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** OPINION
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** Q&A: For Fox News’ Trey Yingst, covering the Middle East ceasefire is only the beginning
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Fox News’ Trey Yingst, reporting from Israel earlier this year. (Courtesy: Fox News)

It was interesting to see how news organizations categorized what happened Monday in the Middle East. Most certainly, it was an optimistic and historic day as Hamas released the last 20 hostages to survive two years of captivity in Gaza, while Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

In a speech to the Israeli parliament, President Donald Trump called it “the historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

But questions remain. Is peace finally within reach? Or was Monday just the first step in what still could be a long journey to a sustained peace?

I had a chance to trade emails Monday with Trey Yingst, the respected chief foreign correspondent for Fox News, who has been on the ground in the Middle East since the start of this latest chapter of fighting. I’ll share our conversation in a moment.

But first, news organizations on Monday straddled the fine line of optimism and caution about what it all means. Many described Trump’s trip to the Middle East as a victory lap — “The war is over,” Trump told reporters — but then were quick to point out that many questions remain.

The Associated Press’ Melanie Lidman, Samy Magdy and Wafaa Shurafa put it well ([link removed]) : “Thornier issues such as whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza — and the question of Palestinian statehood — remain unresolved, highlighting the fragility of an agreement that for now only pauses the deadliest conflict in the history of Israel and the Palestinians.”

Right now, there are no certain answers.

The New York Times’ David E. Sanger wrote ([link removed]) , “Except for brief references, Mr. Trump did not talk about what it would take to rebuild Gaza, or the future of the Palestinian people, or the trade-offs between creating a Palestinian state and its alternatives. In fact, there was almost no public discussion of the implementation of his 20-point plan at all, save for the fact that he was meeting wealthy Arab states and European governments that should form an international stabilization force or fund the rebuilding of the devastated territory.”

The Washington Post’s Max Boot threw a dose of reality into Monday’s news, writing ([link removed]) , “Unfortunately, all signs suggest there is nothing final about the peace Gaza is belatedly enjoying after two years of brutal fighting sparked by Hamas’s barbaric Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. To convert this ceasefire into a lasting peace will require sacrifices that neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya show any indication of making. The war’s end presents an opportunity — as noted by U.S. diplomat Martin Indyk in Foreign Affairs before his death last year — to resurrect the long-dormant two-state solution. But while the Trump peace plan slightly opens the door to Palestinian statehood — it speaks of creating conditions ‘for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood’ — both Israel and Hamas appear intent on slamming that door shut.”

Then there is what is happening right now. The New York Times’ Adam Rasgon, Bilal Shbair and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad reported ([link removed]) , “Palestinians in Gaza expressed relief on Monday that Israel had halted its two-year military offensive in the territory, and that hostages and prisoners had been exchanged. Still, many felt there was little to celebrate. Two years of war left the enclave in ruins, its cities reduced to rubble, tens of thousands dead and the health system devastated. Despair and hopelessness are pervasive and many no longer see a future.”

One woman told the Times, “It’s important that the bombing has stopped, but there’s nothing to be happy about. My two daughters were killed, my home was destroyed and my health has deteriorated.”

So, now for my conversation with Yingst:

Tom Jones: Can you describe what the past two years have been like covering all that has been going on in that region?

Trey Yingst: It felt like one long day of coverage. Living here adds a whole different dynamic to the story that can be hard for people to appreciate. It wasn't only reporting on the Oct. 7 massacre from southern Israel, it was the war with Hezbollah in the north, the sirens that sound from Houthi drone attacks, witnessing the destruction in Gaza and trying to balance all of the developments. I felt uniquely prepared to cover this story, but still it was difficult.

Jones: Can you put Monday's developments into context for us? What does it mean?

Yingst: It means there is a ceasefire in Gaza and a chance at a broader peace. Nothing is certain here, but the hostages coming home was a light moment amid much darkness. The war isn't totally over until all the terms of the peace plan are accepted. Right now, Hamas is still refusing to disarm, meaning the war could start again if negotiation progress stalls. We're in “wait and see” mode. Prepared to report on any developments as we receive them.

Jones: Monday was a big day, but just the first major step. What happens next and, in terms of your reporting, what are you focusing on next?

Yingst: I'd like to report from inside Gaza. There are many stories we don't have access to there because international journalists are still being barred from entry. During previous conflicts, we had this access. I'm also interested in doing some stories on the long-term mental health challenges people face after being held hostage and coming home. It will require creative storytelling, which would be a unique and fulfilling reporting challenge.

My thanks to Trey Yingst. And now onto the rest of today’s newsletter …


** An apology
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During an appearance on CNN’s “News Central” on Monday, chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour was asked to give her overall thoughts on the Israel-Hamas deal. At one point, Amanpour said that Israeli hostages were “probably being treated better than the average Gazan, because they are the pawns and the chips that Hamas had.”

