We know what’s coming and we are prepared.
HOSTAGE DEAL UPDATE:
Early this morning, we saw reports in Israel that Sinwar was under increasing pressure due to the operation in Rafah and IDF control of the Philadelphi Corridor. Sinwar fears that every day that goes by without a deal, his chances of survival go down, and the chances that Israel will rescue more hostages go up (AKA he loses leverage in negotiations). Some unofficial sources claim that Sinwar has accepted that Hamas will not govern Gaza after the war. Still, he is ADAMANT that the IDF withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor because that is his oxygen supply. This will be the contention point going forward.
This afternoon, we received the report that the Mossad had received an answer from Hamas vis-à-vis the deal offered a few weeks ago. While we don’t have the full details of the answer yet, Israeli officials are claiming that this is the most positive response so far from Hamas, and they can work with it for once, albeit the negotiations will still take a long time and are not assured. Hamas supporters have already started celebrating, claiming that they were able to reach a deal to end the war.
From Israel’s perspective, while this is not necessarily the ideal situation, barring any untenable demands from Hamas, this deal will probably be the best way to get some hostages back alive. If there is no deal, the chance that hostages will be killed continues to escalate.
However, an important point to consider is that this deal was presented BEFORE the IDF took control of the Philadelphi Corridor, and that aspect of it would be a massive problem. I don’t see a situation where the IDF withdraws from the corridor, and I don’t see Hamas agreeing to a deal that keeps Israeli forces choking their supply lines. It remains to be seen how that issue will be negotiated.
It is essential to keep in mind that for many in Israel, Gaza is not nearly as important as the North anymore. All attention and focus are being shifted toward Lebanon, and the IDF needs as much of its available resources and manpower for what is to come with Hezbollah.
Overall, while I am not happy with the circumstances of this potential deal, I understand the various perspectives and considerations that go into it, and I trust Bibi to make the right decision for the country and our people. He holds all of the information, and we try to make sense of it; the rest is out of our hands.
(Raylan Givens on X)
🌅 Market News Digest
[Jul 6-7, 2026 EST]
🔥 Top Stories
• Hormuz shipping attacks escalate — Iran reportedly fired missiles at commercial vessels; oil jumped, gold eased, and the risk premium rose across energy and defense
• Samsung/Kospi rout — Samsung shares slumped after 2Q profit beat but oversupply worries, helping trigger an 8% KOSPI halt and a $170B+ market-value wipeout
• BoE flags valuation risk — Bank of England warned of stretched AI-led equity valuations, higher leverage, and a sharp-correction risk while proposing capital-rule easing
• Trump pressures Walmart on prices — Walmart said it will cut prices on 250+ items; the White House is using retail pricing as a visible inflation signal
⛽ Oil & Energy
• Saudi Arabia weighs bypass routes — exploring more pipeline capacity and alternative export paths outside Hormuz as shipping risk rises
• Oil up on Hormuz attacks — crude rose ~1.5% after vessel strikes; Qatar LNG tanker was also reported hit near the strait
• Shell ...
“If you want to hate America, watch the news. If you want to love America, drive through it.”
European media has pushed a negative picture of America for generations and it’s not new with any recent president.
This pattern runs deep because the media has long helped European elites build their own identity by positioning America as the opposite of what they claim to value.
Historians trace this anti-American thread in European writing and press back to the 18th and 19th centuries and it grew stronger in the 20th.
America was often painted as crude, commercial, and overly individualistic, a threat to older European hierarchies of class and culture.
After World War II the coverage increased but it frequently framed the US as the powerful yet uncivilized counterpoint to a more refined and cooperative Europe.
Media outlets used stories about American business, culture, and foreign policy to reinforce that contrast and it became a reliable way to define a shared European self-image....
