Maria Diaz/ZDNETWhat's the deal?The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet is on sale for $140. You can save $50 on this kids tablet right now at Amazon.ZDNET's key takeawaysThe Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet is available for $190.Designed for older children aged six to 12, this kids' tablet features a slimmer design, better performance, strong parental controls, and a free screen repair or placement within two years of purchase.While it's better than other Amazon Fire Kids tablets, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet doesn't outperform an iPad -- but it's also a fraction of the iPad's price.What makes a good tablet? It's easy to draw up criteria of features to look for: A fast processor, user-friendly platform, portability, and battery life, to name a few. What makes a good kids' tablet? Amazon appears to be in the running to figure that out, and they're on track to nail the formula.I've been testing the new Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet since it was announced last year during Amazon's Devices and Services event. This is the latest generation of the Fire HD 10 Pro, a kids' tablet aimed at children from six through 12.Also: The best tablets for kids, according to parentsThe Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet promises a 25% faster performance than the Fire HD 10 Kids, a longer battery life, and a higher-quality front-facing camera at 5MP, up from 2MP. details View at Amazon Why choose a Fire tablet? Many parents get their kids an older-generation iPad, like the 9th-gen iPad, as their first tablet. If you have a younger kid and are afraid an iPad won't hold up to their handling, consider an Amazon Fire Tablet.Since my oldest of three is in second grade, I've tried several Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids tablets. iPads are great, and my husband and I each have one. But ever since my iPad screen got cracked by a cheap case a couple of years ago, I'm less than enthused about giving an eight-year-old such a fragile tablet. Maria Diaz/ZDNETThis is why I prefer Amazon Fire Kids' tablets for my little ones. Plus, Amazon replaces them if they break within two years. They're also eligible for trade-ins when you want to upgrade to a new device you're buying on Amazon.Also: The best Amazon deals right now: January 2025At the ripe age of eight, my oldest is craving "big kid" devices. I'm not one to get my kid a smartphone just yet, but we had considered graduating her with a big kid tablet in the form of an iPad this Christmas.I thought the problem was in the other two: a kindergartner and a toddler who lacked an understanding of personal property or space. It felt like the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet was built for this reason, but after almost a year of testing, my oldest was the one to break her tablet's screen. Maria Diaz/ZDNETMy kid's bad habit of leaving the tablet on the floor was finally curbed when I accidentally tripped over it and cracked the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet's screen. After quelling the tears, I contacted Amazon customer service to see what could be done. A representative instructed me to send the tablet in to assess whether the screen could be replaced or if a new tablet was necessary. In the end, Amazon sent us a new Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet to replace the broken one, with the whole process taking under two weeks.Also:The best iPad cases for kids you can buyThis bigger, 'Pro'-level tablet has been the perfect upgrade from the smaller Fire 8-inch model, which is cloaked in a chunky protective case. Aside from having a larger 10-inch display, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet is protected by a slim case that is more kid-friendly than kid-proof, as Amazon's listing describes. Maria Diaz/ZDNETLike other Fire Kids tablets, the Fire HD 10 Pro kids tablet also includes the Amazon Kids+ subscription. This can be renewed after one year, but the timer resets whenever you buy a new Fire Kids tablet or another device that includes the subscription.The Fire HD 10 Kids Pro has proven to be faster than both generations of our Fire HD 8 Kids tablets. Since the older ones were passed down to a five-year-old and a three-year-old, that hasn't been a problem, but the eight-year-old who owns the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro definitely noticed the difference. Maria Diaz/ZDNETThough my firstborn is getting on in years and looking for more grown-up tech, she is still eight. In almost a year of use, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro has been dropped countless times and stepped on at least a dozen times. Like the older models, it has remained completely unaffected, except for the abovementioned event (which was promptly resolved by Amazon).Also: I used Amazon's Echo Show 21 as my smart home hub - and it's almost perfectI appreciate that Amazon's Kids Tablets have strong parental