That comment drew enough attention and criticism that Amanpour later apologized on air. She said (and tweeted) ([link removed]) :

Earlier live on air, I spoke about what a day of real joy this is, for Israeli families whose loved ones are finally being returned from two years of horrific Hamas captivity, and for civilians in Gaza, who have finally had a reprieve from two years of brutal, deadly war.

I noted that for the hostages who are finally home, it will take a long time for them to recover mentally and physically.

But I regret also saying that they may have been treated better than many Gazans because Hamas used these hostages as pawns and bargaining chips.

It was insensitive and wrong.

From speaking to many former hostages and their families, like everyone I've been horrified at what Hamas has subjected them to over two long years.

They've told me their stories of barely being able to breathe in the tunnels, not being allowed to cry, being starved and made to dig their own graves — and of course today, some of the hostages are coming back in body bags.


** A grim toll
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Monday was a big day in the Middle East, but we cannot move forward without recognizing the incredible toll the conflict has taken on the brave journalists informing the world of what has happened over the past two years.

The Committee to Protect Journalists continues with its updated list ([link removed]) of the journalists killed in the region since Oct. 7, 2023. Right now, that number stands at 183. Figures include war-related killings of journalists and media workers in Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Iran and Israel.

In the introduction to its list, CPJ writes, “Israel is engaging in the deadliest and most deliberate effort to kill and silence journalists that CPJ has ever documented. Palestinian journalists are being threatened, directly targeted, and murdered by Israeli forces, and are arbitrarily detained and tortured in retaliation for their work. Israel has systematically destroyed media infrastructure in Gaza, and tightened censorship throughout the West Bank and Israel. Inside Gaza, journalists report harassment and intimidation by Hamas. By silencing the press, Israel is silencing those who document and bear witness to what human rights groups and UN experts agree is a genocide.”


** Post, Journal, Newsmax, others refuse to sign Pentagon’s press policy
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, shown here in Israel on Monday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)

For this item, I turn it over to my Poynter colleague, Angela Fu.

Major news outlets including The Washington Post ([link removed]) , Reuters and The Atlantic ([link removed]) announced Monday that their journalists will not sign the Pentagon’s revised media policy over concerns that it violates the First Amendment.

The list of outlets refusing to sign the policy includes both mainstream publications like NPR ([link removed]) , The Associated Press, HuffPost ([link removed]) and The Wall Street Journal, as well as conservative outlets ([link removed]) like Newsmax and The Washington Times. If implemented, the new rules — which Newsmax called ([link removed]) “unnecessary and onerous” — would effectively prevent journalists reporting in the Pentagon from participating in basic newsgathering.

The new policy warns that reporters who “solicit” Department of Defense employees to disclose nonpublic information that has not been approved for release could lose their press credentials. The new rules’ breadth and inclusion of unclassified information mark a significant departure from past policy.

“Reuters is bound by its commitment to accurate, impartial and independent news,” a Reuters spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement. “We also steadfastly believe in the press protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution, the unrestricted flow of information and journalism that serves the public interest without fear or favor. The Pentagon’s new restrictions erode these fundamental values.”

CNN ([link removed]) , The New York Times ([link removed]) , The Guardian ([link removed]) and Breaking Defense ([link removed]) also previously stated that they would not sign the policy.

Reporters who do not sign the new policy will be required to turn in their press passes and clear out of the Pentagon by 5 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday, The Guardian reported ([link removed]) . So far, only conservative outlet One America News Network has said its reporters will sign the policy.

The Pentagon did not answer a question asking if any other outlets had signed the policy. Chief spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote in an emailed statement that the policy amounts to “common sense media procedures.” On X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded ([link removed]) to statements from outlets refusing to sign the new policy with a waving hand emoji.

“The policy does not ask for them to agree, just to acknowledge that they understand what our policy is. This has caused reporters to have a full blown meltdown, crying victim online,” Parnell wrote. “We stand by our policy because it's what's best for our troops and the national security of this country.”

In a statement ([link removed]) posted to X last week, the Pentagon Press Association said that while they “acknowledge and appreciate” that the Pentagon is not requiring journalists to express agreement with the policy, the rules still threaten to revoke credentials from reporters exercising their First Amendment rights.

“(T)he Pentagon is still asking us to affirm in writing our ‘understanding’ of policies that appear designed to stifle a free press and potentially expose us to prosecution for simply doing our jobs,” the statement reads.

Under Hegseth, the Pentagon has already taken several measures to restrict the press, including taking away dedicated workspaces from certain outlets and severely limiting the physical areas in which reporters are allowed to access without an escort. On Sept. 18, it released a set of media guidelines that many interpreted as requiring journalists to get approval from the Pentagon before publishing nonpublic information.

After zero journalists agreed to the September guidelines, the Pentagon released a revised version Oct. 6 that clarified that the rules against releasing nonpublic information applied to employees, not journalists. Still, First Amendment experts and press freedom advocates said the new guidelines were just as dangerous. They were so broad that journalists who asked sources routine questions or put out general calls for tips could be labeled “security risks” and lose their press credentials.

