The President's Daily Brief - October 15th, 2025: TORTURE & STARVATION: Hostages Reveal Treatment Under Hamas

Episode Date: October 15, 2025

In this episode of The President’s Daily Brief:   Freed Israeli hostages are speaking publicly for the first time about their time in Hamas captivity. Their accounts of torture, starvation, and isolation reveal the brutal conditions they endured for more than two years underground. Russia bombs a Ukrainian hospital, and President Trump fires back, warning he’ll “speak” with Vladimir Putin about supplying Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv. Venezuela’s strongman lashes out over the Nobel Peace Prize—Nicolás Maduro calls winner María Corina Machado a “demonic witch” and shuts down his country’s embassy in Norway. And in today’s Back of the Brief—Madagascar’s most powerful military unit has toppled the government, forcing President Andry Rajoelina from power.   To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com.   Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.   YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybriefStash Financial: Don't Let your money sit around. Go to https://get.stash.com/PDB to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase.Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the crispy chicken sandwich from 7-Eleven, people always call me loud. And I'm like, yeah, I know. I'm crispy. Did you expect me to whisper? If you want quiet, go eat some soup and reflect. Like, I know I'm a handful. I'm bold, I'm juicy. Throw some pickles and barbecue sauce on me, and baby, I'm a whole meal.

And with seven rewards, I'm just $4. Quiet. No. Krispy, saucy, and $4? Very. Only at 711. Valley 362326, participating stores only while supplies lastly out for full terms. Looking to diversify and protect your hard-earned assets, well, schedule a free consultation

with the Birch Gold Group. They're the precious metals specialists. Just text PDB to the number 989-89-89-8, and you receive a free, no-obligation information kit, and you'll learn how to convert an existing IRA or a 401k into a gold IRA. Again, text PDB to the number 989-89-89. It's Wednesday, the 15th of October. Oh, look at that. Just about halfway through the month, and we are well into fall. And I have yet to watch a single episode of the Gilmore Girls. Hmm, welcome to the president's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And yes, again, coming to you from somewhere on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up, some of the Israeli hostages released by Hamas are speaking out. Their stories of torture

and starvation paint a devastating picture of what they endured in captivity. have the details. Later in the show, Russia bombs a Ukrainian hospital. Well, how very Putin of Putin. And President Trump fires back, saying he'll, quote, speak with Putin about sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Now, to be fair, I don't think giving Putin a stern talking to is going to change his current attitude. Plus, Venezuela's strongman, Nicholas Maduro, lashes out over the Nobel Peace Prize, calling winner Maria Corina Machado, a demonic witch. Hmm, that was his words. And shutting down his embassy and Norway.

Oh, he also threw his teddy out of the crib and now is refusing to eat his vegetables. How very Venezuelan strong man of him. And in today's back of the brief, we turn to Africa, where Madagascar's military has toppled the government. But first, today's PDB spotlight. With the remaining hostages now back in Israel, we're gaining new insight into how Hamas treated its captives. It's the final chapter of a national ordeal that lasted more than two years, one that's left deep scars, not just on the hostages, but on the country itself. According to Israeli reports, the final group of 20 hostages, many of them, men Hamas viewed as

soldiers or potential fighters, appear to have suffered the worst treatment. Relatives say they were held underground, beaten, denied food for long stretches, and kept in total isolation for months at a time. One of them, Avianatan Orr, spent more than two years in near total isolation. For 737 days, he saw no one, no other captives, no daylight, no sense of time. Medical teams say he lost between 30 and 40% of his body weight. His first request upon returning home was simple. To sit and share a cigarette with his girlfriend, Noah Agamani.

Now, that's the same woman seen beside him in that infamous kidnapping video from the Nova Music Festival. Another freed hostage, Elkanah Bobot, says he was chained in a tunnel so long he forgot what day or even what year it was. On the anniversary of his wedding, he begged his captor to let him shower in honor of his wife. At first, the terrorist refused, then relented, unchained him, and allowed him that small moment of humanity. The Berman brothers, Gali and Ziv, were held separately for nearly two years, unaware they were in the same area or that they'd be reunited at release. They described periods of severe hunger, punctuated by brief stretches of slightly better rations. Occasionally, their guards spoke to them in Hebrew. They could hear the Israeli military operating nearby, but were never able to make contact. Others describe what relatives are

calling psychological warfare. Guns pressed to their heads during Hamas propaganda videos, threats of execution if they didn't behave the way the captors demanded. One hostage's relative told Israeli medium that the militants sometimes forced prisoners to join them in card games, mocking gestures of coexistence that only underscored who held the power. For Motton-Angrest, a young Israeli soldier, captivity was particularly brutal. His mother says he was severely tortured during his first months in Gaza because of his military service. For long stretches, he was kept completely alone under heavy guard. Yet he told her he never broke, refusing to cooperate,

with what he called the, quote, monsters who held him. Most of the freed hostages say they were moved deeper into Hamas' tunnel network after Israel's dramatic rescue of Noah Agamani and three others in June 2024. If you'll remember, that daytime raid was carried out by Israeli special forces in the heart of Noosrat. Troops stormed multiple buildings simultaneously, rescuing the captives under heavy fire and killing several Hamas guards in the process. In the aftermath, Hamas became far more secretive and paranoid.

