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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As Hamas leaders meet in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence officers to discuss the ceasefire, Berman says that the terrorist group wants to limit the ability of Israel to strike, and wants to deepen their control over 40% of the Gaza Strip, making it more inevitable that Hamas will be seen as the rulers of Gaza. Berman discusses his second visit to the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat, focusing on the American tone of the center and the civil governance and nation-building efforts underway at the site. He notes that the CMCC won't be the body that will force Hamas to disarm, which will only happen through Israel's military pressure or diplomatic pressure from Turkey and Egypt. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses several questions in an interview with Abu Ali Express, a popular local Telegram channel, says Berman, including ruling out a Palestinian state, while also discussing the possibility of Saudi normalization and continued talks with Turkey. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Top Hamas team said in Cairo to discuss escalation in Gaza, transition to 2nd stage of Trump plan Optimism abounds at Gaza coordination center, but violence puts truce at risk As US dives into remaking Gaza, shades of nation-building come into focus Netanyahu: ‘There will not be a Palestinian state,’ even at cost of ties with Saudis 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: Islamic Jihad militants search for the bodies of hostages north of Nuseirat, Gaza strip, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use. This week, the pair speaks about two films -- the new-ish, Jewish, "Bad Shabbos," and the classic Mel Brooks's "History of the World, Part I." But first, we turn to the segment, "What's the Jangle," in which we discuss two tidbits of Jewish entertainment news. Hoffman gives a tiny peek at the upcoming super Jewy film starring Timothée Chalamet, "Marty Supreme," which he saw in previews this week. And then we hear Pope Leo's top four films of all time. (Spoiler: three of them are very Jewy.) And, which questionable film personality was quoted by the pope at a Vatican event? Next, we get to "The Main Screening," in which the duo first discusses "Bad Shabbos," which one half of the team absolutely loved and the other gave a pretty warm review. And then, we move to the classic, "History of the World, Part I," which Borschel-Dan buckled down and watched for the first time. Hear who gave both films a seal of approval and which was a split decision on this week's The Reel Schmooze. The Reel Schmooze is produced by the PodWaves and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Last week, the pair spoke with foremost urban warfare expert John Spencer and Borschel-Dan noted that a term -- “nation-building” -- was raised repeatedly. In this week's episode, we explore this concept, starting with defining the term. We hear about previous models of nation-building, starting from Japan and Germany, following their defeats in World War II. We learn how these attempts were successful -- and former enemies quickly turned into allies. We then turn to more recent history with the West's attempts to reshape Afghanistan and Iraq. What were the differences between the two wars and their aftermaths? And finally, Berman applies the lessons learned in these previous attempts at nation-building and conjectures how they could -- or could not -- be applied in Gaza. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Lazar Berman (courtesy) / A general view shows a Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters, September 23, 2025, at the United Nations. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)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. ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode. As Israel’s Supreme Court demanded the government justify its reasons for not establishing a state commission of inquiry into the events that led to the October 7 Hamas invasion and massacres in southern Israel, Horovitz discusses how the government’s current approach will not uncover what went wrong, creating a dangerous precedent for the country. The High Court also ordered the government to create effective enforcement measures against ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers, and Horovitz discusses the ruling written by High Court justice Noam Sohlberg, who rebuked the Haredi community and its assertion that Torah study outweighs army service, citing the ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik. Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu’s Oct. 7 inquiry aims to safeguard his job, not Israel’s future High Court orders government to explain why it’s not launching Oct. 7 state inquiry High Court gives government 45 days to draw up sanctions for Haredi draft 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. IMAGE: Deputy President of the Supreme Court Noam Sohlberg arrives for a court hearing on the government’s draft of ultra-Orthodox Jews on October 29, 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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. During the White House visit of Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, US President Donald Trump elevates the status of Saudi Arabia in the eyes of the US, says Magid, along with several defense guarantees and sales of weapons. Israel hoped those gestures would be conditioned upon the Saudis normalizing conditions with the Jewish state, but went along with the announcement, discusses Magid. The recent UN Security Council vote gives the Board of Peace the mandate to redevelop Gaza over the next two years, says Magid, as well as a vague pathway toward a Palestinian state after that period. A resolution to establish the International Stabilization Force and the agreement on the demilitarization of Gaza were included in the vote, although it will be a tougher sell to get countries to contribute armed forces, discusses Magid, who calls the vote an internationalization of the conflict and a victory for the Trump administration. Fadwa Barghouti, the wife of prominent Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti speaks with Magid for her first Israeli media interview, as part of her push for her husband's release. Barghouti tells Magid now could be the time for his release, as it could be an opportunity to work toward peace. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: MBS tells Trump he wants to join Abraham Accords, but path to Palestinian state crucial Trump says Saudis will get F-35s, bucking Israeli hope he’d condition sale on peace IDF opposes Saudi F-35 deal, warns Israel’s regional air superiority could be eroded UN Security Council endorses Trump broad Gaza peace plan, foreign stabilization force 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: President Donald Trump meets Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)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 and settlements correspondent Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Justice Minister Yariv Levin of the ruling Likud party will head a ministerial panel to determine the mandate of the government’s commission of inquiry into failures surrounding the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023. Since the murders and atrocities, the government has resisted establishing an investigative body to thoroughly examine how such a disastrous military calamity could befall the country. We discuss first why the change of heart and ask whether the commission will be independent. Security forces and Civil Administration personnel on Monday conducted an evacuation and demolition operation against an illegal settlement outpost in the Gush Etzion region of the West Bank, in an apparent response to accusations from a local council head that there was “anarchy” in the area. Sharon delves into several reasons why this evacuation is significant, especially under the current coalition. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Levin to lead Ben Gvir, Smotrich and others in delineating government’s Oct. 7 probe Will government’s plan to set up its own Oct. 7 probe prompt top court to intervene? Several officers wounded in clash with settlers at demolition of illegal outpost Jewish extremists burn Palestinian homes and cars in West Bank; IDF searching for perps 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: A candle bearing the portrait of 24-year-old Yulia Chaban, who was killed on the beach in Zikim during Hamas' October 7, 2023, attacks, is left inside a bomb shelter on the beach in the southern Israeli Kibbutz of Zikim, the closest Israeli beach to the Gaza Strip, on October 16, 2025. (Maya Levin / AFP)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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Hamas has begun amassing advanced weapons and stockpiling them abroad in hopes of smuggling them into Gaza in the future, according to a report on Sunday on KAN television. Fabian brings in background pointing to the likelihood of the report's veracity. We then hear about what is happening on the ground in Gaza, get an update on the Hamas gunmen trapped in tunnels in the Israeli-held area, and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir's warning that he is readying the military to retake parts of Hamas-controlled Gaza if the 20-point peace plan doesn't move into phase two -- the demilitarization of the terror group. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon reported that the Israeli military fired on its observers from an IDF post inside southern Lebanon yesterday morning, with the military later saying the incident was a result of “misidentification” and that soldiers did not deliberately fire on UN troops. Fabian gives a litany of other near misses between the IDF and UNIFIL and speaks about the IDF's continued strikes on Hezbollah operatives throughout southern Lebanon. Some 50 members of a Hamas network in the Bethlehem area of the West Bank were detained in a series of recent operations. According to the Shin Bet, the suspects’ interrogations revealed that the leaders of the Hamas network recruited and set up terror cells, procured weapons and planned to carry out shootings against Israeli security forces and civilians. We ask Fabian whether he believes IDF operations similar to the evacuations and demolitions in the northern West Bank will be launched. Four residents of East Jerusalem’s Beit Safafa neighborhood have been arrested and will be charged with affiliation to the Islamic State and planning attacks against Jewish Israelis as part of a “great war of the end of days,” the Shin Bet security agency and Israel Police announced Friday. Fabian reminds listeners that there is precedent in Israel of the extreme ideology taking root in Palestinian and Arab Israeli communities. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Amid talk of its disarmament, Hamas said stockpiling advanced weapons abroad UNIFIL troops in Lebanon come under fire from IDF, which says it ‘misidentified’ them Hezbollah operative killed in strike on car near Tyre — IDF Israel detains 50 members of Hamas network in West Bank said to be planning attacks 4 East Jerusalem Palestinians held for Islamic State ties, prepping for ‘end of days’ war 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: Troops of the Nahal Brigade operate in southern Gaza's Rafah, in a handout photo issued on November 1, 2025. (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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Last week, the US officially launched negotiations within the 15-member United Nations Security Council on a draft resolution that would follow up on Israel and Hamas’s October 9 ceasefire-hostage agreement. Tomorrow, the Security Council is set to vote on the resolution, which would deliver Gaza to an International Stabilization Force (ISF) and an apolitical Palestinian administration overseen by a Trump-chaired Board of Peace. In the first half of the program, Berman gives an analysis of some of the implications for Israel -- and questions the world's appetite for seeing through in the demilitarization of Hamas. US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he was considering agreeing to a deal to supply Saudi Arabia with F-35 stealth fighter jets, which are made by Lockheed Martin. We hear whether a more robust Saudi air force could affect the Middle East and learn why the United Arab Emirates has not yet received its promised planes. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said on Friday that the Israeli army had built walls on the Lebanese side of the UN-demarcated Blue Line, the de facto border. We learn about the Blue Line and discuss whether a complaint to the UN has any teeth. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US says its plan for postwar management of Gaza offers pathway to Palestinian statehood US: Failure to back UN resolution based on Trump’s Gaza plan is a vote for Hamas, war Indonesia says it has trained 20,000 troops for Gaza peacekeeping force First storm of the season pummels Gaza, flooding tent camps and makeshift shelters Trump says he’s weighing Saudi request to buy F-35s, hopes Riyadh will normalize Israel ties Lebanon to file UN complaint accusing Israel of building border wall beyond Blue Line 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: Illustrative: An armed Palestinian Hamas gunman stand not far from an International Red Cross (ICRC) vehicle, as a search for the bodies of killed Israeli hostages takes place, in Gaza City on November 2, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use. This week, the pair introduces the concept of the new show, including the segment, "What's the Jangle," in which they discuss two tidbits of Jewish entertainment news. We hear how "The Real Pain" creator Jesse Eisenberg is willing to go under the knife to donate a kidney to a perfect stranger. And we learn about two brave Hollywood actresses -- Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver -- who haven't joined the boycott Israel movement and are signed on to work with Israeli director Joseph Ceder in his upcoming thriller. Next, we get to "The Main Screening," a segment in which the duo discusses two films: the newly released Natalie Portman project, "Arco," and 2024's "Thelma" starring 96-year-old June Squibb. Hear which films get the seal of approval from our team and which was a split decision on this week's The Reel Schmooze. The Reel Schmooze can be found wherever you get your podcasts. IMAGE: Jordan Hoffman (courtesy) / Israeli actress, director, producer Natalie Portman arrives for the screening of the film 'Arco' at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 16, 2025. (Bertrand GUAY / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. BBC director-general Tim Davie and Deborah Turness, the chief executive of BBC News, stepped down this week after being in the firing line for months over allegations of bias — including the national broadcaster’s coverage of antisemitism, the war in Gaza, and Israel more generally. Rettig Gur is just back from London, and we hear his disheartening impressions of how that corner of the Jewish Diaspora is faring. US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday formally asking Israel’s head of state to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption. Herzog's office issued a statement that a pardon request must go through the proper channels. We first ask whether a pardon is even possible, if, as Opposition Leader Yair Lapid stated Wednesday, it would require the premier to admit he broke the law. Regardless of admissions of guilt, Rettig Gur explains why he has some hopes that Netanyahu will be pardoned. Spoiler: It's not because Rettig Gur is especially a fan of Israel's leader. And so this week, we ask Haviv Rettig Gur, 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: Haviv Rettig Gur (courtesy) / President Donald Trump talks with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, October 13, 2025, in Jerusalem. (Saul Loeb/Pool via AP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, the duo is joined by military expert John Spencer, chair of War Studies at the Madison Policy Forum and executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute. As of recording time, some 100-200 Hamas terrorists are estimated to be holed up in tunnels in southern Gaza on the Israeli side of the Yellow Line. The US has pressured Israel to allow the terrorists safe passage back to Hamas-held areas of Gaza, though Israel has not agreed to such a solution as of yet. For the first part of our conversation, we plumb the depths of the extensive Hamas tunnel network, speaking about its scope and how the IDF is able to destroy or at least neutralize its many tentacles. In the second half, we speak about where the current ceasefire in Gaza may turn, as reports are circulated about a two-year mandate for an International Security Force that could be implemented to demilitarize Hamas. Spencer gives bad -- and better -- examples of international forces and discusses why UNIFIL, the force deployed in southern Lebanon, was destined to failure. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: John Spencer (courtesy) / Hamas militants search for the bodies of Israeli hostages in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, November 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. President Isaac Herzog announced Wednesday that US President Donald Trump had written him to ask him to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently standing trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Magid brings other instances in which the US president has pushed for the end of Netanyahu's trial and describes the contents of this new “Free Bibi” letter. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday said “there’s some concern” about events in the West Bank undermining efforts to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza, in his first remarks on the latest spate of settler violence. This comes after a week in which dozens of Israelis launched a large-scale arson attack on Palestinians in the West Bank, targeting factories and farmland between the major cities of Nablus and Tulkarem. Magid reports on Rubio's statements, gives the context for them, and explains how they mark a departure for the Trump administration. Early this week, Magid exclusively reported that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas fired his finance minister for allowing payments to Palestinian security prisoners through an old mechanism -- often called “pay-to-slay.” These stipends are awarded to the prisoners or their families, giving them monthly salaries based on the length of their sentence, which correlates to the severity of the crimes. We hear why these payments raise such red flags for Israelis and Americans. Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the White House on Monday and made a media splash as the former terrorist was shot shooting hoops and enjoying Trump's branded cologne. In an interview with The Washington Post, al-Sharaa claimed the US president supports his insistence on a complete Israeli withdrawal from Syrian territory as a condition for a comprehensive security deal between the long-warring neighboring countries. Magid weighs in. US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Central Asian, Muslim-majority country of Kazakhstan will be the first country to join the Abraham Accords in his second term. Since the nation established diplomatic relations with the Jewish state in 1992, shortly after it broke away from the Soviet Union, what does either country gain by this step? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump writes to Herzog asking him to pardon Netanyahu amid ‘unjustified’ trial What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: The case for pardoning Netanyahu Rubio says ‘there’s some concern’ West Bank violence could undermine Gaza ceasefire France says it will help draft constitution for Palestinian state as Abbas visits Paris Abbas fires his finance minister over illicit payments to Palestinian prisoners — sources Sharaa says Trump backs demand for Israel to withdraw forces from Syrian territory Kazakhstan, which already has relations with Israel, to join Abraham Accords 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: President Donald Trump walks with Israel's President Isaac Herzog, left, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport, October 13, 2025, near Tel Aviv. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)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 Sam Sokol and tech editor Sharon Wrobel join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again declined to form a state commission of inquiry into the events that led up to October 7 in a Knesset debate, Sokol discusses that members of the prime minister's own Likud party have argued in favor of the commission process. A death penalty policy against terrorist acts passed its first reading in the plenum after many delays. Sokol notes that the bill is unlikely to pass the High Court test, as it applies to those who kill Israelis, but not to Jewish terrorists. Remilk, non-cow-based milk, is about to reach the Israeli market and Wrobel describes the makeup of the milk and its development process. As the Israeli tech community in New York City anticipates the arrival of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Wrobel discusses expectations for whether the pro-Palestinian mayor will be hostile to Israeli businesses and freeze them out of government contracts. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu bucks calls for state inquiry into Oct. 7, claims public won’t trust it Knesset advances bill mandating death penalty for terrorists who killed Israelis Lab-made milk set to start pouring into Israeli dairy aisles, cafes Mamdani win rattles Israeli business community in New York City 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: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a 40 signatures debate in the Knesset on November 10, 2025 (Yonatan Sindel/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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and Jewish world reporter Zev Stub join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. In an indication of the uptick of events along Israel’s northern border, IDF troops conducted an overnight raid in southern Lebanon and destroyed several buildings that were being used by Hezbollah, the military says. This is the second ground operation inside Lebanon in the past several days, conducted outside of the five points Israel now holds inside its neighbor. We learn about the IDF's outlook for a stepped-up conflict. Upon assuming office, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir appointed a panel of former senior military officers to conduct an external investigation into the series of the IDF's internal probes in its failures on and ahead of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror onslaught. Fabian explores the new panel's findings and where the IDF needs to fill in holes. Itai Ofir will become the military advocate general later this month after Defense Minister Israel Katz ratified his appointment Sunday. He will succeed Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who resigned and admitted to authorizing the leak of the Sde Teiman detainee abuse video. Fabian describes an unusual rank jump that Ofir will need to be given to assume the role. After a dramatic negotiation process with several surprise turns, the next leadership of the World Zionist Organization has been selected. Just ahead of recording, Stub learned that Rabbi Doron Perez, chairman of the religious Zionist World Mizrachi movement and father of Cpt. Daniel Perez, who was killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, will split the five-year term with the incumbent chairman of the WZO, Yaakov Hagoel. Last week, Yad Vashem, Israel’s World Holocaust Remembrance Center, said that it has recovered the names of five million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, a milestone it called “historic” in its decades-long mission to restore the identities of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis.As part of its mission to mark every one of those six million as an individual, the museum wing has opened a new exhibit with deeply personal affects. Stub was at the new exhibit and reports back. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: External panel appointed by IDF chief finds most of army’s Oct. 7 probes inadequate Katz okays Itai Ofir as next IDF legal chief, despite Netanyahu’s reported objection Lapid rips up ‘corrupt’ WZO leadership deal, opens door for Yair Netanyahu appointment World Zionist Congress devolves into chaos after Yair Netanyahu tapped for key role WZO heads likely to throw out thousands of suspect ballots as they meet on voter fraud Yad Vashem says it has compiled 5 million names of Jews murdered in Holocaust 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: Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in the village of Teir Debba, southern Lebanon, November 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammad Zaatari)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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As US special envoy Steve Witkoff and advisor Jared Kushner meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the state of the ceasefire, Berman reports on the diplomatic push and pull with Hamas and the delayed release of hostage bodies, in violation of said ceasefire. Berman notes that the US and Turkey are currently pressuring Israel to allow the safe release of some 100 Hamas fighters holed up in Gaza tunnels located on the Israeli-controlled side of the Yellow ceasefire line in southern Gaza's Rafah in exchange for yesterday's release of Hadar Goldin's body, although that release was part of the initial hostage deal. Berman discusses the lack of IAEA investigations into new Iranian nuclear sites, as Iran appears to be preparing for another round of the conflict with Israel. He also talks about the diplomatic situation with Hezbollah, as Lebanon's disarmament of the terrorist group seems to be taking place at a slower pace than its rearmament, creating the potential for another Israeli operation to the north. Following the release home of fallen soldier Hadar Goldin, Freiberg discusses the relentless struggle by the Goldin family over eleven years and their repeated calls to take a more aggressive stance against Hamas, criticizing any deterrence or concessions taken with the terror group. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu meets with Kushner on Gaza ceasefire, remaining hostages Another Israel-Iran war increasingly seen as just a matter of time, NYT reports Israel said to accuse Lebanese army of failing to prevent Hezbollah from rearming Hamas announces it will return body of IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, held since 2014 After decade of deadlock, return of Hadar Goldin’s body may bring closure to captive nation 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: Leah and Simcha Goldin, parents of fallen soldier Hadar Goldin, offer a statement after the release home of their son's body outside their Kfar Saba home on November 9, 2025 (Yehoshua Yosef/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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Hamas announced that the body of IDF officer Lt. Hadar Goldin, held by the terror organization since 2014, will be returned to Israel at 2 p.m. We learn about Operation Protective Edge, the Hamas operation to ostensibly recover Goldin’s body that occurred yesterday, as well as what’s happening with the 150-odd Hamas gunmen who are trapped in a tunnel in the same part of the southern Gaza strip in an IDF-controlled area. Military representatives on Saturday morning notified the family of Lior Rudaeff that his body was returned to Israel by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad on Friday night, after forensic experts completed their identification. Fabian describes what we know of Rudaeff's killing on October 7, 2023. Former military advocate general Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi was hospitalized this morning. This comes a day after her elusive phone was discovered on a Tel Aviv beach by passersby. Fabian takes up the thread of the Hollywood-esque narrative about Tomer-Yerushalmi, who is accused of multiple crimes, including obstruction of justice. We also hear about Itai Ofer, who has been named as Tomer-Yerushalmi's replacement, and the obstacles he faces to secure the role. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday he was “declaring war” on weapon smuggling via drones over the Egyptian border, instructing the military to declare a closed military zone in the area and the Shin Bet to define such attempts as terrorism. Fabian describes the uptick in smuggling and weighs in on the measures currently taken against it. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas claims to recover body of Hadar Goldin, IDF soldier killed and abducted in 2014 war PM rules out granting safe passage to 200 Hamas gunmen stuck in IDF-held Rafah Body of Lior Rudaeff returned from Gaza; he died battling Islamic Jihad terrorists on Oct. 7 Ex-IDF legal chief sent to house arrest, as her missing phone is found in the sea Katz taps ex-Defense Ministry legal adviser as next military advocate general after scandal Katz orders IDF to declare Egyptian border closed military zone over drone smugglings 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. Check out yesterday’s episode here: https://youtu.be/fiPzmecX8RM?si=EhCcG0fiPRv16R9U ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Troops investigate a Hamas attack tunnel in southern Gaza's Rafah, in a handout photo issued on August 23, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman. The duo beta-tests their soon-to-be-launched podcast series — so new it does not yet have a name — in which they will deliver entertainment news from a Jewish angle (aka Jangle) and review one new or noteworthy film. This week, in episode zero, the pair first discusses the growing boycott of Israeli filmmakers at international festivals. Hoffman weighs in on how this is misfiring when it comes to some of the more prominent -- and very left-wing -- Israeli artists. Next, we hear about "Nuremberg," the Hollywood treatment of the Nuremberg Trials, which began in November 1945, launching the field of international law. In the film, psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is