The Times of Israel Daily Briefing The Times of Israel

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

It is day 245 of the war with Hamas. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint session of Congress on July 24, top US lawmakers announced on Thursday. Will this truly be a bipartisan event?

Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan informed his US counterpart Linda Thomas-Greenfield yesterday that Jerusalem opposes the Security Council resolution being advanced by the Biden administration that expresses support for the hostage-ceasefire proposal Israel made last week. Why is Israel opposing an Israeli proposal?

The United States warned Thursday that Israel will see a "massive" negative impact if the Palestinian Authority collapses as Washington again pressed Israel to let revenue flow. Who is holding up the money and on what grounds?

The US State Department announced on Thursday sanctions against the Lions’ Den terror group that was established over two years ago in the northern West Bank. Why now?

In a new interview with ABC News, US President Joe Biden said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has listened to his warnings against a major military offensive in Rafah and that Biden believes Netanyahu supports the hostage deal Israel submitted last week. What else did you hear?

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

‘Falling for Hamas tactics’: IDF names 9 terrorists killed in school strike, slams media

Netanyahu to defend ‘just war’ in July 24 speech to joint session of US Congress

Israel rejects Security Council resolution in support of its own hostage deal offer

US announces sanctions on largely dormant West Bank terror group Lions’ Den

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: Troops of the Givati Brigade operate in southern Gaza's Rafah, in a handout photo published June 6, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

It is day 244 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan in our Jerusalem offices for today's episode.

A Saudi outlet reported this morning that Hamas officials rejected the Israeli-driven proposal for a hostage-ceasefire deal, claiming it was fundamentally different from the deal presented by US President Joe Biden. How credible should we consider this Saudi report?

An Israel Defense Forces reserve soldier was killed and 10 other people were wounded in a Hezbollah-claimed attack with explosive-laden drones on northern Israel on Wednesday. The IDF announced the death of the soldier on Thursday morning, naming him as Staff Sgt. (res.) Refael Kauders, 39, a father of five young children from Tzur Hadassah, just outside Jerusalem. Is the IDF prepared for an all-out war in the north?

Police arrested 18 suspects for violent offenses on Wednesday as clashes broke out during the Jerusalem Day Flag March, in which tens of thousands of mostly national religious Israelis marched through the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City to celebrate the capital’s reunification in 1967. Horovitz addresses incendiary statements made by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and describes the scene at the march.

Yesterday a report by the FakeReporter organization and The New York Times was published alleging that the Israeli government has been waging a months-long campaign to covertly influence American lawmakers through AI-generated social media posts by fake users with the help of a $2million contract with an Israeli firm called Stoic. Horovitz weighs in on several of the disturbing aspects of this report.

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Saudi report: Hamas rejects hostage-ceasefire deal proposal without clear guarantee war will end

Why Israel needs the hostage-ceasefire deal, and must be wary if Sinwar takes it

Reserve soldier killed, 10 hurt, in Hezbollah drone attack on northern town

Far-right violence, chants of ‘Death to Arabs,’ at Jerusalem Day Flag March in Old City

Ben Gvir boasts of letting Jews pray on Temple Mount; Netanyahu: Status quo unchanged

Diaspora Ministry funded fake social media posts to spread pro-Israel content — NYT

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: Jewish men hold Israeli flags as they dance at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, during Jerusalem Day celebrations, June 5, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

It is day 243 of the war with Hamas. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and political reporter Sam Sokol join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Berman discusses the diplomatic discussions between the various counterparts in the push for a hostage agreement, as the Biden administration pushes for a first phase of a deal, and waits for the first stages of agreement from Hamas via Qatar.

He notes that Israel has agreed to move forward on the deal, and that the government is doing more than he expected to get the hostages out. That said, Israel is insisting on toppling Hamas militarily, getting all hostages out and ensuring that Gaza will not be a future platform for terrorist attacks.

Berman also discusses Netanyahu's conversation with French prime minister Emmanuel Macron who reemphasized French support for Israel and the hostages.

Sokol looks at the reactions of far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich to the hostage talks, as they have threatened to bring down the government if Netanyahu signs what they consider a reckless deal.

He also notes that the ultra-Orthodox are in favor of the deal, given their long-time support of Netanyahu. The Haredi parties generally don't weigh in on security issues, given that their communities don't serve in the army.

Finally, Sokol offers a quick preview of the upcoming Jerusalem Day flag march into the Old City, an often controversial event particularly given the presence of Ben Gvir at the march.