The group tightened its grip on the remaining hostages, cutting them off almost completely. Many of the captives say they had no idea the war had shifted and that Israel had re-entered parts of Gaza. Doctors treating the returnees say the signs of starvation are unmistakable, sunken eyes, skeletal frames, severe muscle atrophy. Some hostages were so malnourished that Hamas reportedly began force-feeding them in the final weeks, likely in anticipation of international scrutiny once they were released. Their testimonies will likely shape how Israel and in the world understand the group's tactics going forward and could serve as part of future war crimes investigations. But as Israel welcomes these survivors home, there's another grim reality still unfolding,

and that has to do with the remains of those hostages who didn't make it out alive. According to the Jerusalem Post, Hamas agreed to hand over the bodies of four more hosts, hostages last night with four additional remains expected today. Israeli officials say Hamas still holds the remains of roughly 30 hostages in Gaza. The Red Cross is overseeing the transfers while Israeli forensic teams work to confirm identities and notify families. Officials have accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire by stalling the return of the bodies, calling it another act of cruelty toward the victim's families. All right. A quick note before we go to break. Episode 5 of the day the world almost ended is now available for PDB subscribers.

Now, this time, our attention turns to the Middle East. We'll tell you the story of how Israel came within minutes of arming its nuclear arsenal during the Yom Kippur War of 1973, which almost touched off direct conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. You can hear it, along with the first four episodes, by becoming a premium member at PDB Premium.com. All right, coming up next, President Trump vows to speak with Putin about Tomahawk missiles, and Venezuela's strongman has strong feelings about who won the Nobel Peace Prize. Well, maybe he was hoping it would be President Trump.

Hmm. And by the way, you'll probably hear some background noise. Again, I am on the road, and there appears to be some late-night construction going on out there. I'll be right back. This podcast is brought to you in part by Stash. Now, what if you could start investing without ever picking a single stock? Intriguing idea. With Stash, the experts handle the hard part for you.

You see, Stash isn't just another investing app. It's a registered investment advisor that combines automated investing with expert guidance, so you don't have to worry about figuring it out on your own. You can choose from personalized investments or let Stash's award-winning smart portfolio do the work for you. With Stash, investing doesn't feel like gambling. It's simple, smart, and stress-free, so your money can finally start working as hard as you do. Get access to world-class financial advice with personalized guidance for just $3 per monthly subscription. Stash has already helped millions of Americans reach their financial goals.

So don't let your money sit around. Put it to work with Stash. Go to get.stash.com slash PDB to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase and to view important disclosures. That's get.stash.com slash pdb. It's paid non-client endorsement, not representative of all clients and not a guarantee. Investment advisory services offered by Stash Investments LLC and SEC registered investment advisor. Investing involves risk. Offer is subject to terms and conditions. This is Euphoria Calvin Klein, the new elixir collection featuring three perfume intense scents, inspired by a unique orchid accord paired with vanilla, each with its own distinctions. instinct attitude, each with its own universe. Bold elixir. Sensual, woody, addictive, magnetic, magnetic, sweet and romantic like a lingering touch. Solar elixir, a radiant expression of joy, ultra-concentrated for amplified impact and lasting power. Find your euphoria. Discover the euphoria elixir collection by Calvin Klein. Welcome back to the PDB. Hours after a Russian air strike

ripped through a Ukrainian hospital, President Trump hinted he might do what Moscow fears most, placed long-range tomahawk missiles in Kiev's hands, and what he hopes will bring Russia back to the negotiating table. This strike, part of Russia's relentless aerial campaign that has repeatedly hit hospitals and other civilian infrastructure over more than three and a half years of war, occurred Monday night in Ukraine's Kharkiv region. The Russian strike utilized glide bombs on the civilian infrastructure, injuring six patients, according to Ukrainian and local officials. Moscow, as always, denied deliberately targeting civilians. Speaking aboard Air Force One earlier that day, Trump told reporters that, quote,