ordered to evaluate whether Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe) is fit to stand trial. As the highest-ranking surviving Nazi military commander, to the Allied lawyers, Göring is the "big fish" that must be landed. Borschel-Dan and Hoffman give their differing opinions of the movie and agree to disagree. And so this week, we ask Jordan Hoffman, 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: Jordan Hoffman (courtesy) / Rami Malek and Russell Crowe attend the 'Nuremberg' AFI Fest red carpet premiere screening at TCL Chinese Theatre on October 24, 2025, in Hollywood, California. (Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Classics/AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. On Thursday afternoon, the IDF launched a wave of strikes in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets. These come amid a marked uptick in IDF strikes in southern Lebanon over the past several weeks, as reports continue that the Hezbollah terror group is attempting to rearm and regroup. A recent Reuters report reported for the first time that Lebanon's army has blown up so many Hezbollah arms caches that it has run out of explosives and a recent Wall Street Journal report cites experts stating that Hezbollah is rebuilding, raising the chances of renewed conflict with Israel. It's almost a year into the ceasefire, which was struck on November 27, and we discuss the forces attempting to contain Hezbollah, including Israel, Lebanon and the US. Where is the conflict headed even as Lebanon’s year-end deadline to disarm the terror group approaches? Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Mourners carry the coffins of five Hezbollah killed in Israeli strikes in recent days, during their funeral procession in the southern town of Nabatieh, Lebanon, November 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammad Zaatari)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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As discussions continue about Jared Kushner's concept of 'new Gaza,' residential neighborhoods constructed for Gazans on the Israeli side of the ceasefire line, Magid discusses the lack of support for the plans from some of the Gulf donor countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Those countries have concerns that the plan maintains the status quo of Israeli control and leaves Hamas entrenched in Gaza. There are also questions as to which countries are ultimately willing to send troops to guard borders and help deliver aid, and whether those troops will be involved in peacekeeping missions or peace-enforcing missions, says Magid, noting that the US wants the missions to demilitarize Gaza. The US is pushing Israel on the matter of offering safe passage for a couple of hundred Hamas operatives still in Gaza tunnels, either letting them go back to the Hamas side of the yellow ceasefire line, says Magid, or offering them safe passage to another country, while forcing them to give up their weapons. The issue of allowing the press into Gaza now that there is a ceasefire in place is also being pushed by the US. Magid notes that Israel's High Court of Justice gave the government 30 days to update its position. US President Donald Trump is also weighing in, says Magid, who notes that it is more likely to be settled in Israel's High Court. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US looks to build ‘new Gaza’ on half of Strip under IDF control, but faces pushback US pressures Israel to allow safe passage for 100 to 200 Hamas operatives in Rafah With ceasefire in place, US renews request for Israel to allow foreign press into Gaza 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: Palestinians seen along the Gaza City seafront, following the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, October 18, 2025 (Ali Hassan/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. NY correspondent Luke Tress joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Democrat Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The far-left anti-Israel activist, a state assemblymember, is, at 34, the city’s youngest mayor in over a century. We talk about concerns among some of New York’s large Jewish community and early reactions from communal organizations. Mamdani has previously stated his intention not to invest city funds in Israel bonds, in keeping with the current comptroller’s decision not to reinvest when $39 million in bonds matured in 2023. In May 2023, Mamdani, then a member of the New York State Assembly, introduced a bill called “Not on our dime!: Ending New York funding of Israeli settler violence act.” Tress weighs in on what powers Mamdani has to enact his ideological anti-Israel stance. And finally, we discuss a cartoon from the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinians, Francesca Albanese. Last week, Albanese posted a cartoon denouncing Israel, depicting what appears to be a global spiderweb, in an image that experts said echoed age-old antisemitic tropes. We hear what Tress heard from experts.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Body of IDF soldier Itay Chen, killed fighting Hamas on Oct. 7, returned to Israel Far-left, anti-Israel candidate Zohran Mamdani wins New York City mayoral race ‘Pit in my stomach’: As Cuomo concedes, Jewish supporters ‘torn apart’ by Mamdani win As NY assemblyman, Mamdani pushed bill barring nonprofits from ‘supporting Israeli settlement activity’ UN’s Albanese posts cartoon echoing age-old anti-Jewish spiderweb trope 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: Zohran Mamdani speaks during a victory speech at a mayoral election night watch party, November 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The intrigue surrounding the leaked surveillance camera footage from the Sde Teiman detention facility is unabating as a search continues at Hatzuk Beach in Tel Aviv for the phone of the former military advocate general, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, whom police reportedly suspect of intentionally tossing it into the sea when she briefly disappeared Sunday evening. Horovitz updates us on the complicated case implicating the Military Advocate General’s Office and its many dramatic moments in the past few days. The Trump administration’s draft UN Security Council resolution to establish an international force in Gaza would reportedly give the US and other participating countries a broad two-year mandate to govern Gaza and be in charge of security there, according to an Axios report. We discuss the implications for such a step and whether it could be a way of bypassing the idea of a council of Palestinian technocrats ruling the strip. As media watchdog groups are denouncing a bill from the Communications Ministry that passed its first reading yesterday, saying that it is a step towards the end of free press and that the legislation would “give the government political control” over content and news broadcasts. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi claims it is a way to take the news out of the hands of the monopoly of billionaires who own the media. Horovitz discusses some of the details of the bill and why many are concerned. During an era of public fissure in Israel, prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated 30 years ago today. Horovitz weighs in on that terrible day and why he insists there is hope for bridging Israel's gaps and moving toward societal healing. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF’s former top lawyer said to have approved leak of abuse video in group chat Timeline of a scandal: The 17 months of the Sde Teiman abuse and video leak affair Draft UN resolution would grant US and partners two-year mandate to govern Gaza Likud minister’s contentious media regulation bill passes first reading in Knesset Three decades on, a return to Rabin Square gives the slain premier’s right-hand man hope 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: US Vice President JD Vance speaks to the media as US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner stand next to him, in Kiryat Gat, Israel, October 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)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 Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As Israel marks 30 years since the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Schneider reflects on the Saturday night rally held near the square where he was shot and why the annual event commemorating him wasn't held for the last five years. After the frenzied hours on Sunday evening when police searched for and then found IDF legal chief Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi alive and well -- the advocate general who resigned last week after admitting to leaking an abuse video at the Sde Teiman military detention facility -- Schneider discusses the complexities of the case, as Tomer-Yerushalmi was often blamed by liberal politicians for not prosecuting enough and conservative lawmakers for putting too much pressure on soldiers. Surkes examines two situations of growing pollution, first in the northern West Bank, where Palestinians often burn garbage, resulting in clean air complaints, and in Hadera, known as Israel's most polluted city because of the massive power station in its midst. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: ‘The shots still resonate’: 150,000 mourn at protest rally 30 years after Rabin’s murder Ex-IDF legal chief Tomer-Yerushalmi found alive after frantic beachside search As trash burns in the West Bank, NGO sees huge jump in reports of smoke, foul smells Residents of most-polluted city fight bid to extend life of coal-fired power station 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: A rally marking 30 years since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, with participants holding signs that read, 'Rabin was right,' near Rabin Square on November 1, 2025 (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. As pressure mounts for the Hamas terror group to lay down its arms, we take a minute to focus on the terrorists' military capabilities and current activities. Hamas has still not returned all the bodies of the hostages. Before the weekend, Israel returned the bodies of 30 more Palestinians to Gaza as part of an ongoing exchange deal after Hamas handed over the bodies of two hostages, 84-year-old Amiram Cooper and 25-year-old Sahar Baruch. The subsequent Hamas transfer, however, did not proceed smoothly. Fabian fills us in. Four members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Saturday night, a day after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of responding to its offer to negotiate by intensifying its airstrikes. Fabian weighs in on whether his accusations hold water. The military’s top lawyer, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, announced her resignation from the Israel Defense Forces on Friday, acknowledging that she had approved the leaking of a surveillance video from the Sde Teiman detention facility, which purported to show soldiers severely abusing a Palestinian detainee last year. We go through the timeline of this complicated scandal that is shaking the IDF to its core. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Partial remains handed over by Hamas are not of hostages, Israeli authorities assess US military publishes drone video of Hamas looting aid truck in Gaza IDF says strike in south Lebanon killed four elite Hezbollah operatives Lebanon accuses Israel of responding to negotiation offer by ‘intensifying’ attacks US envoy: Lebanon a ‘failed state,’ is unlikely to be able to forcibly disarm Hezbollah IDF’s top lawyer quits; says she approved leak of detainee abuse video 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: Members of the Qassam Brigades control crowds in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, October 28, 2025. (Ali Hassan/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Jessica Steinberg speaking with former hostage Eli Sharabi. Sharabi, whose bestselling book, "Hostage," was recently translated into English, spoke to What Matters Now a few days before burying his brother, Yossi Sharabi, whose body was recently released home to Israel after he was taken hostage on October 7 from Kibbutz Bee'eri, the community where both brothers lived with their families. Sharabi speaks about reuniting with recently released hostage Alon Ohel, his fellow captive from months in a Gaza tunnel, and the joy of realizing that reunion. He talks about how work, the book, and public speaking have been therapeutic acts for him, after his wife and daughters were killed on October 7. Sharabi speaks about Kibbutz Be’eri, where he lived for 35 years, his chosen community that can no longer be a home for him, but that he hopes will be rehabilitated and rebuilt. And so this week, we ask Eli Sharabi, 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: At the October 27, 2025 Kibbutz Be'eri burial for Yossi Sharabi, whose body was brought back from Gaza captivity, with his brother, former hostage Eli Sharabi, center, eulogizing him (Paulina Patimer/Hostages Forum)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, amid pomp and circumstance at the Vatican, the Catholic Church marked 60 years to the Nostra Aetate, a document that — among other things — attempts to redefine the two-thousand-year-old relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people. Berman delves into the Nostra Aetate's long-standing significance, especially as the relationship between Israel and the Vatican has frayed during the two-year war in Gaza launched by Hamas's murderous onslaught on southern Israel. We learn of the history behind the creation of the landmark document and the push-pull concerns from the Catholic communities in Mideast countries. We hear of the Jewish French historian Jules Isaac, who compiled Catholic anti-Jewish teachings and delivered them to Pope John XXIII, confirming the need to chart out a new path in the Church. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Pope Leo XIV attends a commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Vatican 1965 declaration Nostra Aetate (In Our Time) in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, October 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)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 Sam Sokol and legal reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. With hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men expected to rally at the entrance to Jerusalem Thursday afternoon, a protest originally scheduled to coincide with the revised Haredi conscription bill, Sokol discusses the significance of all ultra-Orthodox sects and factions uniting to protest conscription. The event will follow Wednesday's Supreme Court criticism of the government for its failure to take effective enforcement measures against Haredi draft evaders, says Sharon. Sharon discusses the timing of the legal and political processes in the Haredi conscription bill, noting the number of Supreme Court justices from the religious Zionist world, a community with a significant rate of combat service, which may be reflected in the court's orders to the government. Sokol also talks about the political significance of removing Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, the former Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman, from the committee, and being replaced by controversial lawmaker Tally Gotliv. Following Wednesday's announcement of a criminal investigation into the leaking of surveillance video from the Sde Teiman detention facility that purported to show soldiers severely abusing a Palestinian detainee last year, Sharon discusses the significance of the announcement as some right-wing government ministers see the investigation as a vindication of the accused soldiers. IMAGE: Ultra-Orthodox Jews gather around an Israeli soldier playing the piano at the Yitzhak Navon train station in Jerusalem, on their way to attend the Haredi protest against IDF conscription on October 30, 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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Since US President Donald Trump's whirlwind visit to the Jewish state on Monday of last week, Israel has welcomed a revolving roster of high-level officials visiting the country. This week saw the arrival of Trump’s senior Middle East advisors Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Vice President JD Vance — and his wife Usha — and also US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. As their visits spur accusations that Israel is becoming a "client" or vassal state of the US, controversial MK Avi Maoz brought a bill that passed in a preliminary reading in the Knesset on Wednesday. The bill would apply Israeli sovereignty to all West Bank settlements despite opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and most, but not all, of his Likud party. US officials quickly rebuked the annexation efforts in the Knesset, calling them "counterproductive" even as the Trump administration attempts to cement the recent ceasefire into a lasting peace deal. If the US succeeds, it wouldn't be the first time that an Israeli war was ended through US efforts. This week, Berman takes a historical look at other examples and examines the question of whether Israel is, indeed, relying on its "partner" the US to wind down its wars. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Lazar Berman (courtesy)/ From left: Steve Witkoff, US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance sit before President Donald Trump holds a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)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 reporter Ariela Karmel and religion and archaeology correspondent Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. At the start of the Knesset's winter session, the Knesset State Control Committee voted down a proposal to establish a state commission of inquiry into the October 7th, 2023, Hamas-led attack, says Karmel, to the dismay, anger, and tears of the bereaved families present, who expected it could happen now that the 20 living hostages have been released home. The government cabinet voted to rename the war against Hamas as the War of Revival, says Karmel, a proposal floated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for over a year, and with much opposition, given the October 7, 2023, failures that led to the war. A new bill advanced by coalition lawmakers calls for several religious practices to be enshrined in Israel's public spaces, discusses Karmel, including requiring mezuzahs hung in public institutions and allowing public prayer according to the practices of the worshipper, both major battleground issues between secular and religious communities. Tercatin discusses how Israelis have changed religiously and spiritually since October 7 and the ensuing war, and whether those changes are more prevalent among those who were already religiously faithful in their previous lives. She also talks about an unusual archaeological find of an Assyrian inscription near Jerusalem's Temple Mount, with wording that appears to echo an episode described in the Bible. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Knesset panel rejects proposal to establish October 7 state commission of inquiry ‘War of Revival’: Cabinet approves Netanyahu’s controversial renaming of Gaza war Coalition advances bill mandating mezuzahs, allowing Orthodox rituals in public spaces What hath God wrought? After Oct. 7, many Israelis respond with turn to spirituality Biblical tax notice: 1st-ever Assyrian inscription found near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount 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: MK Mickey Levy, Head of the State Control Committee leads a committee meeting at the Knesset on October 20, 2025 (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As US Vice President JD Vance spends his first day in Israel, Magid discusses Vance's comments about the ceasefire, the continued focus on getting all of the remaining hostages' bodies back, and the question of a possible timeline regarding Hamas disarmament. Magid also delves into Vance's statements at a press conference in the new Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Kiryat Gat. The CMCC is a new hub inside Israel where participating countries will try and monitor the ceasefire, says Magid, adjudicating violations and handling the movement of goods into Gaza, including aid and security forces, in the future. Vance discussed what role other countries could play, including the question of Turkey and Israel's resistance to that idea, says Magid. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Vance, in Israel, predicts Gaza ‘peace’ will last, says Hamas disarmament non-negotiable US military says ceasefire HQ will be able ‘to assess real-time developments in Gaza’ 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. Vice President JD Vance speak to the media as U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner stand next to him, in Kiryat Gat, Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)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. ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. With the body of hostage Tal Haimi returned to Israel, Horovitz discusses the resilience of and emotional toll on the remaining 15 hostages' families awaiting their loved ones, and whether Hamas is playing games in the slowed process of returning the bodies. As US Vice President JD Vance arrives in Israel, Horovitz talks about his presence in Israel alongside US special envoy Steve Witkoff and White House advisor Jared Kushner, all part of the overt American role in seeing the ceasefire carried out to its conclusion. The Knesset's raucous opening session on Monday reveals deep divisions, says Horovitz, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech aimed to frame the conflict as a victory for Israel, alongside the continued battle over the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas hands over body of hostage Tal Haimi, slain defending his kibbutz on Oct. 7 Vance lands in Israel as US said to fear Netanyahu could collapse Gaza ceasefire Smiles, hugs abound as Witkoff and Kushner meet with released hostages Ohana snubs Supreme Court president at Knesset’s opening session, sparking turmoil ‘War of Revival’: Cabinet approves Netanyahu’s controversial renaming of Gaza war 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: Vice President J.D. Vance, right, and Second Lady Usha Vance arrive at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Oct. 21, 2025. (Nathan Howard/Pool Photo via AP)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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and fellow advisor Jared Kushner arrive in Israel, Berman discusses that Israel has fulfilled its first steps in the ceasefire involving Palestinian prisoners and the 'Yellow Line' to which the IDF has withdrawn in the Gaza Strip, but that Hamas has not kept its part of the bargain, with the remaining 16 hostages' bodies still held in Gaza, and the Hamas attack in Gaza Sunday that killed two soldiers. Witkoff and Kushner will meet with Israel's high-ranking officials and cabinet, says Berman, as two US advisors aim to safeguard the tenuous ceasefire that is one week old. The two US advisors appeared on "60 Minutes" on Sunday night, discusses Frieberg, unveiling details of the process and the steps that led to the announcement of the first stage of the ceasefire deal, and aspects of the more personal conversations with Hamas officials that helped push things forward. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas isn’t acting like a defeated force, which puts the entire Gaza ceasefire at risk Netanyahu denies Trump forced truce on him, says war ends ‘for good’ when Hamas disarmed Hamas says it returned 2 more bodies of hostages; remains taken to forensic lab for ID Israel says resuming Gaza ceasefire after deadly attack on troops led to massive strikes Kushner: Israel must improve Palestinians’ lives if it wants ‘integration’ into region 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: A billboard shows images of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US President Donald Trump, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv on October 12, 2025. (REUTERS/Hannah McKay)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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As two more hostages' bodies are released to Israel, leaving 16 captives' bodies in Gaza, Fabian discusses the moment when Hamas will not be able to locate additional bodies and will require the help of other countries, creating a longer process. With terror operatives attacking Israeli troops in Gaza on a nearly daily basis, Fabian talks about reaching the end of war, with IDF troops still operating in more than half of the Gaza Strip's territory, demolishing tunnels, and enforcing the yellow line of withdrawal. After two soldiers were wounded by an explosive device in the West Bank, Fabian discusses whether this denotes a significant increase in activity in the area, given that incidents have been on a downturn since the start of the war. He also looks at an IDF strike that killed a Hezbollah operative in southern Lebanon, another breach of the nearly year-long ceasefire as individual operatives haven't given up, and which is why the IDF is still present in the area. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Ronen Engel, Thailand’s Sonthaya Oakkharasr identified as hostage bodies returned by Hamas Hamas says it returned 2 more bodies of hostages; remains taken to forensic lab for ID 2 troops wounded by bomb thrown in West Bank; reports of settler attacks on Palestinians IDF says strike kills Hezbollah operative acting in breach of truce in southern Lebanon 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: Hamas uses bulldozers to search for the bodies of Israeli hostages held in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on October 18, 2025. (Photo by Saeed Mohammed/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with author and public intellectual Micah Goodman. Looking to the French for historical framing, Goodman proposes that Israel is on the brink of a new epoch -- the third Israeli republic. The author of influential works such as “Catch-67” hypothesizes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's signing on to US President Donald Trump's 20-point plan signals a tectonic shift in political alignment -- away from extremism. Today, says Goodman, as most Israelis turn their eyes to a horizon of normalization with Arab and Muslim countries, the fundamental division in Israeli politics is not between the left and the right, but rather the right and the far-right, he says. As the war winds down and grassroots activists prepare for the October 2026 elections, Goodman proposes that most Israelis are not far apart in their key values, and unity can prevail to bring to fruition a new political era. And so this week, we ask Micah Goodman, 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: Micah Goodman (courtesy) / Israeli excavators work in the Gaza Strip as the sun sets, seen from southern Israel, October 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. The US doesn't believe Hamas is dragging its feet in finding the remaining hostage bodies, says Magid, and believes it will take time, and perhaps the help of other countries. The Trump administration is determined to reach phase two of the ceasefire, including demilitarizing the Gaza Strip, and moving into the next stages of rebuilding Gaza, but Israel is nervous to begin that process without completing the hostage phase of the deal. The public executions in Gaza have raised alarm and prompted a shift in US rhetoric, according to Magid. At first, US President Donald Trump appeared to greenlight what he considered to be the warfare between Hamas and Gazan gangs or clans, likening them to situations in the US, but then said if the Hamas executions of these clans continue, he will allow Israel to go after them. Magid also examines the efforts to move into phase two of the ceasefire deal by diplomats involved in the process. They are the ones who initially recognized that it made sense to split the ceasefire deal in two and deal with the hostages first. Now, however, Hamas is the only dominant power in Gaza, and the longer the delay in establishing governance, the stronger Hamas's position becomes. Diplomats stress the urgency of providing services to Palestinians to reduce reliance on Hamas, says Magid. He discusses the efforts to put together a list of technocrats to run Gaza, and that each participating stakeholder wants good ties with the governing body. US denies Hamas violating deal, is aiming to set up safe zone for Gazans fleeing group Trump: If Hamas doesn’t stop killing Gazans, ‘we will have no choice but to go in and kill them’ Slowed establishment of postwar Gaza government fuels Hamas revival, diplomats warn Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: 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: Hossam al-Astal (center) is seen surrounded by armed members of his group, 'Strike Force Against Terror,' in an undated picture from the Gaza Strip posted on Facebook. (Courtesy: Hossam al-Astal via Facebook)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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As Hamas announced it has released all the bodies of hostages that can be found, Berman asks whether Hamas is playing games or whether they can't locate the remaining 19 bodies. The prevailing thought in the government cabinet is that Hamas can access more if it so desired, and therefore, Israel will slowly ramp up the pressure on Hamas, for now, blocking reconstruction materials. Berman also talks about whether the war against Hamas has ended, given that Israel hasn’t declared an end and wants to keep the military threat hanging over Hamas’s head unless it moves forward with its obligations in the peace plan. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was diagnosed with bronchitis on Wednesday, amid his long-delayed corruption trial. Berman comments that the prime minister, who is about to turn 76, doesn't have perfect health and was in close contact with recently released hostages whose immune systems have been compromised. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas returns bodies of hostages Tamir Nimrodi, Uriel Baruch, Eitan Levy; 4th body a Palestinian Senior Israeli official insists Gaza war ‘not over’ until all truce phases complete Trial hearing ends early for ill Netanyahu, who’s accused of exposing freed hostages to disease 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.