A Conversation with the former Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs

On September 11th the Program on Extremism held a timely and insightful conversation with Steven Gillen, former Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (DSPEHA) and current senior official at the U.S. State Department. Gillen played a central role in the U.S. response to the hostage crisis following the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

This discussion explored the origins and mission of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, as well as Gillen’s personal account of the U.S. government’s efforts in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attacks.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Gillen has held key diplomatic roles across the globe, including assignments in Iraq, Bosnia, Somalia, and the broader Middle East. He was awarded the FBI Director’s Award for Distinguished Service in 2024 for his work assisting victims while deployed to Israel during the crisis.

The conversation was moderated by David Zimmermann, Senior Research Fellow. Zimmermann is a retired FBI Special Agent and former Assistant Legal Attaché in Tel Aviv, where he led the FBI’s Israel-based efforts from October 2023 to July 2024 to help secure the release and return of over 250 hostages held by Hamas.