The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

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. Reporter Amy Spiro filling in for diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and environmental correspondent Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Spiro says there is optimism that the proposed hostage deal will be signed by Wednesday or Thursday, and reviews the proposed details of the deal that it is very similar to what was proposed last May, with a first stage of 33 hostages to be released in exchange for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and negotiations on a second phase of hostages 16 days into the ceasefire. Spiro says that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar calls this a gradual deal, not a partial deal. She reviews the process of approving the deal, which would first go to the security cabinet and then to the entire government cabinet. Spiro remarks that Likud ministers have said the deal will pass, even without right-wing politicians National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir or Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on board, and that opposition leader Yair Lapid has said he will do what is necessary to ensure the deal goes through despite any longer-term political implications. Surkes discusses the new reforms aimed at changing the range of imported goods from the European Union, intended to lower prices on goods in Israel. Surkes also looks at a Tel Aviv University study regarding the lack of cave art in the Levant and a bereaved family member's newspaper that looks at how Israel could become a better place. The printed newspaper, written only by bereaved families, aligns with the latest Yoni Bloch song that Steinberg speaks about briefly, with an AI clip that imagines the hostages released home and peace in the Middle East. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Smotrich undecided on hostage deal at this ‘fateful moment’ Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal on brink of finalization, as reports spell out details Israeli officials: Deal will see 33 hostages freed in 1st stage, most of them alive Ben Gvir says he repeatedly foiled hostage deals, urges Smotrich to help him stop this one Along with soaring prices, Israel rings in 2025 with economic reforms, but will they work? Israeli researchers devise woolly solution to enigma of why Levant has no cave art AI music clip imagines all hostages released, a new MidEast 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: Protestors at Begin Gate in Tel Aviv on January 15, 2025, calling for the release of all the hostages and the end to the war (Credit Yoav Loeff)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. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. This morning, a “final round” of Gaza truce talks was due to start in Qatar. According to AFP, today’s meetings “are aimed at finalizing the remaining details of the deal,” with the heads of Israel’s intelligence agencies, the Middle East envoys for the incoming and outgoing US administrations, and Qatar’s prime minister present. Mediators are to meet separately with Hamas officials, the source says. Fabian explains what he knows so far about security arrangements that may be put in place in Gaza in the event of a ceasefire. Five Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed and 10 were wounded in an explosion in northern Gaza on Monday, the military said, raising Israel’s toll in over 15 months of fighting in the Strip to 407. The slain troops were all serving with the Nahal Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit. On Saturday, four soldiers were killed and six were wounded during fighting, also in the northern Gaza Strip. We hear initial findings about these two terrible incidents. The IDF said Monday it had struck several Hezbollah sites in Lebanon overnight, saying the targets violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement. It said it did so after the international ceasefire monitoring mechanism failed to address them, despite being advised on the matter. This is not the first time -- and it's likely not the last, says Fabian. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched ballistic missiles within hours of each other on Monday evening and early Tuesday morning, triggering sirens that sent hundreds of thousands of Israelis rushing into shelters. This comes after a Friday night retaliatory attack by the Israeli Air Force against Houthi targets in Yemen. Fabian shares why the Houthis may not yet be deterred. IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram on Friday notified his commander, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, that he would leave his role as planned at the end of February. Is it because he wants Halevi's job instead? For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Israeli officials: Deal will see 33 hostages freed in 1st stage, most of them alive Five soldiers killed, 10 wounded in explosion in northern Gaza, IDF says IDF announces 4 soldiers killed, 6 wounded during fighting in northern Gaza IDF says it hit Hezbollah sites after ceasefire monitors failed to address threats For second time in hours, Houthi missile at Israel triggers cross-country sirens Couple, out for walk after overnight sirens, find chunk of Houthi missile on their roof 20 Israeli jets attack two ports and a power plant used by Houthis in Yemen IDF deputy chief of staff requests to step down, indicates he hopes to succeed Halevi 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: Pictures in Jerusalem of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, January 13, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)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. Political correspondent Tal Schneider and reporter Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Tensions are high in Israel over the possibility of a proposed hostage deal. Schneider discusses the Sunday phone conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden regarding the negotiations. She also reviews which Israeli officials are currently in Doha, along with Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy. Schneider says Netanyahu met with coalition leaders Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, as the prime minister needs those two powerful coalition partners on board to approve any hostage deal. Bletter talks about her visits to two northern kibbutz communities where residents have been evacuated for more than a year and now have to decide what the future holds for them. She also discusses a Weizmann Institute study about ants, and their ability to work well as a team, unlike their human counterparts. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Biden stresses ‘immediate need’ for hostage-truce deal in call with Netanyahu Netanyahu dispatches top negotiators to Qatar talks amid push to seal hostage deal PM to meet with Smotrich to gauge support for a potential hostage deal — report Inside the Lebanon-border closed military zone, kibbutz members prepare to start over Ants have more ‘group smarts’ than humans, Israeli study finds 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: People walking next to a poster of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, 'We won't stop until they're all released!' in Jerusalem, January 12, 2025 ( Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)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. Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Late last week, almost two years exactly to the unveiling of the initial judicial overhaul legislative package, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar unveiled a far-reaching package of changes to Israel’s judicial system which would increase political power over judicial appointments and curb the High Court’s ability to strike down legislation. The new package would stop short of some measures that sparked massive anti-government protests in 2023, but are potentially just a beginning. We unravel the new initiative and try to understand its implications. The High Court of Justice on Friday gave the state until the end of January to explain what steps it was taking to maximize Haredi enlistment to the Israel Defense Forces and to penalize draft dodgers.The instruction came in response to several petitions calling for the immediate conscription of all previously exempt ultra-Orthodox men. We learn about the court's impatience with the government's lack of action on this flashpoint issue. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Overhaul redux: Levin’s ‘compromise’ proposal would again radically constrain the judiciary Levin, Sa’ar unveil new judicial overhaul plan; wary opposition heads hold off response High Court orders state to clarify plans to draft Haredim, penalize 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 Ben Wallick. IMAGE: Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar (left) with Justice Minister Yariv Levin at the Knesset on November 6, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.