Ukraine needs Patriot missiles very badly. They'd like to have Tomahawks. That's a step up, following a call with Ukrainian President Zelensky. Now Patriot missile batteries, of course, are among the best aerial defense systems in the world. Trump went on to add, quote, we talked about that, and so we'll see. I might have to speak to Russia about Tomahawks, before rhetorically asking, quote, does Russia want to have the Tomahawks going in their direction? I don't think so." End quote. Well, that was a rhetorical question, wasn't it? As we've previously reported, the Tomahawks long range of up to 1,50 miles, would allow Ukrainian forces to strike far beyond the front lines, targeting critical military infrastructure deep inside

Russia, including facilities in Moscow. Trump appeared to frame that possibility as a form of leverage rather than immediate policy, explaining that if he were to speak with Putin over the phone, he would say, quote, look, if this war is not going to be. to get settled, I may send Ukraine tomahawks. Russia doesn't need that. I think it's appropriate to bring that up, end quote. Zelensky, meanwhile, arrives in Washington tomorrow, ahead of his meeting with Trump at the White House on Friday. The Ukrainian president said the focus of his visit is strengthening air defenses and, quote, long-range capabilities to put pressure on Russia for the sake of peace. Zelensky will also meet with U.S. defense and energy officials and possibly members of Congress.

The Kremlin's reaction was immediate and furious to the threat of tomahawks in Ukraine. Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, who never shies away from rattling his nuclear saber, warned that supplying the missiles, quote, could end badly for everyone, especially President Trump, hinting at retaliation. Medvedev is actually kind of like that little kid who follows the big bully around the schoolyard, repeating the bully's threats and saying things like, yeah, you tell them, boss, that's Medvedev. That wasn't a very good impersonation of Medvedev, but you get the point. Anyway, Medvedev, who regularly taunts Trump on social media,

posted on telegram that once a Tomahawk is launched, quote, it's impossible to tell whether it carries a nuclear or conventional warhead. Medvedev's post ended saying, quote, How should Russia respond? Exactly. Hmm. A veiled suggestion perhaps that Moscow might treat any such launch as nuclear. The Kremlin has also argued that Tomah Hawks systems in Ukraine would require U.S. personnel to operate an escalation that it considers unacceptable. Well, then again, some folks would say that it seems unacceptable for North Korean

and Cuban troops to be fighting alongside Russian troops and for Chinese PLA personnel to be on the ground monitoring and gaining strategic insight from the battlefield. But that's perhaps just me being churlish. As the ceasefire unfolds in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas, Trump now seems eager to redirect his attention toward Europe, and Zelensky appears to welcome it. But whether Putin is ready to talk is another matter. Analysts say he's unlikely to make concessions simply because Trump picks up the phone. And you don't need to be an analyst to come up with that gem. Still, Trump insists he sees a way forward. Quote, I really think that President Putin would look great if he got this settled. And I think he's going to settle it. If he doesn't, it's not going to be good for him, end quote.

Okay, turning to Venezuela, there's ongoing fallout over this year's Nobel Peace Prize announcement, and surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the fact that President Trump didn't get it. Nicholas Maduro announced this week that his regime is closing its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the prize. As we discussed last week, Machado won the prize for what the Norwegian Nobel Committee called her, quote, tireless work promoting democratic rights. It's a nod to her defiance of Maduro's authoritarian rule. The decision apparently struck a nerve in Caracas.

Days later, Maduro lashed out, calling Machado a, quote, demonic witch, and insisting that, quote, 90% of the population rejects her. Machado has been in hiding since the summer of 2024, when Maduro claimed victory in an election widely seen as fraudulent. Many independent analysts believe the opposition won. Well, that would be because they probably did. The Maduro regime has long been accused of crushing dissent through arrests and violence, causing millions to flee the country. Among those forced into exile was opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who fled to Spain earlier this year after being targeted by the Maduro regime. Gonzalez, who ran against Maduro in last year's contested election, briefly unified Venezuela's opposition before the dictator issued an arrest warrant, accusing him of, quote, inciting unrest. Now, it's worth pointing out that Norway doesn't actually decide who wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

The independent five-member Nobel Committee, appointed by Norway's Parliament, makes its selection in secret. For their part, the Venezuelan government is claiming that the closure was part of a broader diplomatic realignment. Venezuela's foreign ministry claimed it was shifting focus toward, quote, alliances with the global south, announcing plans to shutter its embassy in Australia, while opening new ones in Zimbabwe and, and Burkina Faso. The statement framed the moves as defending national sovereignty and a contribution to, quote, a new world order based on justice, solidarity, and inclusion.

End quote. Yes, that's what Maduro is all about. Norway's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the embassy closure was done without explanation, calling the decision regrettable and reaffirming its commitment to dialogue with Caracas. The Human Rights Foundation, a New York-based nonprofit that advocates for disqualification,

and human rights and authoritarian countries, called Caracas's embassy closure, quote, an act of political vengeance. Now, as we've previously reported, the Trump administration has branded Maduro's regime, a, quote, narco-terror cartel, and deployed warships, of course, in the Caribbean to destroy boats smuggling Venezuelan drugs to American shores. Machado has backed Trump's stance, calling Maduro the head of a narco-terrorist structure in a Fox News interview last month. She said the boats targeted by the Trump administration are, quote, legitimate targets. She even dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize to President Trump. But the Maduro regime isn't just lashing out symbolically in recent days. In Bogota, Colombia, two exiled Venezuelan activists were

shot and wounded Monday in what Colombian police described as a targeted attack. The two activists are reportedly in stable condition in a Colombian hospital. For background, one of the victims is the founder of the Venezuelan Observatory of LGBTQ-plus violence and had sought an asylum in Colombia after being detained in 2024 amid a crackdown following Maduro's contested re-election. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief, Madagascar, there's a place we don't talk about much. Madagascar's top military unit has overthrown the government, joining protesters and forcing the president from power. More on that when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here

with an exciting offer from our friends over at the Birch Gold Group. Now, you can buy gold and now get free silver. That's right. Buy gold, get free silver. Come on, what's not to like? For every $5,000 purchased from Birch Gold Group this month, in advance of Veterans Day,

they'll send you a free patriotic silver round that commemorates the Gadsden and American flags. Look, gold is up some 40% just since the beginning of the year. That's hitting record highs. And Birch Gold, can help you diversify into gold by converting an existing IRA or a 401k into a tax-sheltered IRA and physical gold. Plus, they'll send you free silver honoring our veterans on qualifying purchases.

And if you're a current or former military, Birch Gold has a special offer just for you. They're waiving the custodial fees for the first year on investments of any amount. That's right. They're waiving the custodial fees with an A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau and tens of thousands of happy customers, many of whom, our PDB listeners, I encourage you to talk with Birch Gold about diversifying your savings into gold. Text PDB to the number 989-89-89-8 for a free information kit and to claim your eligibility for free silver with a qualifying purchase before the end of the month. Again, text PDB to 989-89-898. If you're a QuickBooks customer looking to grow your business without the growing pains,

you need the Intuit ERP. Upgrade to Intuit Enterprise Suite in a matter of hours. It's the AI Native ERP. from the makers of quickbooks. Learn more at Intuit.com slash ERP. Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world,

stop. With Mint, you can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments, but that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch. Up front payment of $45 for three-month plan,

equivalent to $15 per month required. first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. See full terms at mintmobile.com. In today's back of the brief, we're turning to the island nation of Madagascar. That's about 250 miles off the coast of Africa. There, what began as youth-led protests over power cuts and water shortages and economic hardship has evolved into a full-blown military takeover, and the president is now gone. A little background. All of this kicked off in late September, when hundreds of students

and young people poured into the streets of the capital city of Antenna O'Revo under the Banner Gen Z Madagascar. They demanded basic services and accountability from President Andri Rajuelina, now a polarizing figure who has dominated the country's politics for more than a decade. The protests quickly spread. Union groups, civic organizations, even disaffected elements of the security forces joined in. Demonstrators said they had had enough of corruption, blackouts, and rising prices. By early October, a powerful military unit known as Capsat began refusing orders and openly siding with the demonstrators. Within days, its troops entered the Capitol and announced they were taking control of the armed forces. Yesterday, the lower House of Parliament voted to impeach the sitting president as he fled the Capitol.

In his place, the Capsack commander declared himself interim leader, suspending key government institutions and promising a two-year transition before new elections. But many in Madagascar have heard promises like that before. As a matter of fact, the current situation essentially mirrors the last transition, when Kapsat played a similar role back in 2009. In that coup, the military unit helped bring Rizuelina to power after toppling his predecessor. So even as some citizens view the coup as a long overdue correction to a failing presidency, others, probably realistically so, fear it's simply another turn in the country's cycle of

military interventions, trading one strong man for another. For now, the streets of the Capitol remained tense, but calm. The young activists who started the protests say they'll keep pushing for real reform, not just new uniforms in the presidential palace. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Wednesday, the 15th of October. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb at thefirsttv.com. And again, I apologize for the construction noise in the background of this morning's episode. That happens when you're on the road. And remember, nine out of ten YouTube users

prefer the PDB on YouTube over all the other stuff. You can find us on YouTube at President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money. because behind every headline is a bottom line.

Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings, there's a money side to every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com.