Middle East Focus is a weekly podcast featuring talk and analysis on U.S. foreign policy, contemporary political and social issues in the Middle East, and the arts and culture of region. It is produced by the Middle East Institute, a non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C. For more information visit www.mei.edu.
MEI Senior Fellow Lucy
Kurtzer-Ellenbogen joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj
to discuss the latest developments in Gaza. Nearly four months
after the Israeli government and Hamas agreed to President Donald
Trump’s 20-point plan, Washington has announced that phase two of
the process is now underway. Kurtzer-Ellenbogen, Taylor, and Czekaj
examine the humanitarian situation in the devastated coastal strip,
assess what phase two could entail, break down how international
actors are responding, and explore what would need to happen to
realize the plan’s aspirations.
Recorded on January 27, 2026.
About the Podcast
Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.