“This latest version has escalated the threats more around the act of reporting itself,” one expert told Poynter ([link removed]) . “Rather than this overt censoring of journalists, which was how the initial version appeared, it has morphed into this effort to intimidate both journalists and government employees as well.”


** Oliver on Weiss
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HBO’s John Oliver slammed CBS News for naming Free Press founder and former New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief. Oliver noted Weiss’ lack of experience in TV news, but that wasn’t his main objection.

During the latest episode of his “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” he said, “I wouldn’t want anyone who led a pure opinion outlet, not even one that I happened to agree with, to suddenly be running CBS News. But it is especially alarming to have someone doing it who has spent years putting out work that, in my opinion, is at best irresponsible and at worst deeply misleading.”

Oliver was especially critical of David Ellison, the new chief executive of Paramount Skydance, the owner of CBS. Oliver said, “It is not just about Bari Weiss being at CBS, it’s about the fact that CBS is now under the control of someone who thinks that she, and her editorial sensibility, make her a good fit for the job. And who, incidentally, is reportedly preparing a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, home of CNN and — uh oh — HBO. Which isn’t ideal, although I’ve gotta say, if what he likes about Bari is that she forces him to have hard conversations that get a bit uncomfortable, maybe he’ll like this.”

Oliver continued, “But the thing is, it’s not just about Ellison either. Again, he’s just the latest in a string of billionaires who have taken over our journalistic institutions, from the Washington Post to the L.A. Times, and started making worrying changes. And whatever complaints I might have had with their coverage before, and I have had plenty, my solution would never have been this. Because when these takeovers get announced, it’s easy to think, ‘Well, thank goodness there are other outlets that aren’t under some billionaire’s influence.’ And that is true, because there is always another. Until there suddenly isn’t.”

Oliver then added something all of us should be paying attention to at CBS News: “It is worth keeping an eye out for subtle changes there. Because while I’m sure many of CBS’ good journalists will continue to do good work, if you start seeing people resigning or getting fired or you start seeing stories that seem off in some way — especially if it involves the left going too far on a topic Bari Weiss cares about — it’s worth asking yourself why that might be. Because unfortunately, the much bigger answer might be that a billionaire has chosen to inject contrarian, right-leaning opinion journalism into an American icon.”


** The final episode
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After 16 years and nearly 1,700 episodes, comedian Marc Maron ended his “WTF” podcast with a very special guest ([link removed]) : former President Barack Obama. Obama asked the big question: “How are you feeling about this whole thing?”

Maron said, “I feel OK. I feel like I’m sort of ready for the break, but there is sort of a fear there, of what do I do now? I’m busy.”

He added with a laugh, “But, not unlike your job … I’ve got a lot of people who over the last 16 years have grown to rely on me.”

Maron had not revealed who his final guest was going to be, so listeners didn’t know until the episode dropped. Maron said in his introduction to the podcast, “It became clear that the guest we needed to have was singular in that he could address the importance of this being our final episode, but also address how we move through the world we’re living in, as frightening as it is.”

The interview with Obama was officially episode No. 1,686. Maron’s show debuted on Sept. 1, 2009.

The New York Times’ Reggie Ugwu has an excellent Q&A with Maron: “Marc Maron on the End of His Landmark Podcast.” ([link removed])


** Your two cents
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We want to make sure The Poynter Report is serving you well and growing in the right direction. Take a few minutes to tell us what you value most and where you’d like us to go deeper. Your feedback will directly shape the future of this newsletter. Fill out the questionnaire here ([link removed]) .


** Media tidbits
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* Strong piece from The Washington Post’s Sarah Ellison: “For Trump, media manipulation is his show of force.” ([link removed])
* Semafor’s Max Tani with “Outkick founder considering leaving Fox to start new media project.” ([link removed])
* Actress Diane Keaton, who died over the weekend, was probably best remembered for her Oscar-winning performance in 1977’s “Annie Hall,” which was directed by Woody Allen. In fact, Keaton appeared in eight films directed by Allen. So many might be interested in Allen’s thoughts on Keaton’s passing. Allen gave his remembrances in a piece for The Free Press: “Woody Allen Remembers Diane Keaton.” ([link removed])


** Hot type
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* Speaking of Diane Keaton, I thought I would make this the lone Hot Type item because it’s the best-written thing I read all day Monday. It’s The Ringer’s Brian Phillips with “Diane Keaton Was Effortlessly Original.” ([link removed])


** More resources for journalists
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* This week: Get training to track federal climate policy rollbacks and their local impacts. Enroll now ([link removed]) .
* Access a list of mental health reporting resources ([link removed]) on funding, source-building and more.
* Amp up your editing skills, improve your work life and advance your career with Poynter’s ACES Certificates ([link removed]) .

Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

The Poynter Report is your daily dive into the world of media, packed with the latest news and insights. Get it delivered to your inbox Monday through Friday by signing up here ([link removed]) . And don’t forget to tune into our biweekly podcast ([link removed]) for even more.
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