controls. I can easily control what my kids watch, approve their app and purchase requests, and set up time limits from the app on my phone. When it's time for bed, and my kids are stalling on their tablets, I can quickly access the app on my phone and block them, which oddly results in fewer groans than if I decide to take them away. Maria Diaz/ZDNETAside from access to thousands of apps and games, Amazon also has collaborative games that kids can play with others. My kids and I often play Sketch 'n Guess, a virtual word-guessing game in which one person draws something and the other tries to guess it. I play from my phone, and the kids play from their tablets.Like Sketch 'n Guess, there's also Memory Match, Jigsaw, Chess, Checkers, Dessert Decorator, Chain Reaction, and more "Play Together" games included with Amazon Kids+. Even my five-year-old can play since the games can be read out loud what the kids can't read.ZDNET's buying advice Maria Diaz/ZDNETIf you're trying to choose between an iPad or a Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet, much will depend on your kid's age and how they will use it. Amazon has refined the Amazon Kids platform into a kid-friendly user experience that doesn't feel childish for older kids but that younger kids can still navigate.Also, This tablet solved my biggest problem as a smart home enthusiastThis tablet can handle multiple profiles, including young children, older children, and adults, so it can grow with the kids. However, it is still limited by its 3GB of RAM and slower processor than an A13 Bionic chip.An iPad has more high-end features, like a better processor and camera, and is a grown-up platform that is perfect for older kids, those who like to do more intricate play, like editing photos, and even those in the Apple ecosystem.Even if we are an Apple family, I'll continue getting my youngsters Fire kids tablets until they can appreciate the value of a device you can't walk on. When will this deal expire? While many sales events feature deals for a specific length of time, deals are on a limited-time basis, making them subject to expire anytime. ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best offers to help you maximize your savings so you can feel as confident in your purchases as we feel in our recommendations. Our ZDNET team of experts constantly monitors the deals we feature to keep our stories up-to-date. If you missed out on this deal, don't worry -- we're always sourcing new savings opportunities atZDNET.com. Show more Featured reviews

Honor Magic 7 RSRPrakhar KhannaHonors collaboration with Porsche Design is expanding to the Magic 7 series. After launching the Magic 7 Pro in the UK and Europe, the company has announced the availability and price of the Honor Magic 7 RSR. It which will be joining the likes of the luxe Magic V2 RSR and the Magic 6 RSR in Honors Porsche Design series.The Honor Magic 7 RSR is heavily inspired from the Magic 7 Pro but its better in a few ways.First, it features a bigger battery than the global variant. You get a 5,850mAh cell with Honors third-gen silicon-carbon battery tech, which is similar to Magic 7 Pros China variant. For the unaware, the global model of the Magic 7 Pro houses a smaller 5,270mAh battery capacity.Second, theres a new design that looks sharper, bolder and features a redesigned camera module. The rear panel is said to be inspired from a real Porsche, while the camera housing is meant to resemble sports car headlights. In person, it looks gorgeous, especially in the Provence color that has a purple hue. The phone will also be available in Agate Grey color variant.Third, you get more RAM and storage. The Honor Magic 7 RSR will come equipped with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, which is double than than the Magic 7 Pro. But itll cost a lot more, too.MORE FOR YOUWhat Else Does The Honor Magic 7 RSR Offer?Honor Magic 7 RSR colorsHonorLike the Honor Magic 7 Pro, the Magic 7 RSR features a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display with support for a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, a 4,320Hz PWM dimming frequency, a 5,000 nits of peak brightness for HDR-supported content, and Dolby Vision certification. It sports a proprietary NanoCrystal Shield for protection.The Honor Magic 7 RSR is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, also found on the recently-launched OnePlus 13. You get the same camera setup featuring a 200MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP primary camera and a 50MP ultrawide sensor with a 122-degree field of view. It also sports the same IP68 and IP69 for dust and water resistance for added durability.The Honor Magic 7 RSR will go on sale in Europe next month, starting February 21, 2025. It will set you back at 1,799, which translates to approximately $1,850. Despite the luxe price tag, its cheaper than the Magic 6 RSR, which was priced close to $2,000. However, its still 500 more expensive than the 1,300 Magic 7 Pro in Europe.

