The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Episodios disponibles

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Day 754 - Faking 'discovery' of a body, depraved Hamas plays to type
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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The IDF announced this morning that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is now once again in effect, following “a series of significant strikes” targeting dozens of Hamas targets and operatives. The strikes came after Palestinian operatives carried out an attack on troops stationed in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, killing soldier Master Sgt. (res.) Yona Efraim Feldbaum. This strike on IDF soldiers, along with Hamas’s failure to return the deceased Israeli hostages -- even faking the recovery of one slain hostage -- led to Israel's retaliation, which, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, killed over 100. Horovitz weighs in on the nature of Hamas and the White House's recognition of Israel's right to retaliate. We hear how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed the US of his intention to strike, and today appears bent on continuing with the Trump-brokered ceasefire. The Haredi community in Israel is planning a massive protest at the entrance of Jerusalem tomorrow, while the High Court is hearing petitions that the IDF draft tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox young men, and at the same time, the Knesset is working to draft a bill that will allow most of the Haredi young men to continue to avoid conscription. We learn some details of the leaked bill being discussed by the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and hear about some of the Likud MKs who are speaking out against it. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF reservist killed in Tuesday attack in Rafah; Israel says ceasefire restored Hamas fakes ‘unearthing’ partial remains of hostage whose body IDF recovered in 2023, Israel says Trump: ‘Nothing’ will jeopardize Gaza ceasefire, Israel ‘should hit back’ if troops killed Revised ultra-Orthodox military draft bill said to reduce penalties for dodgers Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves. Illustrative image: Hamas terrorists carry a white bag believed to contain a body, after retrieving it from a tunnel during a search for the remains of hostages in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, October 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Day 752 - US and ceasefire partners debate what's next in Gaza
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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. With phase one of the ceasefire deal still in process, given the 13 bodies of hostages still in Gaza, Magid discusses the US desire to move into phase two of the 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war. The US is trying to create facts on the ground, says Magid, but there are concerns from the other partners regarding some of the decisions, including whether the focus should be on Hamas disarmament or postwar management of Gaza. Following last week's vote in the Knesset on a West Bank annexation bill, and the angry reaction from the US administration over the vote, Magid discusses how the Trump government has shifted its tone since February, when it announced it would back Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank and floated the idea of a Gaza Riviera. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US weighs which side’s red line to cross as it seeks to implement Gaza deal’s 2nd phase Trump says ‘Israel not going to do anything with the West Bank’ as US fumes over annexation vote Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves. IMAGE: U.S. Marine soldiers walk past a mural of a coffee shop near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, southern Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Day 752 - Can Hamas be forced into stage two of the Trump plan?
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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Israel does not know the location of four of the remaining 13 bodies of hostages held in Gaza, even as Egypt is reportedly bringing 12 additional heavy vehicles into the enclave this morning to clear roads and assist in efforts to locate the deceased. Berman weighs in on the stability of the ceasefire as the US increases its rhetoric, pushing Hamas to release the bodies to begin the transition to phase two of the 20-point Trump peace plan. A transnational terror network run by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force is behind a string of recent attacks on Jewish sites in Western countries, the Mossad intelligence agency said on Sunday. We learn about senior IRGC-Quds Force commander Sardar Ammar, who heads a network of some 11,000 operatives carrying out covert operations and strikes on Jewish sites. Catherine Connolly, a veteran lawmaker on the far left of the Irish political spectrum, was elected president by a landslide margin on Saturday. She has drawn criticism for her views on the Hamas terror group, which she said in September was “part of the fabric of the Palestinian people,” as well as claims that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. Does Berman see an even rockier relationship with Israel on the horizon? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Israel reported to know location of 9 out of 13 deceased hostages still held in Gaza Israel reveals Iran’s Guards leader behind attacks on Jewish sites in Europe, Australia Far-left candidate who called Israel ‘terrorist state’ elected president of Ireland Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Illustrative: Members of the Hamas terrorist group search for bodies of the slain hostages in an area in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Day 751 - Egyptians enter Gaza as US drones fly above Strip
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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Last night Egyptian forces and heavy equipment entered the Gaza Strip to help search for the 13 bodies of hostages still not returned to Israel after US President Donald Trump issued fresh threats to Hamas on Saturday, saying the terror group would be to blame if the ceasefire collapsed. We learn about where the IDF is still deployed and how things stand on the ground. The United States has reportedly begun deploying surveillance drones over the Gaza Strip to ensure that Israel and Hamas are complying with the ceasefire, The New York Times reported Saturday. Fabian plays down the significance of these reports and reminds us that, among other nations, Britain has previously flown drones over Gaza during the war. The IDF confirmed carrying out a drone strike last night in the southern Lebanon town of Qlaileh, saying it killed a commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force. He is the third commander to be targeted in the past few days, leading Borschel-Dan to ask: Is there a step-up in Hezbollah forces near Israel? The Israeli Air Force plans to establish several new squadrons that would operate light aircraft on Israel’s borders with the Gaza Strip, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, under the Israel Defense Force’s various regional divisions. We learn how planes used for fighting fire or for crop dusting are meant to be adapted for military operations and may soon take to the skies. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump says Hamas withholding bodies of hostages, warns he’s watching ‘very closely’ Egyptian team enters Gaza with Israel’s approval to help locate hostages’ remains US said flying drones over Gaza as more nations join ceasefire-monitoring HQ Clearing Gaza’s ‘minefield’ surface of ordnance could take 20-30 years — aid group IDF: Hezbollah commander killed in drone strike targeting vehicle in south Lebanon IAI teams up with US contractor for new light aircraft for Israel’s border defense Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: This aerial picture shows destroyed buildings in Gaza City's Al-Rimal neighborhood on October 23, 2025. (AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Day 750 - Orna and Ronen Neutra: Their son is still in Gaza
Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Jessica Steinberg speaking with Orna and Ronen Neutra, parents of Omer Neutra, a tank platoon commander who was killed on October 7, 2023, his body taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. The Neutras, Israeli-born Americans who have been living in the US for the last 20 years, talk about the last days since the start of the ceasefire, the joyous return home of 20 living hostages, as the bodies of 13 hostages are still held in Gaza. Orna Neutra discusses how they knew they would never hug their son again, but how difficult it is to reconcile his death until they can bury his body. Ronen Neutra offers more details about October 7, 2023, his son's heroic final moments as a commander on the so-called White House IDF post near the Gaza border. The Neutras discuss their alliance with both the Biden and Trump administrations over the last two years, their more than 40 visits to Washington, DC, and how each US administration embraced the hostage families. Yet, says Orna Neutra, there is still the challenge of explaining that a deceased hostage is still a hostage, and can't remain in Gaza. Ronen Neutra talks about the gray zones of the ceasefire agreement concerning the deceased hostages, and how this war is not over until the last hostage is back. And so this week, we ask Orna and Ronen Neutra, what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of Omer Neutra, killed on October 7, 2023, his body still held in Gaza, at the October 18, 2025 rally at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square (Tzachi Dovrat/Israeli Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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