need to determine whether we can reach an agreement during negotiations that guarantees Hamas will not govern the future of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Otherwise, alternative methods will need to be explored to secure that. And, by the way, this is not just for our benefit or security; it is also for the Palestinians. A future is impossible for Gaza with Hamas in charge.

SHAPIRO: So are you implying Smotrich is incorrect – that Netanyahu has not committed to returning Israel to the battlefield?

DANON: Well, if you examine the agreement, it is explicit. The agreements state that if negotiations falter, we retain the option to resume hostilities. But should we achieve a negotiation that prevents Hamas from maintaining power in Gaza, allowing other forces to emerge and commence reconstruction, that ought to be everyone’s aim. However, if Hamas insists on continuing its provocations and using international funds to dig tunnels and build terror infrastructure, that is something we will never accept.

SHAPIRO: I want to inquire about the plans for reconstruction because even post more than a year of conflict, Israel has not outlined a comprehensive plan for governance in Gaza once the fighting ceases. In addition, even prior to the war, Israel strictly regulated the inflow of construction materials into the Gaza Strip, fearing that Hamas would exploit them to create tunnels and bunkers. With millions of tons of debris, who will lead the rebuilding effort in this area?

DANON: First, we need to acknowledge that when Hamas received materials that entered or were clandestinely brought into Gaza, they did not allocate them for schools or hospitals. They constructed a terror network. I want to remind you that we uncovered parts of it. You know, the tunnel system in Gaza surpasses the length of subway systems in New York City and London combined. Thus, if you permit Hamas to remain in power…

SHAPIRO: So this is the justification Israel has provided for restricting the entry of construction equipment into the Gaza Strip, but the query is, if Israel continues to impose limitations…

DANON: As long as Hamas dominates…

SHAPIRO: Indeed.

DANON: As long as Hamas is in control, restrictions will remain. As long as Hamas governs, there will be no reconstruction. Therefore, the primary objective should be to ensure that Hamas does not control the lives of the Gazan populace.

SHAPIRO: And then who oversees the Gaza Strip? Israel has not yet addressed that question.

DANON: I can assure you that we have no intention to administer Gaza. We completely vacated Gaza in 2005, by the way.

SHAPIRO: You have also asserted that the U.N. should not be involved, and you’ve expressed concerns regarding the Palestinian Authority. So, who would take charge?

DANON: First, I must emphasize that we entirely disengaged from Gaza in 2005, removing all settlements. We allowed the Palestinians to manage their own lives, but this proved ineffective. Hamas took control, and we witnessed the consequences. I believe there should be several phases. Initially, there should be support from the international community. In the long term, a leadership should emerge from the people in Gaza that focuses on education and infrastructure, not terrorism. That poses the essential question: can a true leadership be found that does not incite violence against Israel and promotes radical ideologies?

SHAPIRO: You have stated that this ceasefire can only progress if Hamas does not govern Gaza, and in recent days, we have observed armed men in uniforms and balaclavas driving pickup trucks throughout the Gaza Strip as Hamas asserts its authority. President Trump has expressed doubts regarding the durability of this ceasefire. Do you share that perspective?

DANON: Well, I sincerely hope not. You know, our wish is to reunite those hostages – and I remind you, we’re speaking of infants and women who were abducted from their residences. It is not equivalent to the terrorists that Hamas demanded be released – convicted murderers. Therefore, we desire completion of this process. We want to witness them returning home, and we are hopeful that will happen. You know, we eagerly anticipate receiving the names and seeing those faces returned to their families.

SHAPIRO: Danny Danon is Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. Thank you for joining us.

DANON: Thank you very much, Ari.

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