What just happened? All of Google's AI features for Workspace are now available at no extra cost. This decision marks a significant shift from the previous model, where users had to pay an additional $20 per user, per month for the Gemini Business plan to access these capabilities. However, this change comes with a caveat. As Google integrates these AI features into the standard Workspace subscription, it's also implementing a price increase across all Workspace plans. Jerry Dischler, Google's president of cloud applications, said companies can expect to pay approximately $2 more per month per user for the AI-enabled Workspace compared to previous pricing. The base subscription price will increase from $12 to $14 per month.The newly included Workspace AI suite offers a range of tools designed to boost productivity and creativity. Users will now have access to email summaries in Gmail, generated designs for spreadsheets and videos, an automated note-taker for meetings, the NotebookLM research assistant, and writing tools across various apps. Perhaps most notably, users will also gain access to the Gemini bot, which Dischler describes as Google's most powerful AI tool to date.Dischler emphasized the strategic importance of this move, highlighting that Google's AI product is currently the most vertically integrated option available in the market. By making these features accessible to all users, Google aims to demonstrate the value of its AI capabilities on a broader scale. He noted that cost has been a significant barrier for companies considering AI adoption, and this decision directly addresses that concern.The integration of AI features is expected to have a profound impact on the development of Workspace apps. Dischler indicated that app roadmaps are already evolving, with new features set to be released at an accelerated pace.Other providers of AI-powered office suites have made similar moves. For instance, Microsoft announced late last year that its Copilot Pro AI features, which were previously a $20 monthly upgrade, would now be included in standard Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions, albeit with limited availability.This shift in pricing strategy reflects a broader trend in the tech industry. Giants like Google and Microsoft are prioritizing the widespread adoption of their AI tools, even at the cost of short-term revenue. The underlying strategy is to familiarize users with new ways of interacting with their products and potentially attract new customers. These companies are betting that the initial investment in rolling out these AI features will yield significant long-term benefits. // Related Stories

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsThe Jetty (2024)Dark Side of the 90s (2021-Present)High Potential (2024-Present)Hulu has an advantage over many of its streaming rivals in that its the exclusive home to new shows from both ABC and Fox. So if youve been looking to sample the programming from either broadcast network, Hulu is the best place to do so. However, Hulu isnt just limited to American programs. Case in point, our first pick for the three underrated shows on Hulu that you need to watch in January is a British mystery series that premiered last year on BBC.Our other choices include a very entertaining documentary series about the 90s, as well as a crime drama that premiered on ABC last fall. Between these three shows, you should have more than enough to binge-watch your way through the month.Recommended VideosNeed more recommendations? Then check out the best new shows to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, the best shows on Amazon Prime Video, the best shows on Max, and the best shows on Disney+.RelatedBBCFormer Doctor Who co-star Jenna Coleman leads the cast of The Jetty as Detective Ember Manning, a single mother mourning the death of her husband. Her small town in Lancashire doesnt seem to have a crime problem on the surface, but her investigation into an arson committed around a boat that her late husband owned opens up an unexpected can of worms for Ember.True crime podcaster Riz Samuel (Weruche Opia) has come to town hoping to solve a 17-year-old missing persons case regarding Amy Knightley (Bo Bragason). Amy disappeared under murky circumstances, and as Ember is drawn into the case, she discovers that the grooming and abuse that Amy suffered when she was a child have some parallels with Embers own experiences in the town.Watch The Jetty on Hulu.Vice TVMany of us lived through the 1990s, but not everyone is familiar with the dark underbelly of that decade. Dark Side of the 90s is a documentary series that looks back at a different topic every episode, many times with commentary from the people who had first-hand experience with the issues at hand.The third season of the Vice TV original series recently arrived on Hulu with episodes focused on the rise and fall of Mike Tyson, Friends, NYPD Blue, Saturday Night Live, Robert Downey Jr., the Spice Girls, and more.Watch Dark Side of the 90s on Hulu.20th TelevisionHow does Kaitlin Olson have the time to star in Its Always Sunny In Philadelphiaand High Potential? The former is still going, but it has fewer episodes to shoot. High Potential is a more recent addition to ABC that casts Olson as Morgan Gillory, a cleaning lady for the Los Angeles Police Department who is also an unconventional genius. Morgan gets herself in trouble when she notices something in the evidence of a case that the police dont, but her successful deduction leads her to a new career as a police consultant.Morgans services come at a price, and shes not just interested in the money that comes with the position. She wants the police to help her find Roman, the father of her oldest daughter, Ava (Amirah J), who disappeared 15 years earlier. Somehow, we suspect that case wont be solved for a long time.Watch High Potential on Hulu.Editors Recommendations

The activist firm run by Jeff Smith owns a 7.7% stake in the chip maker that competes with the likes of Broadcom and Qualcomm.

