Hamas Postpones Release of More Hostages

Hamas has indefinitely postponed the release of Israeli hostages who were set to be freed from the Gaza Strip this weekend, a spokesman said on Monday, accusing Israel’s government of violating an already fragile cease-fire agreement, as the NYT reports.

Trump’s Next Round of Tariffs—25% on Steel and Aluminum

President Trump said he plans to impose 25% tariffs Monday on imports of steel and aluminum, part of the structural change to the country’s trade system Trump has promised, as the WSJ reports.

Chinese Tariffs Take Effect

China’s retaliatory tariffs on goods from the United States went into effect Monday, escalating economic tensions between Beijing and Washington and dampening hopes that the two countries could strike a deal to avoid a damaging trade war, as The Washington Post reports.

Executive Education

As the Trump administration pushes forward its policy agenda, Washington is experiencing significant shifts in power structures and bureaucratic processes. Join Decoding D.C.: Policy, Power, and People from March 24-27, 2025 for a guide to navigating the city's distinctive culture, policy dynamics, and political constructs. Register here by March 12.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Commentary by CSIS's Navin Girishankar, "A Dual Disruption and the Constant of Surprises: Trump 2.0 and Deepseek."

In That Number

17

Hamas said it would postpone this week’s release of Israeli hostages following a long-running dispute over access to tents and mobile homes needed for shelter, the most serious challenge yet to a fragile cease-fire under which another 17 Israeli hostages or their bodies are to be returned to Israel over the coming weeks.
Source: WSJ

Critical Quote

“No, they wouldn’t because they’re going to have much better housing. In other words, I’m talking about building a permanent place for them.”

—President Donald Trump, when asked by Fox News’ Bret Baier if Palestinians would be allowed to return to Gaza.

iDeas Lab

The CSIS Economic Security and Technology department will soon release a new podcast where Navin Girishankar sits down with leaders from business and government to understand the risks and rewards of investing in the industries and technologies of the future. Learn more about Betting on America here.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

(Photo credit: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images.) Fance's President Emmanuel Macron reacts during the presentation of the AI-related artwork "Agoria", by electronic music producer and digital artist and Johan Lescure, as part of a closing event for the first day of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, at the Grand Palais, in Paris, on February 10, 2025.

This Town Tomorrow

At 9:25 a.m., the CSIS China Power Project, Freeman Chair in China Studies, and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics host a conference featuring leading experts debating core issues underpinning China’s power.

Later, at 10:00 a.m., the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) welcomes NATO Assistant Secretary General Angus Lapsley as part of the PONI 2025 Virtual Winter Conference focusing on strengthening U.S. alliances and partnerships.

Then, at 2:00 p.m., the CSIS Defense and Security Department hosts a conversation on the implications of the "Iron Dome for America" executive order, the Pentagon’s implementation strategy, and how it fits into other deterrence and defense priorities.

Video

Last Wednesday, the CSIS Korea Chair welcomed Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) to discuss ways to enhance U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral energy cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Noam Unger, director of the CSIS Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative, joins the podcast to discuss the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and potential geopolitical or national security impacts that could follow.

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans for their Super Bowl LIX win! The big game had some fascinating musical performances surrounding it. Michael Strahan and Tom Brady set the stage for a memorable performance by Lady Gaga on Bourbon Street that really moved me.

I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz

The Evening is my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day. It is composed by Lauren Adler, Ava Rose, and the External Relations team.