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

PM says Biden version of deal ‘incomplete’; US: It accurately reflects Israeli offer

Macron tells Netanyahu Gaza war must end, is mum on freeing hostages as condition

Biden’s ‘Israeli’ proposal for a hostage deal leaves key questions unanswered

Far-right ministers accuse Netanyahu of ‘whitewashing’ hostage deal, hiding details

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: Demonstrators call for the release of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip outside Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, June 4, 2024. (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

It is day 242 of the war with Hamas. Political correspondent Tal Schneider and diaspora reporter Canaan Lidor join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Schneider discusses the IDF's discovery of four hostages pronounced dead in Gaza, including three octogenarian Kibbutz Oz founders Chaim Peri, Amiram Cooper and Yoram Metzger and Kibbutz Nirim's Nadav Popplewell, and how that finding enrages the hostage families in their push for a deal.

She also looks at the politics of the current hostage deal on the table, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walks a narrow line of trying to keep his coalition intact while honing to the requests of US President Joe Biden who wants to see a deal on the table.

Lidor talks about the presidential election in Mexico, won by candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, who describes herself as having Jewish roots, and what it could mean for Mexico and the US.

He also describes a recent conference of representatives of the Jewish communities of the European Union, who practiced tactics of fighting off antisemitic attacks and discussed at what point they will tell their communities to leave Europe.

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Israel announces the deaths of four hostages in Hamas captivity

Protesters block Tel Aviv highway, urging hostage deal after 4 captives declared dead

Biden says Israel ready to advance deal, urges Qatari pressure on Hamas to agree

PM says Biden version of deal ‘incomplete’; US: It accurately reflects Israeli offer

Claudia Sheinbaum wins election to become Mexico’s 1st woman, 1st Jewish president

Quietly Jewish scientist poised to win Sunday’s Mexican presidential election

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: Protests on Tel Aviv's Begin Road on Monday night as hostage family members make desperate plea for a deal (Courtesy Gilad Furst)
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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

It is day 241 of the war with Hamas. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Dolev Yehud, 35, initially thought to have been taken hostage to the Gaza Strip by Hamas terrorists on October 7, was declared dead after his body was identified in Israel, the military said. Why now and what do we know about his death?

The IDF said on Sunday that troops had recently begun to operate in the Yabna camp in central Rafah, adjacent to the border with Egypt. We earlier had reported that there are four Hamas battalions in Rafah. Fabian explains what we know about the operations as well as Hamas's capabilities right now.

The IDF said it intercepted a surface-to-surface missile heading toward Israel from the direction of the Red Sea. We hear how the ballistic missile, apparently launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, affected Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat.

The Nahariya municipality announced that schools and educational institutions opened as usual, a day after a drone strike hit the city for the first time. Fabian dives into how these drones are more accurate than missiles and appears to be Hezbollah's weapon of choice for the moment.

The war cabinet convened Sunday evening to discuss the proposal and its possible implementation, given international and domestic pressure to accept the deal aimed at securing the release of 120 hostages believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza since being kidnapped on October 7. Would the IDF welcome a temporary ceasefire?

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Presumed hostage Dolev Yehud declared dead as remains identified in Israel

Apparent Houthi ballistic missile fired at Eilat downed by Arrow system — IDF

Gallant vows war won’t end until Hamas is destroyed; IDF advances further in Rafah

Determination and grit at a somber NYC Israel Day parade, led by families of hostages

Claudia Sheinbaum wins election to become Mexico’s 1st woman, 1st Jewish president

Quietly Jewish scientist poised to win Sunday’s Mexican presidential election

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip in a photo released for publication on June 3, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

It is day 240 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz and US bureau chief Jacob Magid join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

On Friday afternoon in Washington DC, US President Joe Biden declared it’s “time for this war to end,” and presented what he said was the latest Israeli proposal for a hostage deal and ceasefire to end the Israel-Hamas war. He also repeatedly called on both sides to accept the offer.

According to Biden, the Israeli proposal was submitted on Thursday to Hamas via Qatar. Biden said the offer would “bring all the hostages home, ensure Israel’s security, create a better day after in Gaza without Hamas in power, and set the stage for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”

We devote the entire episode to an attempt to unravel Biden's speech and sift for more details about the proposal. We hear how Israeli and American politicians are receiving the speech -- as well as the world.

And finally, we hear whether this speech will help Biden win voters, or bleed them.

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

‘Time for this war to end’: Biden tells Hamas to accept Israel’s hostage-ceasefire offer

Full text of Biden’s speech laying out hostage and ceasefire deal for Israel-Hamas war

Far-right parties vow to bring down government if PM backs hostage-ceasefire deal

‘Non-starter’: Netanyahu says no permanent Gaza ceasefire until Hamas destroyed

Netanyahu accepts invitation to address joint session of Congress

120,000 said to rally in Tel Aviv to demand hostage deal, denounce government

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. 

IMAGE: US President Joe Biden speaks about the situation in the Middle East, in the State Dining Room of the White House on May 31, 2024 (Brendan Smialowski / AFP)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.