Fernanda Torres stars in Walter Salless drama about the disappearance of a dissident under the nations military dictatorship in the 1970s.

FCC not the president's speech police (yet) FCC chair makes one last stand against Trumps call to punish news stations Chair: Complaints "seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC." Jon Brodkin Jan 16, 2025 4:51 pm | 20 FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel testifies during a House hearing on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Credit: Getty Images | Tom Williams FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel testifies during a House hearing on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Credit: Getty Images | Tom Williams Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreTaking action in the final days of the Biden administration, the Federal Communications Commission dismissed three complaints and a petition filed against broadcast television stations. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the action is important because "the incoming President has called on the Federal Communications Commission to revoke licenses for broadcast television stations because he disagrees with their content and coverage.""Today, I have directed the FCC to take a stand on behalf of the First Amendment," she said. "We draw a bright line at a moment when clarity about government interference with the free press is needed more than ever. The action we take makes clear two things. First, the FCC should not be the president's speech police. Second, the FCC should not be journalism's censor-in-chief."President-elect Donald Trump's chosen replacement for Rosenworcel, Commissioner Brendan Carr, wants the FCC to punish news broadcasters that he perceives as being unfair to Trump or Republicans in general. Backing Trump's various complaints about news stations, Carr has threatened to revoke licenses by wielding the FCC's authority to ensure that broadcasters using public airwaves operate in the public interest.Rosenworcel said the complaints and petition she is dismissing "come from all cornersright and leftbut what they have in common is they ask the FCC to penalize broadcast television stations because they dislike station behavior, content, or coverage." After Trump criticized CBS in October, Rosenworcel said the agency "does not and will not revoke licenses for broadcast stations simply because a political candidate disagrees with or dislikes content or coverage."Chair: Complaints aim to weaponize FCC authorityThe Center for American Rights filed complaints supporting Trump's claims of bias regarding ABC's fact-checking during a presidential debate, the editing of a CBS 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, and NBC putting Harris on a Saturday Night Live episode. Separately, the Media and Democracy Project filed a petition to deny a license renewal for WTXF-TV in Philadelphia, a station owned and operated by Fox, alleging that Fox willfully distorted news with false reports of fraud in the 2020 election that Trump lost.Rejecting all four, Rosenworcel said "the facts and legal circumstances in each of these cases are different. But what they share is that they seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment. To do so would set a dangerous precedent. That is why we reject it here."Dismissing complaints isn't likely to end the cases, said Jeffrey Westling, a lawyer at the conservative American Action Forum who has urged Congress to "limit or revoke the FCC's authority to impose content-based restrictions on broadcast television."Westling said he agrees "substantively" with Rosenworcel, but added that "the DC Circuit Court has made clear that the FCC has to consider news distortion complaints (see Serafyn vs FCC) and not just dismiss them outright. If I am the complainants, I challenge these dismissals in court, win, and get more attention."When contacted by Ars today, the Center for American Rights provided a statement criticizing Rosenworcel's decision as "political and self-serving.""We fundamentally believe that several actions taken by the three major networks were partisan, dishonest and designed to support Vice President Harris in her bid to become President," the group said. "We will continue to pursue avenues to ensure the American public is protected from media manipulation of our Republic. The First Amendment does not protect intentional misrepresentation or fraud."The group previously touted the fact that Republican FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington urged FCC leadership to take its complaints seriously.Fox ruling will be challengedThe Media and Democracy Project