GEOFF BENNETT: As the Trump administration# advances its vision for rebuilding Gaza## and reshaping how the territory is# governed, uncertainty looms over## what comes next as the cease-fire moves# into its next phase.

Critical issues,## from security and humanitarian access# to political control, remain unresolved.

Earlier today, I spoke with U.S.# ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.## I began by asking him what success looks# like in phase two of the cease-fire and## how the administration plans to measure progress.

MIKE HUCKABEE, U.S.

Ambassador to Israel: Well,## I would tell you it's already wo.. we haven't had to rush down to the# shelter and dodge a ballistic missile.

So the cease-fire itself has been quite# successful.

Everybody in Israel is## breathing a sigh of relief.

They're# putting their kids to bed at night,## tucking them in and not thinking they're going# to wake up in the middle of the night to a siren.

All the hostages are back.

I think you# would have had a hard time convincing## anyone in Israel if you would have told them# 4.5 months ago that every hostage would be## back.

As phase two starts, it's going to be# a methodical process, but it is under way.

The Board of Peace is established.

The# technocratic government is being formed.## The one big peace that still has to# happen is the disarmament of Hamas,## but I think that's on the way# as well.

And it's progress.

GEOFF BENNETT: Meantime, the Rafah Crossing# has reopened, but the number of Palestinian## medical evacuees has been limited.# Why is that process moving so slowly?

MIKE HUCKABEE: Well, it's a difficult thing to# get people in and out safely.

They have to be## properly vetted so that you don't bring# terrorists in or take terrorists out.

There's a legitimately diligent effort to get# this done.

But we're talking about people who are## vastly displaced, people who are displaced because# Hamas extended this war long before it should## have been extended.

People are still adjusting# to the fact that Gaza is basically a rubble.

Once again, Hamas could have ended# this long before the destruction,## but they didn't.

They wanted to hold hostages# and torture them and starve them and make it## difficult for them.

And I'm hoping that,# when they disarm and we get rid of them,## things will start progressing much more rapidly.

GEOFF BENNETT: You mentioned the president's# newly announced Board of Peace earlier.

There## are critics who say that it effectively# sidelines multilateral organizations.

What problem is the Board of Peace meant to solve# that existing international organizations cannot?

MIKE HUCKABEE: Well, the Board of# Peace is a different kind of board,## in that it is made up of people who# have chosen to be a part of it and## people who want to actually do some heavy# lifting and making Gaza livable again.

I don't know of any other organization# internationally that is that committed## to doing something right.

We saw here# in Israel what happened when the United## Nations was in charge of the food program.

It# was absolutely dismal; 92 percent of the food## that was supposed to go to people who were hungry# ended up getting looted or stolen or hijacked.

And those are the U.N.

's own# numbers.

That was last summer.## So the Board of Peace is supposed to# try to make this much more effective## and efficient and put people in charge# that actually know how to run something.

GEOFF BENNETT: Is the administration# moving away from the U.N.

model altogether?

MIKE HUCKABEE: I wouldn't say that.

I think# we recognize -- I'm not a big fan of the U.N.

It seems to be cumbersome, expensive, and not# all that effective, but it has its purpose.

But## there needs to be a much more lean operation in# order to get Gaza on its feet.

And I think that## it's not something that you can just say to# nations, say to Iran or North Korea, I'm sure## you guys will have a really noble experiment# here, and you will want to do it the right way.

So this is going to be a board of# people who not only want to be on it,## but who, quite frankly, meet the# criteria of wanting to do it right.

GEOFF BENNETT: On the matter of Iran,# have you been briefed on how the talks,## the Iran talks, went in Oman today?# And we know that the prime minister,## Netanyahu, has said that Iran cannot be trusted.

Is there a deal that you# believe Iran can commit to?

MIKE HUCKABEE: That's hard to say.

Geoff, it's something I hope happens.

And I#.. look, nobody would like to see a negotiated peace# more than I would, because, if we have a war,## I'm going to be right in the center of# it.

And I would just as soon pass from## that.

I have been here less than a year as# ambassador, been through four wars already.

But will Iran agree to something?

And will they# agree to what the president has laid fourth,## which is, you don't have enrichment,# you don't have nuclear weaponry,## and you're going to have to deal with# this incredible array of ballistic## missiles that you keep building up,# because you're threatening the world?

And through not just Iran, but their proxy# organizations, they have created havoc.

And## then if you add to that the number of# people they have murdered in their own## streets because they were protesting the# lack of food and water, let's be honest,## Iran is a real problem.

And it's not just a# Middle East problem.

It's a problem globally.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, what is the U.S.

prepared# to do?

You have said that the president will## not disappoint the Iranians who put their lives# on the line as they protest the Iranian regime.

MIKE HUCKABEE: One thing I'm# confident about this president,## he makes a promise and he keeps it.

He# told Iran last summer that they could## do it the easy way or the hard way.

They# didn't listen.

They did it the hard way.

And he sent B-2 bombers in through the# Operation Midnight Hammer.

You would## think they'd learned something.

I often say# that in the South, where I grew up, Geoff,## we say there's no education in the second# kick of a mule.

They got a real kick of a## mule last summer.

I'm wondering, did# they get any education from that one?

If not, they may stand behind the# mule again.

And there probably won't## be much education in the second kick of a mule.

GEOFF BENNETT: As we wrap up our conversation# here, I wonder.

So many Americans,## how they currently understand Israel# is shaped by its response to Hamas.

What do you worry gets lost about# Israel, its society, its values,## when the country is viewed almost# exclusively through this lens of war?

MIKE HUCKABEE: I think Americans are pretty# naive if they don't understand that Israel## had hostages being held in tunnels who were# being tortured, starved, raped and beaten.

If America had hostages, and it was the sons# and daughters of Americans, do you think we## would stand by and just say, well, I hope they# could let loose someday?

We would be scratching## and working, and we would be doing everything# we possibly could to get those hostages out.

Israel gets blamed for a lot of stuff.# They didn't start the war.

Hamas did on## October the 7th.

And they didn't just# murder 1,200 civilians.

They butchered## them.

What I wish Americans would do is# to look at this honestly and objectively.

I wish they would understand who is at fault, why# it went as long as it did, and ask themselves,## if this was your son, your daughter being held# in those tunnels, raped and tortured, would you## stand by idly, or would you do whatever it took# to bring an end to it and get your children home?

GEOFF BENNETT: The U.S.

ambassador to Israel,## Mike Huckabee, thank you for# your time, sir.

We appreciate it.

MIKE HUCKABEE: Thank you, Geoff.