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. Culture editor Jessica Steinberg joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Steinberg, who has covered hostages' families and their struggle to return their loved ones for the past two years, relates several anecdotes of reunions and other moving moments. We hear about how several favored performing artists have delivered personal performances to their freshly freed fans and about a pair of prankster brothers. At recording time, a total of seven of the eight hostage bodies returned by Hamas over the past two days have been identified. They are named as: Yossi Sharabi, Cpt. Daniel Perez, Bipin Joshi, Guy Illouz, Uriel Baruch, Tamir Nimrodi, and Eitan Levy. A fourth body transferred last night has not been identified and there are early indications that it does not belong to a hostage. We hear about the bereaved families who are again ramping up the protests to close the circle on this painful chapter. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: 4 bodies, purportedly of unnamed hostages, return to Israel after threat to limit aid ‘Coming back to life’: Freed hostages’ families give updates, thanks; some snub PM 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: Relatives of hostages whose bodies are still in Gaza Strip shout slogans calling for their release at the plaza known as Hostages Square, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. We begin the program by describing the joy and relief experienced by families of released hostages -- and all Israelis -- as they were reunited with their loved ones. However, Hamas handed over the bodies of only four dead hostages, with Israel and the families of the remaining 24 accusing the terror group of breaching its commitments under the ceasefire. The International Committee of the Red Cross said that it will take time before the bodies of all the dead hostages are returned, calling it a “massive challenge” given the difficulties of finding remains amid Gaza’s rubble. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that it will hold an emergency meeting tonight as anger mounts. Yesterday afternoon, after the 20 living hostages had returned home, US President Donald Trump spoke at the Knesset and declared “the historic dawn of the new Middle East.” Trump said it marked “not only the end of war, but the end of an age of terror and death and the beginning of the age of faith and hope and of God.” Horovitz paints a picture of the atmosphere at the Knesset and delves into noteworthy statements. Following his Knesset speech, Trump met with the leaders of Qatar, Egypt and Turkey and signed a document in Sharm el-Sheikh aimed at enshrining the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. Today, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will seek the support of Gulf states, the United States and Europe for the reconstruction of Gaza under the new ceasefire deal, and he believes project financing will be provided swiftly. We discuss the viability of a phase two of Trump's peace plan. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: All 20 remaining living hostages return to Israel, after over 2 years in Hamas captivity Slain hostage’s mother: Government betrayed families whose loved ones remain in Gaza Israel frees nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including hundreds of terror convicts Rapturously received in the Knesset, Trump tells Israel it won the war, now it’s time for peace Full text of Trump’s Knesset speech: You’ve won. You can’t beat the world. It’s time for peace At Sharm summit, Trump and world leaders sign up for peace in Gaza, with Netanyahu absent Hamas said to kill over 30 Gazans as group moves to reassert its grip on Strip Hamas reappears on Gaza’s streets, and two of three militias that fought it go quiet 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: A woman, left, wrapped with an Israeli flag with the photo of one of her best friend Itay Chen, who was killed in Hamas' attack on October 7, is embraced at the plaza known as Hostages Square, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. All 20 living hostages were released in two stages this morning. Fabian speaks about their releases and their status. We hear about some of the more well-known faces among them and how they are faring today. Shortly before releasing them, the Hamas terror group on Monday morning orchestrated video calls between some of the living hostages and their families, who were anxiously awaiting their return. As we recorded just ahead of the Simhat Torah holiday in Israel, US President Donald Trump had just finished a long and colorful speech to the Knesset, in which, among other statements, he firmly announced the end of the Gaza War. Fabian summarizes Israel's losses and wounded in the war. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas stages video calls between hostages, families in lieu of handover ceremonies ‘You hero’: Emotional videos show returned hostages reuniting with their families 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 hold Israeli flags in celebration after the arrival of freed hostages at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, Israel, following their release from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, October 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)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 military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. What may have been the final Saturday night protest calling for the release of the hostages took place last night in Tel Aviv. In an unprecedented appearance, on stage at Hostages Square were US envoy Steve Witkoff, the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, and his wife, the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump. Schneider describes the scene at the square at gives highlights from Kushner's speech. Has Israel fully signed on to end the war? Overnight Friday, the cabinet voted on and ratified the implementation of phase one of the Trump plan. Schneider, who spent several days digging into the issue, explains. The Israel Defense Forces completed a withdrawal to agreed-upon deployment lines in the Gaza Strip on Friday at noon, officially beginning a ceasefire and a 72-hour countdown during which Hamas is to release the 48 hostages it is holding under the first phase of the US-brokered deal. Fabian delves into where the troops are now and what to expect from the hostages' release. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation will reportedly keep its aid distribution sites in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip shuttered over the coming days, during the release of the hostages held by Hamas. Fabian explains what we know about the continued efforts of the GHF now that the IDF has left areas where it was operating. And finally, Fabian describes an early Saturday morning bombed hundreds of heavy engineering vehicles that the IDF said were being used by Hezbollah to restore its infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Could this sort of strike be a model for how the IDF will operate in the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump to visit Israel on Monday for 4 hours, address Knesset, meet PM and hostage families ‘Miracles can happen, the hostages are coming home,’ Witkoff tells packed Hostages Square At Hostages Square, Trump’s envoys gave Netanyahu a lesson in leadership Release of hostages set to begin Monday morning, Hamas and Israel say Witkoff visits Gaza base as ceasefire holds and displaced Palestinians return home The living hostages expected to be released from Gaza under the ceasefire deal IDF says strikes in Lebanon destroyed hundreds of Hezbollah construction vehicles 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: A man wearing a mask resembling US President Donald Trump holds a sign designed like a Nobel Peace Prize medal during a rally in support of hostages held by Hamas, at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur, marking two years since the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught on southern Israel. To gain a sense of the Israeli public sentiment after two years of war, Rettig Gur analyzes a new survey conducted by Agam Labs and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, led by Nimrod Nir and Dr. Gayil Talshir. The researchers found, in surveying 2,170 Jewish Israelis and 459 Arab Israelis, that there is a drastic shift in Israelis' perceptions of their society and politicians. In one of the more dramatic findings, the report states that the initial unity found in the early months of the war has flipped to a division: from 77% in 2023 saying the war “united society” to 66% in 2025 saying it made society more divided. Pointing to Israel's strengths and human capital, Rettig Gur leaves us with an optimistic framing of the internal work that needs to be done, even as Israel has largely defeated its greatest enemies. And so this week, we ask Haviv Rettig Gur, 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: On October 7, 2025, thousands assemble in Hostages Square, Tel Aviv, to watch the broadcast of the Bereaved Families Memorial Ceremony marking two years since the October 7, 2023, massacre. (Paulina Patimer)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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet voted early Friday morning in favor of a Gaza ceasefire deal that will see hostages freed in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners and a halt to the fighting, despite vocal objections from the premier’s far-right coalition partners. Magid fills us in on who voted for what. The Israel Defense Forces has begun its withdrawal to new lines inside of the Gaza Strip, 72 hours after which Hamas will release all the hostages. Magid expands on how much territory the IDF will hold under the "Yellow Line" and how it may respond to threats. And we learn about plans for a US military team of 200 people that will be deployed in the Middle East to “oversee” the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Finally, we hear a full episode of the Friday Focus with Lazar Berman, "Is Israel's Hamas problem solved?" Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Gaza ceasefire takes effect as government approves deal to free the hostages From Doha strike to Sharm el-Sheikh breakthrough: How US brokered elusive Gaza deal 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: IDF forces operate in the Gaza Strip in this October 9, 2025, handout image. (IDF)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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US President Donald Trump announced overnight Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have signed off on the “first phase” of his plan to secure the release of all hostages and end the Gaza war, two years and a day after the fighting was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 in southern Israel, with another 250 taken hostage to Gaza. Speculation had mounted that an announcement was imminent after photographers managed to snap photos of a note that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio passed to Trump during a White House meeting. Trump later took to his Truth Social platform, saying, “This means that ALL of the hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw [its] troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable and everlasting Peace.” Trump’s announcement of the agreement set off a flood of emotion early Thursday morning among freed captives and families and Israelis gathered at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where mass weekly rallies have been held to call for the hostages’ return, cheering the news and chanting, “Nobel Prize to Trump.” In Gaza as well, residents cheered the news of the deal even as the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee cautioned that the area north of Wadi Gaza — the northern part of the Strip — is still defined as a combat zone. Magid takes us through what we know of the pressures that pushed all sides to sign onto the deal and what obstacles remain. We hear about the probable timeline for the release of the hostages -- and a victory-lap visit by Trump to the region next week. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump announces deal reached on first part of his Gaza plan: ‘All hostages will be freed very soon’ Ex-captives and hostage families respond with tears, relief to news of upcoming release Trump, after securing deal: ‘This is more than Gaza. This is peace in the Middle East’ 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 dance as they celebrate following the announcement that Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause the fighting, at a plaza known as hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As negotiating heavyweights White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, Middle East envoy and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer arrive for talks in Egypt, Magid surmises that it's crunch time for the potential Gaza deal. He expects discussions to revolve around thornier issues, such as disarming Hamas, and which Palestinian prisoners the terrorist group is demanding in exchange for the remaining hostages. Following the Kumu (Rise Again) ceremony held to mark October 7 in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, Steinberg discusses the speakers, singers and audience at the event, which is run by bereaved and hostage family members, and is not an official government event. Steinberg also talks about "Red Alert," the new October 7 drama series about four intertwined stories of survivors from that day. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: PM’s office reports progress in talks on Gaza deal as top negotiators set to join Trump ‘pretty sure’ there will be a Gaza deal, denies telling PM to not be ‘f*cking negative’ As negotiators head to Egypt, Trump aims for ‘first phase’ of Gaza deal this week ‘We will rise’: Grief, defiance and hope as 30,000 gather in Tel Aviv two years after Oct. 7 Oct. 7 series ‘Red Alert’ a harrowing global reminder of what unfolded in Hamas massacre 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: At the end of the Kumu (Rise Again) October 7 ceremony in Tel Aviv, on October 7, 2025 (Courtesy Eclipse Media)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. News editor Amy Spiro joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode, highlighting eight individuals from our Those We Have Lost project, which memorializes the 1,200 who were slaughtered by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The first entry was written on October 11, 2023, when the number of the murdered was still unclear and funerals were held around the clock. Today, with 1,250 individual entries covering almost every single person killed by Hamas and dozens of soldiers who fell in the war, headed up by Spiro, our Those We Have Lost project paints a picture of each of their lives and the ongoing ripple effects of their deaths. For this episode, we focus on eight immigrants to Israel who lost their lives at the very beginning of the war. They include: Carol Siman Tov, 70, from the United States; Haim Zohar, 73, from Iran; Staff Sgt. Binyamin Loeb, 23, from France; Sgt. First Class Mulugeta Gadif, 29, from Ethiopia; Silvia Mirensky, 80, from Argentina; Dr. Victoria & Prof. Sergey Gredeskul, 81, from Ukraine; Sgt. Emil Eliav Samoylov, 22, from Russia; and Jake Marlowe, 26, from England. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Carol Siman Tov, 70: Native of Pennsylvania and dedicated nurse Haim Zohar, 73: Loving grandfather with dementia slain in Be’eri Staff Sgt. Binyamin Loeb, 23: Orthodox paratrooper son of French rabbi Sgt. First Class Mulugeta Gadif, 29: Police officer left behind newborn Silvia Mirensky, 80: Argentine immigrant who loved kibbutz life Dr. Victoria & Prof. Sergey Gredeskul, 81: Acclaimed BGU scientists Sgt. Emil Samoylov, 22: Lone soldier immigrated from Russia to enlist Jake Marlowe, 26: British-Israeli musician for UK band Desolated Those we have lost 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.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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. On Sunday, US President Donald Trump was asked by CNN what would happen if the Hamas terror group didn't relinquish power. Trump responded by text, “Complete obliteration!” Be that as it may, as Berman says, the Hamas terror group is treating the current talks in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh as yet another round of negotiations. We learn about who is in the room where it may happen and what Hamas is demanding. Skirmishes are ongoing in Gaza despite a pause in offensive activity by Israeli forces. The IDF is reporting that it carried out a number of airstrikes in response to Hamas attacks yesterday and troops on the ground are carrying out defensive operations. Berman explains what "defensive operations" entail when there are tens of thousands of troops on the ground in the Gaza Strip. And finally, we speak about the large intercepted flotilla and the status of the hundreds of activists that were aboard. We learn that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg will be among more than 70 people of different nationalities to leave Israel on Monday, even as another flotilla is on the horizon this week. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: As negotiators head to Egypt, Trump urges ‘first phase’ of Gaza deal this week Hamas said to demand release of terror chiefs, Oct. 7 terrorists in deal for hostages Hamas faces ‘complete obliteration’ if it clings to power in Gaza, warns Trump Greta Thunberg set to be deported from Israel Monday on flight to Athens Israel denies abuse as Ben Gvir touts harsh handling of Greta Thunberg, flotilla activists 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: A man walks past a mural depicting the Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, with a message that reads in Arabic, 'See you soon,' on Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, August 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Intensive negotiations to potentially finalize the Trump peace plan are set for Monday in Egypt. Israel and Hamas are sending teams and US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to join with Arab mediators in what may be a final attempt to broker the agreement to release all Israeli hostages and end the almost two-year war in the Gaza Strip. To begin the program, Magid fills us in on some of Hamas’s amendments to the 20-point deal. In its response to US President Donald Trump, the terror group overtly said it expects to be part of a "comprehensive Palestinian national framework" that discusses the future of the Gaza Strip, and will contribute to it with full responsibility." What does that mean for Israel's insistence that Hamas has no role in Gaza? On Saturday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a cautiously optimistic statement that he hopes to see the hostages back home, “even during the Sukkot holiday,” which begins this week. The Israel Defense Forces was ordered to halt its offensive to capture Gaza City on Saturday after Trump said his Gaza truce plan was accepted by Hamas and called on Israel to stop bombing the Strip. We hear more about Netanyahu's statement and learn about a Friday phone call between the prime minister and the US president. In another sign of public support for the peace plan, Chief Sephardic Rabbi David Yosef, at the start of a weekly homily delivered after the end of Shabbat, said Israelis “must pray that leaders make the right decisions.” Magid describes the careful steps that politicians such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir -- who oppose stopping the war -- are taking as they navigate the push-pull of public support and elections on the horizon. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: PM: Hopeful all hostages will be freed in days; Trump: I told Bibi, this is your victory Full text: Hamas’s response to Trump plan for ending Gaza war, returning hostages IDF strikes in Gaza City ‘significantly subside,’ but dozens said killed in past day Ben Gvir threatens to bolt government if Hamas ‘continues to exist’ after hostages freed 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: IDF forces operate in the Gaza Strip in this October 3, 2025, handout photo. (IDF)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.