criticized Rosenworcel's decision to dismiss its complaint against the Fox station in Philadelphia."We look forward to presenting on appeal the multiple court decisions that raise serious questions about the Murdochs' and Fox's character qualifications to remain broadcast licensees," the Media and Democracy Project said in a statement provided to Ars. "As renowned First Amendment scholar Floyd Abrams stated in his filing with the Commission, the First Amendment is no bar to Commission action given the facts of this case. Our petition is clearly distinct from the other politically motivated complaints."The group's petition pointed to a court ruling that found Fox News aired false statements about Dominion Voting Systems. Fox later agreed to pay Dominion $788 million to settle a defamation lawsuit."Our Petition to Deny is based on judicial findings that Fox made repeated false statements that undermined the electoral process and resulted in property damage, injury, and death; that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch engaged in a 'carefully crafted scheme' in 'bad faith' to deprive Lachlan's siblings of the control to which they are entitled under an irrevocable trust; and that 'Murdoch knowingly caused the corporation to violate the law,'" the Media and Democracy Project said today.The FCC order denying the petition also granted the station's application for a license renewal. The order said the allegations regarding "material carried on a cable network under common control with the Licensee that a state court found to be false" aren't grounds to deny the individual station's license renewal. While some "non-FCC-related misconduct" can be considered by the FCC in an evaluation of a licensee's character, the finding in the defamation suit doesn't qualify, the order said.Former FCC official objectsGigi Sohn, a longtime advocate whose nomination to the FCC was rejected by the Senate, also criticized the FCC today. Sohn, who also served as counselor for FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler during the Obama administration, called the dismissal of the Fox petition a "failure to lead.""As [Rosenworcel] herself points out, the facts of these petitions are very different," Sohn wrote. "The [Media and Democracy Project] petition seeks a hearing on Fox Philadelphia licenses because they allege that Fox lacks the character to hold them because it lied to the American people about the 2020 election. The conservative complaints are all based on disagreements with editorial judgments of the various broadcast networks.""The decision to lump these filings together and overturn years of FCC precedent that broadcasters' character is central to holding a license is contrary to the Communications Act's mandate that licenses be granted in 'the public interest, convenience and necessity,'" Sohn also wrote. The FCC rationale would mean that "anything and everything a broadcast licensee does or says would be a First Amendment issue that warrants automatic license renewal," she added.Media advocacy group Free Press agreed with the FCC's decision. "We have an incoming administration quite literally threatening to jail journalists for doing their jobs, and an incoming FCC chairman talking about revoking broadcast licenses any time he disagrees with their political coverage," the group said.Free Press sided with the FCC despite noting that the Fox case involved "false information [that] had devastating consequences in the January 6 attack on the peaceful transition of power four years ago.""Lies knowingly aired by Fox News Channel and some Murdoch-owned Fox affiliates present a significantly different challenge to regulators than merely fact-checking, editing or scheduling equal time for candidates in ways that displease the president-elect," Free Press said. "Yet we agree with the urgent need to prevent the weaponization of the government against journalists and media companies on the eve of the inauguration, and in light of the dire threats the new administration poses."Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 20 Comments

Oh my god, this arm is part of me, says Scott Imbrie, who was able to use it to feel objectsCharles M. Greenspon, University of ChicagoTwo people with paralysis in their hands were able to temporarily regain their sense of touch and feel the shape of objects, thanks to electrical brain stimulation. The approach could one day help people with spinal cord injuries to better carry out everyday activities by controlling a robotic arm that feels like their own.There have been previous efforts to restore touch through brain stimulation, but they were fairly crude. These were

SpaceX launched its Starship mega-rocket for the seventh time on Thursday.It performed an epic booster catch for the second time but the Starship exploded shortly after.The launch marked the first flight of a new-generation Starship.SpaceX Starship mega-rocket has stumbled on the road to commercial use, unexpectedly dropping out of communications and exploding as it screamed toward space for its seventh flight on Thursday.After liftoff, theSuper Heavy booster heaved the Starship spaceship toward space, separated itself, and fell back toward Earth. As the falling booster approached SpaceX's Texas facilities, it nailed a complex maneuver that's only happened once before. SpaceX successfully caught its Super Heavy booster for the second time. Screenshot via SpaceX webcast The booster fired its engines to lower itself to a catch tower, where a pair of giant "chopstick" arms closed around its trunk and caught it.This technological feat is key to reaching SpaceX's goal of building a fleet of rapidly, fully reusable rockets to help slash spaceflight costs, advance the company's business model, and ultimately build a city of people on Mars.However, shortly after the epic booster catch, SpaceX said the upper stage of the system, Starship itself, was lost and later confirmed on X that it had suffered a rapid unscheduled disassembly, which is another way of saying it exploded."We were just coming up to the end of that ascent burn for the ship when we started to lose a couple of the engines," Dan Huot, one of the hosts of SpaceX's livestream of the launch, said in the broadcast.Then the ship dropped out of communications, meaning there was some kind of anomaly and Starship was lost, Huot said."This was a brand new vehicle essentially," he added. "With that, there's a lot of things you're upgrading, but there's a lot of things you're going to learn as all those systems are now interacting with each other for the first time."Elon Musk, the company's founder and CEO, posted on X shortly after that "improved versions of the ship & booster already waiting for launch."SpaceX's Starship flight 7 didn't achieve all it set out toFor the first time, SpaceX flew Starship with a reused Raptor rocket engine.The Super Heavy booster runs on 33 Raptor engines. For the entire rocket to be reusable, as Musk has said he intends, then those engines must be recycled and reused too. A picture of the Raptor engine SpaceX reused during its latest launch. Screenshot via SpaceX webcast Aboard Thursday's flight, one of those engines was the same one that SpaceX flew on its October flight.Also flying for the first time was SpaceX's new generation second-stage Starship. This new generation comes with significant upgrades designed for "bringing major improvements to reliability and performance," the company wrote on its website.For example, the flaps on this upgraded Starship are smaller and reoriented so they're not exposed to as much heat upon reentry. These flaps are designed to eventually help Starship fly back and touch down on land, making it reusable. The new-generation Starship that flew on SpaceX's latest launch has significant upgrades, including to its flaps highlighted here. Screenshot via SpaceX webcast However, SpaceX has not yet recovered a Starship from spaceflight. So far, every Starship that has flown to space has sunk into the Indian Ocean. The ship on Thursday's flight was slated for the same fate before it was lost shortly after launch.Starship was scheduled to deploy a set of 10 Starlink simulators, or dummies. They were about the same size and weight as SpaceX's next-generation V3 Starlink satellites. Deploying them was practice for eventually the real thing, which is a key part of SpaceX's business plan.Starship is set to make other SpaceX rockets obsolete SpaceX's Super Heavy booster hangs in mid-air between giant "chopsticks" arms. Screenshot via SpaceX webcast In its final form, Starship should be able to release up to 100 second-generation Starlink satellites at a time, increasing SpaceX's internet coverage and a core pillar of its income.Once Starship is operational, its sheer power will likely make it the cornerstone of SpaceX's business, which has long hinged on the comparatively wimpy Falcon 9 and its hefty counterpart, Falcon Heavy."Starship obsoletes Falcon 9 and the Dragon capsule," SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell said at the Baron Investment Conference in November, according to Ars Technica."We'll be flying that for six to eight more years," she added, "but ultimately, people are going to want to fly on Starship. It's bigger. It's more comfortable. It will be less expensive. And we will have flown it so many more times."

Did Donald Trump deliver the Gaza ceasefire that Joe Biden couldnt?After many long months of inconclusive talks, a ceasefire deal between the Israeli government and Hamas appears to have finally been reached just as Biden is set to leave office and Trump is set to take credit.Bidens team of course would point out that they spent many months engaged in painstaking diplomacy to deliver this outcome. The deal itself (which is still awaiting final approval from the Israeli government) resembles a proposal crafted by officials from the US, Egypt, and Qatar and announced by Biden in May. However, there indeed seems to be widespread agreement among diplomats and officials involved that Trump-related factors were quite important in finally spurring the deal to come together though there are some dueling narratives about exactly why.Trump intervened in two main ways. First, in early December, he made a public demand that the hostages be released before his inauguration and that, if they werent, there would be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East. He did not clarify what that meant, but this effectively set a deadline: Trump wanted a deal by January 20.Second, in recent days, Trumps team most notably incoming Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff became involved in the process directly, pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make concessions and agree to a deal.Left critics of Bidens Israel policy have responded by arguing that Trumps interventions prove he could have produced a ceasefire far earlier, if only he had been willing to push Israel more, and that he and his team were either too weak, too incompetent, or too in hock to Israel to do so.Yet major developments in the war in recent months likely also made both Israel and Hamas more willing to end it.Between September and November, Israeli forces not only killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, but also drastically escalated their war against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, doing grave damage to the group and killing many of its leaders before an eventual ceasefire in Lebanon. This likely helped Israel feel like it would be ending the war from a position of greater strength, while leaving Hamas more isolated and ending any hopes theyd be helped by foreign intervention.So the context for the war had recently changed in ways that paved the way for a ceasefire. But the combination of Trumps deadline and his teams pressure on Netanyahu indeed seems to have been important in getting the deal across the finish line.Major developments in the war late last year may have paved the way for a ceasefireSince Biden endorsed this ceasefire proposal back in May, there has been endless finger-pointing about who deserves most blame for the lack of an agreement on it.Publicly, US officials have blamed Hamas as the main obstacle for the lack of the deal. This narrative was complicated somewhat by Netanyahus repeated public rejections of Bidens ceasefire proposals.Indeed, according to the Washington Posts Ishaan Tharoor, Arab interlocutors and US officials in private have also pointed the finger at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who repeatedly scuppered deals with new demands that Hamas was unwilling to accept.All along, Netanyahu faced pressure from his far-right governing partners who have the power to unmake him as prime minister to continue the war further. And he eventually responded by launching devastating attacks against Hezbollah, which had regularly been firing rockets at northern Israel since late 2023, displacing tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes. Hezbollah had claimed they would not stop the rocket attacks until the Gaza war ended. Israels escalation in Lebanon was brutal but successful in dismantling Hezbollah. And while that was going on, Sinwar was found and killed in southern Gaza, handing Israel a symbolic victory by eliminating the architect of the October 7, 2023, attacks. This put Netanyahu in more of a position of strategic and political strength, which may have made him newly open to wrap up the war. We have less insight into Hamass decision-making, but the defeat of a main ally in Hezbollah may have also made them more willing to agree to a negotiated settlement.Indeed, reports throughout December claimed that a ceasefire deal was drawing closer. But both sides haggled hard over the details, and agreement remained elusive.So Trumps December 2 demand that the hostages be released by his inauguration may have mattered mainly because it served as an action-forcing deadline for two parties who were already increasingly inclined to reach a deal.How much did Witkoffs pressure on Netanyahu matter?Steve Witkoff speaks during a Trump campaign event on October 27, 2024. Adam Gray/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesBut Trumps other major intervention came in recent days, when he sent Witkoff to the Middle East to join the talks and reiterated that he was quite serious about his deadline and that it applied to Israel too.Once in Israel, Witkoff reportedly told Netanyahu in blunt terms that he needed to compromise more. Multiple reports claim that this pressure, and Trumps involvement generally, made a difference:Two Arab officials told the Times of Israel that one meeting with Witkoff did more to sway Netanyahu than Biden did in the past year.An unnamed diplomat told the Washington Post that this was the first time there has been real pressure on the Israeli side to accept a deal.One US official told Axios that Trumps involvement was the 10 cents missing for the dollar in getting the deal done.Trump and Witkoffs pressure on Netanyahu may also have helped the prime minister argue to his far-right coalition partners that the deal on the table was the best he could get though it is so far unclear whether Netanyahu will keep his governing coalition together.So its a matter of dispute whether Trump deserves full credit for the deal, 10 percent, or something in between. But it does appear pretty indisputable that he played a helpful role in getting it done.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More: