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. The government's weekly cabinet meeting is held in a secure location on Sunday after the IDF acknowledged it struck and killed the prime minister of Yemen’s Houthi government and several other ministers, and the Houthis have pledged to retaliate, says Berman. Following a Channel 12 report that three of Israel's top security officials are expected to argue that Israel should accept the current hostage deal that releases only some of the hostages, Berman believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue to demand a comprehensive deal that releases all hostages, as he has been consistently calling for that and is backed by US President Donald Trump. Berman discusses his interview in Gaza with the IDF's 7th Armored Brigade, a combat team that lost six hostages, two of whom are still alive and four whose bodies are held by Hamas. The brigade is working to take down buildings controlled by Hamas to reach the underground tunnels. The current diplomatic situation revolving around the prime minister's recent statement recognizing the Armenian genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century was presumably coordinated by Netanyahu with the Foreign Ministry, says Berman, possibly as a way of getting back at Turkey for its aggressive measures taken against Israel throughout the war. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Houthis, IDF confirm group’s prime minister, other top officials killed in Israeli strike Body of slain hostage Idan Shtivi identified days after recovery from Gaza ‘A wild gamble on hostages’ lives’: Defense chiefs to urge cabinet to eschew Gaza op, take deal For IDF’s 7th Brigade, return to Gaza City is personal: Six of its crew are held hostage In first, Netanyahu says he recognizes Armenian genocide Israeli airlines say they’re still traversing Turkish airspace despite declared closure 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 What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with legal expert on genocide Menachem Rosensaft. Rosensaft is an adjunct professor of law at Cornell Law School and lecturer-in-law at Columbia Law School, where he teaches the law of genocide -- since 2008 at Cornell and since 2011 at Columbia. A dedicated pro-Israel US Jewish leader, Rosensaft is the general counsel emeritus of the World Jewish Congress and has been part of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, most notably sitting with PLO leader Yasser Arafat alongside four other American Jewish leaders in 1988, after which Arafat said he recognized the State of Israel's right to exist. Rosensaft discusses the important legal and rhetorical distinction between genocide and crimes against humanity or war crimes, feeling that the definition's precision is being diluted in popular use. We learn about the history and evolution of Raphael Lemkin's definition of genocide and the ripple effect it has caused. He emphasizes that Israel cannot be held out as the sole villain in the ongoing war, and explains how Hamas exhibits genocidal intent and ideology. However, the statements from a handful of far-right Israeli politicians is making South Africa's December 2023 legal case accusing the Jewish state of genocide much harder to win. Finally, he rails against the Israeli government's weaponization of the word "antisemitism" for all dissent against the Jewish state, but doubles down on the need for an ongoing peace process leading to a Palestinian state. And so this week, we ask genocide legal expert Menachem Rosensaft, 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: Menachem Rosensaft (courtesy) / Palestinians stand on the edge of a crater after Israeli military strikes in a tent camp for displaced people near Al-Aqsa Hospital, in Deir al-Balah, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)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 for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This Friday, we present a fourth and final installment of our August mini-series centering on the 2005 Disengagement from Gaza. We launched the series with a zoom-out conversation with public intellectual Dr. Micah Goodman, followed by a personal account of life in Gush Katif by former Nezer Hazani resident Anita Tucker and last week, we heard from Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, who shared the perspective of Palestinians within the Gaza Strip and the ripple effect felt after the Disengagement. This week, we speak with author and thinker Yossi Klein Halevi from his Jerusalem home. The Shalom Hartman Institute senior fellow begins by explaining why he and so many other Israelis supported Disengagement. He describes how the promises of security from the right and peace from the left failed, and so many Israelis were eager to try the "centrist" approach of unilateralism. Klein Halevi describes the zeitgeist of the time and compares it with the renewed global interest in a Palestinian state -- despite the Hamas massacre of 1,200 on October 7, 2023, and the continued captivity of another 20 living hostages and 30 dead. In the context of the ongoing war, when asked whether the two-state solution is dead, Klein Halevi's answer may surprise. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Yossi Klein Halevi (courtesy)/ Former prime minister Ariel Sharon speaking to students on the first day of classes in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Maaleh Adumim, Sept. 1, 2004. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)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. A reportedly routine policy meeting in the White House made headlines, says Magid, as it included two senior figures, Jared Kushner, son-in-law and former adviser to US President Donald Trump, and former UK prime minister Tony Blair. Magid discusses how Kushner and Blair have been working behind the scenes on a postwar Gaza management plan. He also notes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategic adviser, Ron Dermer, was at the meeting as well, pointing to the closeness between the US and Israel on this issue. Magid talks about an interview with a former State Department spokesman for Palestinian-Israeli affairs who was recently fired for perceived missteps regarding Trump administration policies concerning Israel. Finally, he takes a look at recent IDF activity in the West Bank, examining whether that region is destabilizing as pressure points reach urban areas such as Ramallah and Nablus. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Blair and Kushner join Trump’s Gaza meet; official calls it ‘a simple policy’ session Trump to hold White House meeting on ‘comprehensive plan’ for managing postwar Gaza Fired State Dept. press officer claims Huckabee, aide usurping Trump’s ‘America First’ policy IDF troops raid Ramallah money changer accused of funding Hamas activities 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: White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, and Jared Kushner wait for the arrival of President Donald Trump at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, N.J. on July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)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 health editor Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Schneider discusses the timing of US President Donald Trump's announcement regarding Wednesday's White House meeting about the management of the day-to-day lives of Gazans after the war. She notes the Israeli cabinet's decision Tuesday to gloss over the latest Hamas proposal and the US administration's allowing Israel to go ahead with its current military plans. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will only accept comprehensive deals, notes Schneider, and he will not agree to any phased deals of the kind that Egypt and Qatar have succeeded in bringing to the negotiating table. Bletter describes the Druze community's efforts with a platform created to help supply medical supplies and food from Israel to the devastated Sweida province in Syria where thousands of Druze are under siege by Syrian government-led forces. Bletter also highlights groundbreaking medical research, including unlocking bacteria to create more effective antibiotics and vaccines. She also notes research on spinal cord tissue that will be transplanted into paralyzed patients, helping them walk again. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump to hold White House meeting on ‘comprehensive plan’ for managing postwar Gaza As cabinet meeting glosses over deal, mediators say Israel ignoring Hamas proposal Large crowds fill Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square for rally urging deal to free captives In a Galilee war room, Startup Nation’s Druze mobilize to help their Syrian brethren in Sweida Using novel method to compare subgroups, Israeli researchers unlock bacteria’s secrets In world 1st bid to cure paralysis, Israeli team gears up to implant innovative spinal cord 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: Demonstrators protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the current government and for the release of hostages outside Tel Aviv's Defense Ministry on August 23, 2025. (Photo by Erik Marmor/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. ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode. As protesters blocked major highways Tuesday and demonstrated in front of cabinet ministers’ homes in an effort to pressure the government to try to finalize a deal to bring home the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza, Horovitz discusses the despair of the hostages’ families, the price of an agreement, and the complexities surrounding the government’s stated goals of bringing home all the hostages, destroying Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza. Horovitz points out that the US seems to be taking a back seat lately in hostage negotiations, but could and should play a vital role in arranging talks between Israel and neighboring countries that have normalized ties with it regarding a mechanism for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stated goal of having non-Hamas and non-Palestinian Authority “Arab forces” governing a postwar Gaza. Following the IDF attack Monday on Gaza’s Nasser Hospital that reportedly killed 20 people, including several journalists, Horovitz notes that the army is still investigating the incident. He highlights that numerous released hostages have detailed the hospital’s functioning as a facility under Hamas oversight. Horovitz also talks about his recent visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community of barely 400 people, a quarter of whom were killed or taken hostage by hundreds of Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. He discusses the ongoing trauma within the community adjacent to the Gaza border and its debate on how to memorialize its tragedies, as well as how to move forward. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Thousands demonstrate, block roads at start of nationwide day of protests for hostages Trump claims Gaza war to reach ‘conclusive ending’ in two to three weeks IDF strike on south Gaza hospital said to kill 20, including rescuers and journalists Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Protestors block Route One on August 26, 2025 at Shapirim Interchange (Credit: Barak Dor/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Israeli Air Force on Sunday carried out strikes in Yemen’s Houthi-held capital of Sanaa, reportedly killing at least four people and injuring scores. The strike came shortly after the military said that an IAF investigation into a Friday night ballistic missile attack from Yemen found that, for the first time, the Houthis used a projectile with a cluster bomb warhead. We learn about this warhead and the IAF's strike. The Israeli army uprooted thousands of olive trees in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir following a shooting attack in the area last week carried out by a resident, according to Palestinian media. In addition, a three-day curfew was imposed on the village, which was lifted Sunday morning. We discuss the allegation that the IDF is using collective punishment following this attempted shooting and the IDF's response. While visiting the Haifa naval base yesterday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that “there is a [hostage] deal on the table, we need to take it,” according to Channel 13 news. The report quoted Zamir adding that “the IDF brought about the conditions for a deal, now it is in Netanyahu’s hands. These "hot mic" remarks come ahead of the planned operation to takeover Gaza City, even as Israeli planes and tanks pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of the city overnight Saturday and into Sunday, destroying buildings and homes, killing residents. We learn what is happening on the ground. Late last week, Israeli authorities warned medical facilities and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip to gear up for mass evacuations of civilians as it drove ahead toward a planned military offensive aimed at conquering Gaza City. We hear which hospitals are still functioning in the Strip.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IAF strikes Yemen’s capital after Houthis fired cluster bomb missile over the weekend IDF pushes into Gaza City outskirts ahead of offensive, bolsters troops in Jabalia Israel tells Gaza City hospitals to ready for mass evacuations as war plans advance IDF uproots thousands of West Bank olive trees after Palestinian shooting attack Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Troops operating in the Gaza Strip in an undated photo released August 25, 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. Legal and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, the United Arab Emirates joined almost two dozen countries, the United Nations and the European Union in condemning Israel for approving the controversial E1 settlement project outside Jerusalem. Sharon explains where the planned 3,400 units would be built and how this could potentially affect negotiations over a two-state solution. He also delves into why this decades-long project is bring fast-tracked right now. On Friday, a UN hunger monitor declared for the first time that famine had struck northern Gaza. Israel vehemently denied the reports as “lies” and “modern blood libel,” and the United States appeared to dismiss the declaration as part of a “false narrative of deliberate mass starvation” from Hamas. We learn about the United Nations Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, which issued the report, saying that an estimated 514,000 people — or nearly a quarter of the enclave’s population — are experiencing famine. Sharon explains why Israel and the US allege that the findings are flawed and describes how data is gathered. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Smotrich rejoices as settlement plan that ‘erases 2-state delusion’ gets final greenlight Netanyahu’s office calls Gaza famine declaration a ‘modern blood libel’ Global hunger monitor declares famine in Gaza for 1st time; Israel rejects ‘biased’ report 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: View of the area of the planned E1 project between Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim West Bank city, August 21, 2025. (Jamal Awad/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 deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with former US negotiator, adviser and ambassador Dennis Ross. Today, Ross, an author and the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, also teaches at Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization. But for over a decade, he was the US point man on the arduous Israeli-Palestinian peace processes in both the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations. We close the program by hearing thoughts on the current talks to end the Gaza War from a negotiator who was in the room "when it happened" -- or didn't. However, we begin the episode by asking Ross, who has decades of experience in Soviet and Middle East policy, for his analysis of this week's Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and the subsequent meet-up between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders. We then spin the globe and focus on Israel and the region -- present and past, including the two milestones of the 2005 Disengagement and the 2000 Camp David Summit. And so this week, we ask Ambassador Dennis Ross, 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: Dennis Ross (Courtesy)/ Demonstrators march during a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and calling for the Israeli government to reverse its decision to take over Gaza City and other areas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)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 for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This Friday, we present a third installment of our August mini-series centering on the 2005 Disengagement from Gaza, following a zoom-out conversation with public intellectual Dr. Micah Goodman and a personal account of life in Gush Katif by former Nezer Hazani resident Anita Tucker. This week, we hear from Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, who shares the perspective of Palestinians within the Gaza Strip and the ripple effect felt there after the Disengagement. Alkhatib, who left the Strip for the United States as a high school pupil in 2005, leads Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse. He is an outspoken critic of Hamas, who writes and speaks about Gaza’s political and humanitarian affairs at a variety of international media outlets. We hear about Alkhatib's childhood in Gaza City and the few experiences he had with the Jewish Gush Katif residents. We learn about how, at age 17, Alkhatib became one of the first Palestinians to receive asylum in the US following the rise of Hamas in the Strip. Alkhatib describes the seeds of Hamas and how it became emboldened through the tacit encouragement of Israel. Today, he says, the terror group is so entangled with the civilian population that uprooting it is virtually impossible without any other alternative on the horizon. He looks back at the wasted opportunity of the Disengagement. "This is a thread that we had and could have grabbed onto and done something with," he tells The Times of Israel. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Palestinian police set up Palestinian and Fatah flags on top of a synagogue in the former Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim in the southern Gaza Strip, September 12, 2005. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, 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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. This morning, Hamas released a statement saying that Israel’s military plans to conquer Gaza City show its “blatant disregard” for efforts to broker a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the nearly two-year conflict. As Israel continues to weigh the partial, phased truce proposal accepted by the terror group on Sunday, we hear about the various forms of backlash faced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- for both the Gaza City op and for the possibility of ending the war without achieving all war goals. As a slew of international nations announce their potential readiness to recognize a Palestinian state in September, a recent poll found that a 58 percent majority of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize Palestine as a nation. The issue of a "two-state solution" couldn't be farther from most Israelis' minds. Horovitz delves into why the flirting with recognizing Palestine -- now, during this war -- is drawing such passion from Israeli leadership, including Netanyahu in his dealings with his Australian counterpart.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: As Egypt presses Israel on truce proposal, PM pushes ahead with Gaza City operation Trump’s moment: How the US president can help Netanyahu make the wise choice on Gaza Poll shows most Americans back Palestine recognition, view Israel’s Gaza war as excessive Australia pans Netanyahu: ‘Strength not measured by how many people you can blow up’ Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. Members of the Global Movement for Palestine wave a giant Palestine flag during a rally against Israel and the ongoing food shortages in the Gaza Strip, in Mexico City on August 17, 2025. (Yuri CORTEZ / 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 and political correspondent Sam Sokol join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Two Israeli officials said yesterday that Jerusalem is studying the proposal for a phased hostage-ceasefire deal that Hamas on Sunday said it had agreed to. This comes as Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the army’s plans for the takeover of Gaza City yesterday. The plans are set to be presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow, but in the meantime, we hear about the call-up of some 60,000 Israeli reservists and other aspects of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, B. A group of settler activists, including young children, crossed the border into Syria on Monday in an attempt to establish a new settlement in land currently held by the Israel Defense Forces. The military said troops were dispatched to the scene, across from the border town of Alonei Habashan, after several civilian vehicles were seen crossing into Syria. Fabian fills us in. Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government voted to approve a NIS 31 billion ($9 billion) increase to the 2025 state budget — NIS 1.6 billion ($473 million) of which will go toward humanitarian aid for Gaza. The money earmarked for humanitarian aid has angered some members of Netanyahu’s cabinet as well as opposition figures like Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman. Will the Knesset ratify these additions? Ultra-Orthodox leaders have called for an international day of prayer and fasting on Thursday in response to recent government efforts to conscript ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students and arrest those who ignore government orders to enlist. Sokol gives background to the "war" the Haredim have declared on the draft issue and previews what we should expect to see tomorrow. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Israel said reviewing truce deal okayed by Hamas despite PM’s seeming dismissal of offer 60,000 IDF reservists to be called up in coming days ahead of Gaza City takeover Israeli activists briefly cross Syria border in bid to establish settlement Government votes to add billions to state budget, including $473 million in Gaza aid Haredi leaders call for global day of prayer, fasting to protest arrest of 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 Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Haredi men attend a rally against the jailing of Jewish seminary students who failed to comply with an army recruitment order, outside the military prison in Beit Lid, near Netanya, August 14, 2025. (Tal Gal/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 Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Just as Israel is set to approve the IDF's plans for the mission to conquer Gaza City, Hamas on Monday informed mediators that it accepted the ceasefire-hostage release deal proposal that was submitted to the group a day earlier by the Egyptians and Qataris. Sources said the proposal involves a 60-day pause and the release of 10 living captives -- in other words, a partial release deal, which Israel has seemingly stepped away from in the past few weeks. Magid weighs in with the backstory to the negotiation reboot and how Israel may respond. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announced yesterday that it is launching a new system to enable families to reserve a box of aid in advance, to reduce the chaos surrounding its distribution sites that the UN says has led to the deaths of hundreds of aid seekers. This comes after other attempts, such as women’s-only distribution times, in an effort to serve more vulnerable populations. Magid tells us more. The US State Department on Saturday said it was halting all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it conducts “a full and thorough” review. The move to stop these medical-humanitarian visas came after Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and an ally of President Donald Trump, said on social media on Friday that the Palestinian “refugees” had entered the US this month. We learn about Loomer and how this post affected the visa program so far. Two former senior Biden administration officials -- Jack Lew, who served as US ambassador to Israel, and David Satterfield, who served as US envoy for Mideast humanitarian issues -- have revealed that it was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who asked US President Joe Biden last year to set up a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to help deliver more aid. We hear highlights from their joint op-ed in Foreign Affairs magazine, including their thoughts on how the UN should cooperate with GHF. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas says it agrees to latest ceasefire proposal; Netanyahu sounds dismissive GHF says it is launching new reserve system to help families with food collection US State Department halts all visitor visas for Gazans, after far-right activist’s post Former Biden officials say Netanyahu asked US to set up floating Gaza aid pier last year Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Illustrative: A man holds a placard up as he takes part in the March for Hostages in London, August 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)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. The city of Sderot has reportedly warned residents that they will likely hear loud explosions throughout the day due to military operations in nearby Gaza, according to Hebrew-language media. The city sits some seven kilometers (four miles) from the northeastern edge of Gaza City. Fabian updates us on what's happening on the ground in the Gaza Strip right now, ahead of the planned takeover of the city. During a visit to the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the military was set to approve “the plan for the next stage of the war” later in the day. The plan was approved and Fabian delves into some of the preparation needed before the operation rolls out. As part of the upcoming Gaza City operation, about a million residents will need to relocate. Israel announced that it will renew the supply of tents and shelter equipment to Gaza beginning on Sunday. We discuss the relocation efforts and get an update on how much humanitarian aid is currently being let into the Strip. The Israeli Navy launched strikes against a power plant south of Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, on Sunday morning. We hear what came next and why the military continues to strike Yemen. The IDF announced Sunday it would be giving draft dodgers — many of whom are members of the ultra-Orthodox community — a one-time week-long opportunity to enlist in the military without facing punishment for desertion. How many Israelis are eligible for this "get-out-of-jail-free card," and what is part of this package deal? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hundreds of thousands demonstrate in Tel Aviv at end of nationwide day of hostage protests Zamir says IDF approving plans for war’s next stage ahead of Gaza City offensive Israel to resume supply of tents, shelter gear as it readies to move Gaza City residents IDF intercepts missile from Yemen, hours after Israeli Navy hit Houthi power plant IDF offers one-time amnesty to thousands of draft dodgers, citing manpower shortage Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (left) and Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor are seen in the Gaza Strip, August 17, 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. Political reporter Tal Schneider joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A nationwide call for a general strike got underway on Sunday morning, as families of the hostages protested the government’s decision to expand the war in Gaza with a campaign to conquer Gaza City. The strike was organized by the October Council, which represents some of the family members of the hostages or bereaved relatives of those killed in the fighting that erupted with the Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Schneider describes why many Israelis feel the need for a day of large public actions against the war, and we hear from reporter Ariela Karmel, who is in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square. The Times of Israel’s US bureau chief Jacob Magid learned on Friday that Hamas negotiators in Cairo this week signaled a willingness to come down from the demands they made last month that led to the collapse of hostage talks in Doha. Jerusalem responded that it is not interested in another partial ceasefire and is only willing to forgo plans to take over Gaza City if Hamas agrees to all of its demands for ending the war, the Israeli official said. Schneider fills us in on the current status of talks. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Saturday that her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu has become a “problem,” adding she would try to put pressure on Israel over the Gaza war as her country currently holds the European Union presidency. The Israeli government is going “too far,” she added, also condemning the new settlement plan to build over 3,000 housing units in the E1 area of the West Bank, which Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Wednesday. We discuss the E1 plan and the efficacy of sanctions on Netanyahu. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Israeli Navy missile boats strike Houthi power plant near Yemen capital Large protests held across Israel as national strike for hostages gets underway ‘Strengthening Hamas’: Coalition lawmakers slam protesters taking part in strike for hostages Hamas negotiators signal willingness to ease demands that collapsed talks — officials Netanyahu has become a ‘problem,’ says Danish PM, wants EU to weigh sanctions World largely decries new settlement plan, warns it will scuttle 2-state solution Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Demonstrators block a road during a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and calling for the Israeli government to reverse its decision to take over Gaza City and other areas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)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 Prof. Dan Turner, the head of a pediatric gastroenterology unit at one of Israel’s most respected hospitals located in Jerusalem and Deputy Dean of the School of Medicine at the Hebrew University. Turner, alongside his work as a physician, educator and researcher, is also an ardent activist in a variety of fields concerning human rights and dignity, inside and outside of medicine. Our podcast conversation was spurred by his response to images of Muhammad al-Mutawaq, a severely emaciated 18-month-old living in Gaza, which were published on the front pages of newspapers around the world, prompting a global outcry about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Following an independent journalist's investigation, it was revealed that al-Mutawaq suffered from severe illnesses, including neurological and muscle disorders. For Turner, al-Mutawaq's underlying medical conditions don't excuse his appearance -- quite the contrary. The malnourished child is emblematic of Israel's inhumane treatment of all Palestinians, from security prisoners handcuffed in hospital beds to babies who require special medical care in Gazan tent cities, he says. In a wide-ranging interview, Turner explains how he was "awoken" to his duty to advocate for Palestinians' basic medical care and treatment with dignity. He shares the blowback he has received -- and why he now sparks conversations about the ongoing war in Gaza by "looking like a caveman." And so this week, we ask Prof. Dan Turner, 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: The transfer of Palestinian men arrested during a military raid on Jenin, January 22, 2025. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN / 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 for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, as Israel marks the beginning of the Disengagement from Gaza 20 years ago, we speak with former Brooklynite Anita Tucker, 79, who helped settle Nezer Hazani in 1977 and was forcibly removed from her home in 2005 alongside her husband, children and grandchildren. Affectionately called "the celery lady" due to her flourishing Gush Katif farm, Tucker describes how her young children were the deciding factor for staking their tent pegs in the barren land of Nezer Hazani after she viewed them "sledding" down the dunes on garbage bags. This same inert sand allowed the residents to grow their trademark, bug-free Gush Katif vegetables with the newest agricultural technology -- drip irrigation. She talks about warm relationships with her Arab neighbors -- until talk of "peace" came and the empowerment of PLO leader Yasser Arafat. She describes how once Arafat established a foothold in Gaza, he hanged the leadership of Deir al-Balah, who were Tucker’s close personal friends. She speaks about the terror attacks the community absorbed, but the ideological faith that their community was protecting the rest of the Land of Israel. Former prime minister Ariel Sharon's announcement of a unilateral pullout from Gaza came as a betrayal and we hear how the youth protested against this move until the very end. But after the pullout, the former Gush Katif residents experienced a second betrayal in that they had to fight to get compensation and rebuild their lives. Tucker and much of the original settlement refounded Nezer Hazani seven years later inside the State of Israel, but, as she says, these are their "houses," they are not their "homes." Tucker speaks to the community's yearning to resettle the Gaza Strip and how concrete plans have been presented to the Israeli government during what the potential resettlers view as a window of opportunity. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Israeli Jewish settlers celebrate the Jewish festival of Tu Bishvat, marking the new year for trees in the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim in the Gush Katif block of settlements in the Gaza Strip, January 25, 2005. (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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Hamas negotiators arrived in Egypt this week for talks aimed at getting moribund ceasefire and hostage release negotiations back on track, with Israel having reportedly sent a team to Doha. Horovitz updates us on the status of negotiations. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir yesterday approved the general outline for the military’s upcoming major offensive to conquer Gaza City. This comes after a highly charged conflict with Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier this week. Horovitz takes us through this unusual public spat and what we know so far about the plan to take Gaza City. Yesterday, Spain signaled support for French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal of an international coalition under a United Nations mandate to stabilize Gaza -- including deploying the controversial UNRWA agency -- calling it “one of the tools” that could bring peace to the region. Horovitz briefly comments. Even as much of the western world is pushing for a two-state solution, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed in a rare Hebrew-language interview that he felt a connection to the vision of “Greater Israel.” We learn more about the bizarre interaction during an i24 interview, which has spurred international condemnation. Horovitz sat down with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee this week for an in-depth interview. Horovitz brings highlights, including Huckabee's stalwart support and the Baptist minister's impressions of how Gazans see the US and the IDF. The CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival said overnight that he is working to get "The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue," a documentary about the October 7 massacre, back on the big screen, apologizing after the movie was pulled from the festival schedule, which sparked a large outcry. Horovitz describes the surreal request by the festival's organizers to obtain permission for use of the Hamas October 7 footage. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF chief greenlights general outline of planned conquest of Gaza City Israel may dispatch negotiators to Doha for talks on freeing all hostages, ending war Arab nations fume after Netanyahu says he feels connection to vision of Greater Israel Huckabee: With Palestine state move, UK and France have joined forces with Israel’s enemies After outcry, Toronto film fest says it wants to reinstate pulled October 7 documentary 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: Retired Israeli general Noam Tibon in the documentary 'The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue' (Courtesy)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. New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Tress discusses the recent decrease in antisemitic hate crimes in New York, although Jews are still the most targeted group. He also talks about several small, new Jewish organizations advocating for change in the way the Jewish community approaches growing antisemitism and anti-Zionism, as well as their readiness to face off against legacy Jewish organizations. Tress touches on the legal implications of antisemitic crimes, particularly in light of the recent case involving the alleged killer of two Israeli embassy staffers. He also discusses how the Washington District Attorney is examining the possibility of a death penalty sentence for Elias Rodriguez, who allegedly killed two staff members from the Israeli Embassy in May outside a DC museum. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Antisemitic hate crimes in New York decrease in recent months — NYPD Amid record antisemitism, US Jewish activists call on leaders to vacate their echo chamber US prosecutors consider death penalty for alleged killer of Israeli embassy staffers 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: Police arrest a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protester near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the Met Gala takes place, May 6, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, 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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The IDF may take at least another week to gauge how many troops it will need for the government-ordered renewed offensive in Gaza City, military officials said Sunday. This comes as relations between the IDF and the political echelon seem more strained than we’ve previously seen. Fabian weighs in. This morning, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) asserted that Hamas has been inflating the toll of Palestinians it says have died of malnutrition, and most of those verified to have died had preexisting medical conditions. Fabian describes how Hamas's own death figures have allowed COGAT to draw its conclusions. An Israeli strike in Gaza City Sunday night killed a prominent Palestinian journalist for Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera, Anas al-Sharif, whom the Israel Defense Forces has long argued was a Hamas terrorist in charge of rocket launching. Fabian lays out the IDF's case against al-Sharif and discusses his targeting in the context of the larger stated military goal of picking off every asset of the terror group. On Sunday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that IDF troops will remain deployed to northern West Bank refugee camps at least until the end of the year, as part of the “Operation Iron Wall” defensive. The operation began in January in the Jenin refugee camp, adjacent to the city of Jenin, and later expanded to include refugee camps near the city of Tulkarem in the western West Bank — the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps. We learn what's going on there now and what the forecast is. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF assessing how many troops needed for new Gaza offensive as Security Council convenes Israel says review shows Hamas inflating Gaza hunger data in ‘orchestrated campaign’ Amid global outcry, IDF says Al Jazeera reporter it killed was receiving Hamas salary IDF strike on Gaza City kills Al Jazeera reporter accused of being a Hamas cell leader Katz: IDF to remain in north West Bank refugee camps until year’s end at least Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip in an image released by the military on August 11, 2025. (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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's back-to-back press conferences on Sunday night in English and then Hebrew, Magid compares his focus on the premier's messaging. During the press conference for the English language press, Netanyahu focuses on what he calls the "lies" in the international press and emphasizes that Israel is not seeking to occupy Gaza, but to take over only Gaza City. Magid discusses Netanyahu's five conditions for ending the war, and moving away from a strategy of partial hostage deals to military pressure. Magid also says Netanyahu is working to dispel the notion that Israel is trying to starve the Gazans, and scolds the press for accepting Hamas claims to the contrary. He talks about Netanyahu's comments about flooding the zone with aid. In Hebrew, the prime minister reviewed Israel's victories in Gaza to give legitimacy to continue fighting. He also talks about the issue of reservists, says Magid, acknowledging the strain on reserve forces. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu says Israel not looking to occupy Gaza but to ‘free it from Hamas’ World condemnations mount over Israeli plans to take Gaza City; UN Security Council to meet Bucking IDF warnings, security cabinet approves Netanyahu plan to conquer Gaza 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 Podwaves. PM Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference at the PM's office in Jerursalem, August 10, 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. Legal and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Friday vowed to carry out “in the best possible way” Israel’s decision to conquer Gaza City and at the same time, Arab mediators were said to be working on a deal to release all 50 remaining hostages from Gaza in one fell swoop in exchange for an end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip. In the lead-up to the security cabinet decision, there was a lot of talk about conquering and occupying the entire Strip. Sharon looked into the legalities of such a move and shares what he found. Hundreds of ultranationalist activists hoping to establish new Israeli settlements in Gaza set out Wednesday evening from a spot close to the Gaza border city of Sderot and began walking westward toward a lookout point less than a kilometer away from the Strip, with loudspeakers blaring: “The way to defeat Hamas is to take back our land.” Sharon gives us background on the impetus for the movement and, with increased political backing, the window of opportunity it now sees. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF chief: Army will carry out Gaza City occupation plan in ‘best possible way’ ‘Ours forever’: Hundreds march from Sderot to Gaza border to demand resettlement Smotrich says he’s ‘lost faith’ in PM’s desire to win war, demands change to Gaza plans 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: Palestinians rush to collect humanitarian aid airdropped by parachutes into Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, August 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)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's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. During the Tisha B'Av fast on Sunday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir again made headlines for going up to the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. There were two big differences this time: One, he led a prayer service out loud, and two, he called for the Jewish resettlement of the Gaza Strip. Both aspects of Ben Gvir's trip were highly documented, including his statement on the ongoing war in Gaza. Ben Gvir said, “I am saying, davka [intentionally] from here, from the Temple Mount — the place from which it was proven that it is possible to have sovereign rule — davka from here, we are relaying a message that from today on, we are conquering the entire Gaza Strip, announcing our sovereignty on the entire Gaza Strip, and taking down every Hamas member and encouraging voluntary emigration. Only in this way will we return the hostages and win the war.” Ben Gvir's semi-messianic vision may come partially true as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears poised to announce an IDF operation aimed at conquering the entire Gaza Strip. Resettlement of the Palestinian enclave, says Rettig Gur, is a completely different matter. We hear how this latest publicity stunt is a disservice to the Temple Mount movement, which stresses that Jews may have freedom of worship at Judaism's most holy site. 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) / Illustrative: Jews visit the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City, on Jerusalem Day, May 26, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)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 for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, as Israel stands poised to re-occupy the entire Gaza Strip, public intellectual and author Dr. Micah Goodman takes us through the Disengagement from Gaza 20 years ago. Goodman, the author of influential works such as “Catch-67,” returns to the origins of the settlement movement and dissects the motivations driving Israelis from the right and left. We learn how the First and Second Intifadas shifted stalwart settler leaders such as prime minister Ariel Sharon and set the table for the idea of unilateral disengagement from Gaza. Goodman proposes that the trauma from the Disengagement has shaped the face of the Israeli right, with extremist party heads, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir openly supporting the resettlement of Gaza from the halls of the Knesset -- or the Temple Mount. And finally, we turn to the Israeli cabinet's Thursday night decision to push for a reoccupation of Gaza and what this may do to the country. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. Young settlers cry and pray on the roof during the Disengagement in Neve Dekalim on August 17, 2005. (Nati Shohat/ 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. Magid discusses how US President Donald Trump was very impacted by the the hostage videos that came out last week of an emaciated Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, and he responded that Israel should do what it needs to regarding Gaza. Trump isn't pushing Israel regarding its possible occupation plan of Gaza, but is planning to expand the Gaza Humanitarian Fund beyond its current three locations. Magid comments on GHF's need for funding, its reliance on US funding to date and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's 180-degree turnaround on the matter and the need to give aid to Gaza. Magid also examines the complex relationship between the US and the Palestinian Authority regarding financial support and governance, and the US denial of visas to Palestinian Authority officials as a form of pressure, while the PA's legitimacy is at risk due to its financial instability. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Chiefly focused on food aid, Trump says Gaza occupation ‘pretty much up to Israel’ Almost 9 in 10 aid trucks looted before reaching Gaza destinations, UN figures show Aiming to boost aid, Israel to allow gradual flow of goods to Gaza’s private sector US to deny visas for PA officials over efforts to ‘internationalize’ the conflict Hamstrung PA weighs options as Israel continues to withhold its much-needed funds Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ben Wallick. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Air Force One at Lehigh Valley International Airport, August 3, 2025, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. According to leaked reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will likely declare a new war goal of conquering the entire Gaza Strip. Following the three-month-long Gideon's Chariots operation, Israel currently has operational control of 75 percent of the Strip. Fabian delves into the operation and gives a picture of whether it met its goals of conquering Gaza and retaining the territory; moving the Palestinian civilian population toward the south of the Strip; targeting Hamas; and preventing the terror group from taking control of humanitarian aid supplies. We discuss the stepped-up humanitarian aid efforts and Fabian offers insight into what happens once it reaches the Strip, citing a new UN report that states that almost nine out of every 10 UN trucks that entered Gaza with humanitarian aid over the last several months were looted — either by hungry Gazans or by armed groups. We get updates on how much aid is still standing at the Kerem Shalom crossing and how effective airdrops are. Finally, we learn about the IDF’s new Haredi brigade, known as the Hasmonean Brigade. After completing seven months of basic and advanced training, the first company of troops from the Hasmonean Brigade received their navy berets today. What is this new ultra-Orthodox company and how could it impact the 80,000 Haredi youth who are eligible for conscription? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: After war meet, Netanyahu said to favor complete conquest of Gaza even if hostages harmed Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ comes to a close, with promised goals unfulfilled Almost 9 in 10 aid trucks looted before reaching Gaza destinations, UN figures show Aiming to boost aid, Israel to allow gradual flow of goods to Gaza’s private sector 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: Palestinians carry personal belongings in the Mawasi area of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on July 28, 2025. (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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene a limited security meeting today to discuss military plans for Gaza. According to reports based on leaked information, following yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Netanyahu told ministers he intends to seek cabinet approval for a full re-occupation of the Gaza Strip. Horovitz delves into the pushback from several sectors of Israeli society -- including hostage families and security officials past and present -- and raises the possibility that this plan could be a negotiating lever to bring Hamas to the table. This idea to conquer and/or occupy the entire Gaza Strip comes as a report released Monday by the Hostages and Missing states that the 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are at an “immediate risk of death” due to starvation. The terrible conundrum of whether it is possible to simultaneously defeat Hamas and still get the hostages out alive has become increasingly more acute as the war continues. With this new leaked potential plan, Borschel-Dan wonders, has Netanyahu given up on the hostages? Horovitz responds. The government voted unanimously on Monday to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara from office, following months of confrontation between the two sides, in a decision that will have deep legal and political reverberations given the government’s long-running efforts to weaken the judiciary. The move was then frozen by the High Court until the justices can rule on its legality. Horovitz gives three scenarios explaining why the government moved forward -- during the Knesset recess -- with this controversial step. Also on Monday afternoon, lawmakers on the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee voted 9-7 to appoint Likud MK Boaz Bismuth as their chairman, officially pushing out former chairman Yuli Edelstein in a move designed to end an impasse over legislation on military draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community. What makes Bismuth a better candidate to push legislation forward? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu said set to order full takeover of Gaza, despite IDF qualms, risk to hostages Medical report: Hostages face ‘immediate risk of death’ from ‘systematic starvation’ ‘On the precipice of defeat’: 19 former defense chiefs demand end to Gaza war Government fires attorney general; High Court immediately freezes her dismissal MK Bismuth elected to head key defense panel, push through Haredi draft exemption law Edelstein shares Haredi draft proposal, hours before vote on his ouster as panel head 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: Illustrative: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits in a military vehicle in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, July 18, 2024. (Avi Ohayon/Israel Prime Minister's Office 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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A record 3,500-plus Jewish pilgrims were said to visit the Temple Mount over the course of the Tisha B’Av fast day. Among them was far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who led a group of Jewish worshipers in prayer. It was the first time that a government minister was recorded overtly worshipped at the flashpoint site in violation of the status quo. What has been the response so far? US special envoy Steve Witkoff was finally deployed to the Mideast this past weekend. We hear an update on the current stalemate in the hostage release-ceasefire negotiations and discuss what Witkoff and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee tweeted after entering the Gaza Strip on Friday to tour one of the joint US-Israel humanitarian distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. We also hear how US President Donald Trump currently views the situation on the ground in Gaza. And finally, Magid relays portions of conversations held recently with three men living in different parts of Gaza about how they daily face life-threatening danger to find food for their families. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: In first, Ben Gvir openly leads prayers on Temple Mount, in violation of status quo Witkoff, Huckabee tour Gaza, assess humanitarian situation, to help Trump craft aid plan PM said seeking ‘decisive military victory’ in Gaza, putting hostage families on edge Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: US special envoy Steve Witkoff (2nd left) and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee (3rd left) tour a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site on August 1, 2025. (Mike Huckabee/X)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. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group on Thursday published a propaganda video of hostage Rom Braslavski, whom it is holding captive in the Gaza Strip. A second propaganda video, from Hamas, was released Friday, showing hostage Evyatar David. We hear how the two young men look and what was said in the David video. The Israel Defense Forces declared yesterday that it had defeated Hamas’s Beit Hanoun battalion. It is the fifth time that the IDF is operating in the town of Beit Hanoun, which is located on the northeastern edge of the Gaza Strip, just across from Israel’s southern city of Sderot. Fabian describes what he saw and was told last week while in this area. While visiting southern Lebanon last week, Fabian was told that the IDF assesses that its achievements against Hezbollah since a November ceasefire could potentially bring the Lebanese terror group to complete disarmament. We hear why. The military announced last week that it will commute the sentences of three soldiers of the Nahal Infantry Brigade who were disciplined for insubordination after refusing to return to fight in Gaza. Fabian weighs in on whether this incident is just the tip of the iceberg and if the IDF is taking enough preventative steps to protect its fighters' mental health. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: In video, Hamas forces hostage Evyatar David to dig what he fears will be his own grave Islamic Jihad airs video of hostage Rom Braslavski; ‘They broke him,’ family says IDF declares defeat of Hamas battalion in Beit Hanoun, as operatives shown surrendering In Beit Hanoun for 5th time, officers say Hamas battalion to be destroyed ‘within a week’ IDF assesses successes against Hezbollah since ceasefire could lead to it disarming IDF commutes jail time for three soldiers who refused to return to Gaza combat 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 woman holds photos of top Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur, left, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, Hezbollah's former leader Hassan Nasrallah, right, and his cousin and successor, Hashem Safieddine, center, during a commemoration marking the first anniversary of Shukur's death in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing. Today, we have a special episode that we pulled from our archives. Just ahead of this year's observance of Tisha B’Av on Sunday, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, we are replaying an episode of our former weekly podcast, Times Will Tell, in which we went onsite in Jerusalem to the Temple Mount Sifting Project. We speak with archaeologist Zachi Dvira, who is the co-director of the project. He’ll explain its controversial genesis and continuing struggle. At the end of our conversation, you'll hear as we wet-sift a bucket of earth taken from the Temple Mount. Founded in 2004 near the Mount of Olives, it’s now at a location called Mitzpe Hamasuot, near the Hebrew University. The site is easily accessible and has an auditorium and a shady picnic grove, which was made possible with the help of American Friends of Beit Orot. Dvira calls for all who have not been to help sift through thousands of years of Temple Mount history to "hurry up!" IMAGE: Visitors sifting buckets of earth from the Temple Mount at the relaunch of the Temple Mount Sifting Project, June 2, 2019. (Yosef Huri)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the holiday of Tisha B'Av, we bring you this special What Matters Now podcast: 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 Daniel Taub. Taub is an Israeli diplomat, international lawyer and author born in Britain in 1962. He moved to Israel in 1989, later serving in the IDF as a combat medic and as a reserve officer in the international law division. He started his path in diplomacy in the Israeli Foreign Ministry in 1991 where he held many legal and diplomatic posts, including as Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2015. In his new book, "Beyond Dispute: Rediscovering the Jewish Art of Constructive Disagreement," Taub synthesizes his years spent at negotiating tables as a diplomat with his lifelong learning of Talmud. Drawing on techniques from both spheres, Taub argues that disagreement can be even more constructive than easy consensus -- and is necessary for treaties to last. We begin the program speaking about the Tisha B'Av holiday marked this weekend and how Israeli society today -- specifically, the painful ongoing debate over universal draft -- is coming close to the senseless hatred that tradition ascribes as a reason for the fall of the Temples. We then hear how one must pick a ripe time for negotiations, and how Taub's experiences on negotiation teams with Palestinians and Syrians make him think that Israelis, at the very least, are not ready to discuss a practical peace -- yet. And so this week, we ask Daniel Taub, 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: Author Daniel Taub (courtesy) / Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man pray as they gather for the mourning ritual of Tisha B'Av, in the Old City of Jerusalem, August 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)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 Canada announcing that it will recognize a Palestinian state in September, Magid discusses that Canada is conditioning its plan on Palestinian Authority reforms. Magid also looks at the latest vote in the Senate to block arms sales to Israel, as an extension of distrust of Netanyahu government. The resolution proposed by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders didn't pass again, but a majority of Democrats voted against it, a first that shows the distrust of the Netanyahu government, says Magid. As US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff makes his way to the region, Magid says that Gaza humanitarian aid is the main issue he'll presumably discuss with Netanyahu, with clear prioritization on how to aid the Gazans. Magid also talks about the alleged shooting of a prominent Palestinian activist by a known Jewish settler and the clear differences in how the suspected settler, Yinon Levi, was treated by Israeli civilian law as opposed to the Palestinian suspects involved in the case, who are being handled by the Israeli military legal system. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Following France and UK, Canada says it will recognize Palestinian state in September Israel said to warn Hamas it will annex parts of Gaza if no hostage deal reached As Trump promises new Gaza aid plan, White House says details forthcoming IDF court extends Palestinians’ remand after Israeli in same incident freed to house arrest 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: Palestinians carry food supplies they received from the US aid center in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, July 30, 2025. (Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Political reporter Tal Schneider and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Tuesday that the UK would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the war and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and meets several other conditions, including recommitting to a viable peace process. This is happening while, for the past several days, high-level representatives at a UN conference have urged Israel to commit to a Palestinian state. We discuss fallout to Starmer's announcement, the “New York Declaration” and which other states may follow suit in potentially recognizing Palestine this fall. In his announcement, Starmer said that Israel could forestall the recognition by reaching a ceasefire in Gaza, making clear that it will not annex the West Bank (or Gaza), and committing to a peace process that results in a two-state solution. This comes as there are increased rumors of plans to annex parts of the Gaza Strip. But are these rumors just a negotiation tactic? Schneider weighs in. At the NY two-state solution conference this week, Arab and Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, signed a declaration condemning for the first time Hamas’s onslaught of October 7, 2023, and calling on the Palestinian terror group to release all the hostages it is holding, disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Strip. Schneider and Freiberg explain that all may not be as laudable it seems. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: UK to recognize Palestinian state in Sept. unless Israel ends Gaza war, commits to peace PM says ‘obstinate’ Hamas blocking hostage deal, as he weighs annexing parts of Gaza In 1st, entire Arab League condemns Oct. 7, urges Hamas to disarm, at 2-state solution confab 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: Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a statement inside No. 10 Downing Street after the cabinet was recalled to discuss the situation in Gaza, in London, July 29, 2025. (Toby Melville, 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. Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode. The situation in Gaza remains incredibly problematic and unclear, says Horovitz, with a lack of independent journalism in Gaza, complicating the narrative. For the moment, Israel has reversed its policy regarding aid to Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t invite his two far-right coalition members, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the cabinet meeting discussing an increase of aid to Gaza. Horovitz discusses the mixed signals and strategic incoherence from the current government on this mix of issues. There is talk about getting aid into Gaza at the same time as unsourced reports that the army has proposed a tightened siege in the Strip, and held discussions of annexation or occupation in Gaza, offering a great deal of contradictory information, says Horovitz. Horovitz also discusses the wave of recommendations about excluding Israel from academic projects alongside instances of Israeli tourists requiring security assistance in various EU locations, amid the rising tide of criticism against Israel. People feel deeply troubled by what they are seeing and hearing about Gaza, he notes. Israeli negotiators are no longer in Doha for the ceasefire talks, although the terrorist organization Hamas has said it is trying to make this current proposal work. Horovitz says that Israel’s strategy is hard to fathom, given its insistence on military pressure in Gaza and Netanyahu’s continued endorsement of US President Donald Trump’s initial idea of helping Gazans leave, something that the US leader isn’t saying that any longer. Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: PM says Israel will ensure lots of Gaza aid; ministers said to mull occupation, annexation ‘You can’t fake that’: Trump sees ‘real starvation’ in Gaza, says Israel must do more Image of Gazan child with genetic illness being used to falsely smear Israel, COGAT charges Smotrich signals he won’t bolt coalition despite objecting to Gaza humanitarian aid EU proposes cutting Israeli access to research funds over Gaza humanitarian crisis 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: Palestinians at the site of an Israeli air strike, at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on July 29, 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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, aircraft from Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan airdropped dozens of pallets of humanitarian aid in the northern and southern Gaza Strip. This morning, Israel says more than 120 truckloads of food aid were distributed by the UN and aid agencies in the Gaza Strip on the first day of a partial pause in fighting. Berman explores how Israel's currently softened position is playing out on the global stage and compares it to previous cycles in which Israel allowed more aid into the Strip. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to press US President Donald Trump on ending “the unspeakable suffering” in Gaza when they meet at the US president’s golf resort in Scotland today, according to a Downing Street spokesperson says. The meeting at Turnberry, southwestern Scotland, comes as European countries express growing alarm at the situation in Gaza. What is Trump currently saying about the war in Gaza? Foreign Ministry director general Eden Bar-Tal summoned France’s deputy ambassador Mikaël Griffon for a reprimand at ministry headquarters in Jerusalem yesterday, over French President Emmanuel Macron’s announcement last week that Paris would recognize a Palestinian state. During the dressing down, he accused France of undermining talks for a hostage release deal with Hamas, as well as future negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. Berman delves into the idea that all the pressure on Israel to end the war -- and this "prize" of a state to the Palestinian people -- could harm the ceasefire negotiations and drag out the war with an emboldened Hamas. And we ask, is the UK set to follow France's example? And finally, the home of a Chabad rabbi in Dnipro was hit during a deadly Russian missile attack on the central Ukrainian city early Saturday. We learn about the "Shabbat miracle" that saved his family and hear what is happening with the Jewish community in Ukraine as the war marks some 1250 days. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Once again, Israel tried to restrict Gaza aid. Once again, it failed miserably Trump: Israel will ‘have to make decision’ on Gaza war, images of starvation ‘terrible’ Hundreds of rabbis demand Israel stop ‘using starvation as a weapon of 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 the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: An Israeli soldier stands next to a truck at the Kerem Shalom crossing between southern Israel and the Gaza Strip on July 27, 2025. (Carlos REYES / 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. Israel carried out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza early Sunday since the start of the ongoing war against Hamas, and pledged to halt fighting in certain parts of the Strip in 10-hour stints and create safe passages for the United Nations to distribute goods to the Palestinian population. We learn what has been airdropped so far, what's on the horizon and how much aid awaits distribution along the border. Fabian reports back on his trip late last week with the IDF to Gaza City. We learn that the troops are largely "fighting infrastructure" -- tunnels and booby-trapped buildings -- and that the Hamas battalion is largely defeated. Fabian wonders if this approach will indeed lead to the release of the Israeli hostages. Law enforcement on Saturday arrested a man suspected of carrying out a car-ramming attack in central Israel last week that wounded eight IDF soldiers. Police said the suspect, named earlier as Arkan Khaled, a 27-year-old Israeli resident of Taybeh, was caught while hiding at a construction site in the town of Kfar Yona close to the Beit Lid junction where the attack occurred. Israeli forces took over a pro-Palestinian activists' boat, Handala, that was attempting to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip on Saturday night, and towed it toward the Ashdod Port. Handala is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which also dispatched the previous boat and was carrying 19 activists and two Al Jazeera journalists. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Two IDF soldiers killed when armored vehicle hit by explosive in Khan Younis IDF reservist succumbs to wounds sustained last week in roadside explosion in Gaza IDF airdrops aid into Gaza for 1st time, vows to implement ‘pauses’ for UN deliveries Back in Gaza City again, IDF finds itself fighting ‘infrastructure,’ not terrorists Suspect in Thursday car-ramming caught at central Israel construction site IDF takes over pro-Palestinian activist boat attempting to break Gaza blockade 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: Israeli Air Force staff prepare boxes of humanitarian aid ahead of an airdrop in the Gaza Strip, July 26, 2025. (IDF)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 leading economist Prof. Dan Ben-David. Ben-David heads the Shoresh Institution for Socioeconomic Research and is a senior faculty member in the Department of Public Policy at Tel-Aviv University. Earlier this month, he wrote an op-ed in The Times of Israel with the provocative headline, "‘Just not Bibi’ is not an action plan for a national pivot." In it, he lays out the need for a complete overhaul of swaths of Israeli society and institution -- and insists that this is the pivotal moment that it must be done. “The demographic-democratic window of opportunity is closing at an exponential pace. This is the time for leaders who demonstrate that they grasp the gravity of this moment and what is required of them at the crossroads that we’ve now reached,” he wrote. We drill down into Ben-David's vision for Israel 2.0 and its four cornerstones — educational overhaul, budgetary overhaul, a change in our system of government, and a constitution. We also dive into the role that the ultra-Orthodox or Haredi community plays in implementing — or torpedoing — his vision. And so this week, we ask Dan Ben-David, 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: Ultra-Orthodox Jews gather at the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron during the Jewish holiday of Lag BaOmer, which marks the anniversary of the death of the Talmudic sage in Meron, northern Israel, on May 15, 2025. (Jalaa MAREY / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. The vast majority of the Zionists in the world are Christian. Israel’s closest allies are majority-Christian or officially Christian countries, and the world’s largest Christian denominations have many of their holiest sites in Israel. At the same time, there’s no adviser for Christian Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office, no minister tasked with outreach. On today's Friday Focus, we discuss three recent difficult incidents with the Christian world, which official Israel was diplomatically unprepared for. Berman discusses the need for a point person, an office or even a ministry in the Prime Minister's Office who will be tasked with liaising with the Christian world -- just like what is found in the governments of our Muslim neighbors. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. For more on this topic: Causing strategic, moral harm, Netanyahu lets others dictate Israel’s ties with Christians Friday Focus with Lazar Berman: Attacks on Christians in Israel are national stain IMAGE: Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, censes during Sunday morning mass at the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City on July 20, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / 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. New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As New York City Mayor Eric Adams establishes the Anti-Semitism Task Force, Tress examines the comprehensive plans of the citywide project, its political implications, and the recent incidents of vandalism linked to anti-Israel activism. Following the vandalization of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's office in the Bronx in response to her vote on funding for Israel's Iron Dome defensive system, Tress discusses the trend of activists vandalizing politicians' offices due to their perceived support for Israel. He also explores the work of an American scholar who studied and wrote about the historical roots of anti-Zionist slogans, tracing their origins back to the Soviet Union and examining how the language of anti-Zionism has permeated modern activism and modern leftist rhetoric, and has roots in Soviet propaganda. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: ‘AOC funds genocide in Gaza’: Anti-Israel activists vandalize Ocasio-Cortez’s NY office Pro-Palestinian activist in New York charged by feds for torching 11 police vehicles Columbia University suspends and expels dozens of students over anti-Israel unrest Why are US socialists so anti-Israel? Scholar lays out Soviet roots of anti-Zionist rhetoric 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: Anti-Israel protesters in Times Square, New York City, June 16, 2025. (Luke Tress/Times of Israel)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 reporter Jeremy Sharon and Knesset reporter Ariela Karmel join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. We begin the program with an update on the ongoing saga of the attempts to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. On Sunday morning, the five-member ministerial committee recently set up to dismiss the attorney general voted unanimously to recommend that the government to dismiss her. We hear what are the potential next steps toward firing her -- and probable backlash. Yesterday at the Knesset conference called “The Gaza Riviera – from vision to reality,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich endorsed a “security annexation” of the northern Gaza Strip and claimed that Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir favors the idea. Dozens of right-wing politicians and activists claim they are set to "right a historic wrong" that occurred 20 years ago with the 2005 Disengagement. Karmel sets the scene. Israeli authorities have said they are taking control of the management of the Tomb of the Patriarchs holy site in Hebron, in order to carry out construction work at the flashpoint West Bank shrine. Sharon explains how there is precedent for this temporary control and delves into why the move is so controversial this time. And finally, in June, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced that it had opened an investigation into “matters related to the Israel-Hamas armed conflict,” with the possibility of uncovering “a perpetrator of core international crimes — such as genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.” This announcement sparked concern among dual Israel-Canadian citizen soldiers. Karmel wrote an in-depth piece on the topic and shares the soldiers' fears. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Ministerial panel votes unanimously to recommend firing the attorney general Smotrich: Gaza will be ‘inseparable part of Israel,’ IDF chief favors ‘security annexation’ Israel to take administrative control over Tomb of Patriarchs for construction work ‘I’m afraid to go home’: Canadian IDF soldiers fear fallout from war crimes probe 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: An Israeli settler youth, wearing an anti-disengagement T-shirt that reads: 'A Jew doesn't expel a Jew,' September 27, 2005. (DAVID FURST / 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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode. Britain and 27 Western nations, including Australia, Canada, France, and Italy, said in a joint statement Monday that the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza “must end now,” arguing civilians’ suffering has “reached new depths.” The letter comes at a time of continued mass casualty events in the vicinity of aid distribution sites and on the day of expanded military operations in the Strip, in Deir al-Balah. How seriously is Israel taking this harshly worded appeal? French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot urged Israel to allow foreign press into the Gaza Strip. His statement came after The Journalists Association for Agence France Presse (AFP) said that its freelancer reporters in the Gaza Strip are at serious risk of starvation, and that “without intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die.” Horovitz discusses Israel’s near-total ban on Israeli and foreign press entering Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack and the ban’s repercussions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party will decide Wednesday on a replacement for MK Yuli Edelstein as head of the powerful Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee over his refusal to advance a bill enshrining sweeping military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox. We talk about Likud faction chairman Ofir Katz’s unusual announcement that he had decided to “hold elections” for the position and that he was taking nominations from within the party for Edelstein’s replacement. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Soldier killed in blast, as IDF pushes into central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah for 1st time 25 Western nations say Gaza war ‘must end now,’ suffering has ‘reached new depths’ Pope urges immediate end to ‘barbarity’ of Gaza war after church damaged Trump didn’t like seeing reports of Gazans killed while seeking aid — White House Likud to boot Knesset defense panel head Edelstein for blocking Haredi draft exemption 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: Illustrative: Protesters wave Palestinian flags and a banner reading 'Complicit' as they gather on Westminster Bridge in front of 'Big Ben,' at the Palace of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament, in central London, on June 4, 2025. (Adrian Dennis / 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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As aides to US President Donald Trump express their anger with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over IDF strikes in Syria last week, Magid examines the sources and timing of the remarks, noting that the US is attempting to continue talks with Syria. Magid updates the latest on hostage negotiations between Hamas and Israel, discussing the length of this latest round, and commenting that the sense is that while Hamas has been deliberating, the overall trend is toward a deal, as both sides have agreed on many of the issues. Finally, Magid discusses the ongoing chaos and violence at aid distribution sites in Gaza, where, reportedly, several dozen Palestinians were killed on Sunday, and the desperate need to find a better system of handing out the food packages. He also examines the system of distributing aid and the current international community's suggestions to flood the Gaza Strip with aid, to alleviate tension and pressure at aid distribution points. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: ‘He bombs everything all the time’: US said fuming at ‘madman’ Netanyahu after Syria strikes Israel accuses Hamas of foot-dragging, as sides await group’s reply to softened proposal Hamas officials say at least 73 Gazans killed, most near aid site; IDF: Toll exaggerated 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: Palestinians gather to demand an end to Israeli attacks and the entry of humanitarian aid on July 20, 2025, in the central Gaza Strip. (Photo by 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. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Israeli military said this morning that it was set to begin ground operations in Deir al-Balah for the first time since the start of the war, issuing an evacuation order for Palestinians in the southwest of the city in the central Gaza Strip. Deir al-Balah is one of the few places in the Strip where the military has not yet operated with ground troops because it believed Hamas to be holding hostages there, though it has conducted airstrikes in the city. Fabian spells out scenarios why the IDF is now ready to operate there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement late Thursday expressing its regret after IDF tank fire killed three civilians in Gaza’s only Catholic church, heeding a demand from US President Donald Trump, who angrily phoned the Israeli premier over the incident. Following the fatal strike, the Latin patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the highest-ranking Catholic official in Jerusalem, entered the Gaza Strip on Friday alongside Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem. Fabian describes the events that led to the accidental shelling. Dozens of Gazans were reportedly killed near aid distribution sites in the past few days. The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots at suspects who approached its troops after they did not heed calls to stop, about a kilometer away from an aid site that was not active at the time.The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed group that runs the aid site, said there were no incidents or fatalities there on Saturday and that it has repeatedly warned people not to travel to its distribution points in the dark. Fabian discusses the refusals from the IDF and the GHF for reporters to visit the sites and help clear up the tangled narratives. Israel is preparing to send medical equipment and medicine to a hospital in the Druze-majority city of Sweida, in southern Syria, after days of violence left an estimated 900 people dead and the medical facility badly damaged, the Health Ministry announced on Saturday. We hear about the IDF's involvement in the Syrian province over the past week and how hundreds of Israeli Druze have breached the border -- sometimes repeatedly. What does this mean about Israel's security along the border? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF set to begin ground operations in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah for first time More deaths reported near aid sites; Mossad chief, Witkoff said to discuss relocating Gazans Palestinians say at least 26 killed near Gaza aid sites; IDF says troops fired warning shots After angry call from Trump, PM says Israel deeply regrets mistaken shelling of Gaza church Jerusalem’s highest-ranking Christian officials enter Gaza to visit church hit by IDF Israel preparing to send medical gear to Sweida as clashes persist despite ceasefire 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: Members of Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, take part in a military parade along a street in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on January 19, 2025. (BASHAR TALEB / 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 Guri Alfi, comic, actor and producer of "The New Jew." Recorded before the conflict with Iran, Alfi speaks about his experiences filming the second season of "The New Jew," a series he first created with public broadcaster Kan 11 in 2021 that had him looking at the Jewish community in the United States. For these latest episodes, Alfi traveled to the US to speak to Jews in the wake of October 7 and the intense antisemitism and anti-Zionism that exploded across college campuses and American cities. Guri discusses his conversations with a range of Jewish leaders, including Reform Rabbi Angela Warnick Buchdahl, student leaders from Columbia and Harvard universities, and bereaved parents whose dual-citizen children became Israeli lone soldiers and were killed in the line of duty on October 7 and during the ongoing war. Guri says he wanted to show the bonds between the Israeli and American Jewish communities, and to show the hope and future that still exist despite the terrible events and trauma of the last 21 months. He also talks about one of his latest projects, “Speeches Against Despair” during the upcoming Israel Festival, in which he, along with actress Noa Koler, musician Noga Erez, actor Norman Issa, actress Maya Landsmann, screenwriter Galit Hoogi and others offer new interpretations to historical speeches. And so this week, we ask Guri Alfi 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, as violence between Syria's Druze and Bedouin communities reached a boiling point in the southern city of Sweida, hundreds of Druze rushed across the border from Israel, vowing to protect their community in Syria. Israel joined in as the protector of the Syrian Druze and the IDF said it struck over 160 targets in Syria, mostly in the area of Sweida, including government tanks and machine guns headed there. The military also said it was bolstering forces in the Golan Heights, on the Syrian border, in preparation for days of potential conflict. Likewise, the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber issued an open call to Israel and the world to help the Druze in Syria, citing the biblical commandment “not to stand by the blood of your neighbor.” We delve into the origins of the mysterious religion and Israeli ties to the ancient people which came to settle in what is today three nations: Lebanon, Syria and Israel. We discuss what could be Israel's motivations in taking on the mantle of protector of the persecuted minority -- and international backlash to it. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: A woman carries a Druze and an Israeli flag near the US Embassy in Jerusalem on July 16, 2025. (AHMAD GHARABLI / 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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Magid reviews the chaotic conflict that unfolded in Syria over the last days between the Syrian Druze minority, the Bedouin in Syria, and at times, Syrian-linked militia troops. US pressure on Israel pushed forward a quick resolution on the situation, bringing forward a ceasefire and Magid points out that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ultimately wants the various ethnic groups in Syria, including the Druze and Bedouin, to fall in line, particularly as Syria and Israel have been moving forward toward more cooperation. As ultra-Orthodox party Shas left its ministerial positions in the government in protest over the proposed Haredi enlistment law, Magid discusses whether the Shas move could lead to early elections after the upcoming summer session break. A Gaza deal seems possible, says Magid, as Israel rolled back some of its demands regarding aspects of its withdrawal from Gaza, and mediators are currently more optimistic regarding a possible deal. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Syrian gov’t forces begin withdrawing from Sweida as Israel vows to protect Druze Rubio: ‘We think we’re on our way toward a real deescalation’ between Israel, Syria Shas bolts government over Haredi enlistment, remains part of PM’s coalition Official says Gaza deal ‘more likely than not,’ as Israel said to retract pullback demands 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: Druze residents protest near the Israel-Syria border fence in solidarity with their community in Syria, July 16, 2025. (Photo by Michael Giladi/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. New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Tress discusses several universities dealing with issues of antisemitism and anti-Zionism, including Tuesday's hearing in Congress as Republican officials questioned the CUNY chancellor and presidents of Berkeley and Georgetown about foreign funding, support for terrorism on campus and harassment of Jewish students on campus, keeping up the Trump administration pressure. He also discusses a report on Israel studies programs in universities, as a Jerusalem think tank looked at the climate on campuses, including anti-Zionism activism on campus alongside rich discussion and a broad array of viewpoints in the classroom. Tress talks about mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and his threats to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he ever visited New York, as well as the current feud between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Comptroller Brad Lander about a possible BDS conflict over New York's divestment from Israel bonds. He also mentions the 100-year-old Adirondacks synagogue that has persisted despite the dearth of Jews in the area and the history of Jewish immigrants in rural America. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US university heads grilled in Congress about anti-Israel terror support on campus Shai Davidai, an outspoken Israeli professor at Columbia, leaves the university Israeli postdoc sues Stanford for discrimination; university denies it Israel studies programs on US campuses are at a crisis point, report warns NYC hopeful Mamdani’s vow to arrest Netanyahu likely oversteps what US mayors can do NYC mayor feuds with comptroller over Israel bonds investments NY’s rural 120-year-old ‘Peddlers’ Synagogue’ charts new path — without a congregation 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: FILE- Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protesters demonstrate on the campus of DePaul University, April 30, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, 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. Political correspondents Tal Schneider and Sam Sokol join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. We focus on domestic Israeli politics today on the Daily Briefing and start with Sokol, who sets the scene at the Knesset yesterday. We hear about the colorful circus that came to the Israeli parliament. The United Torah Judaism party announced its dramatic exit from the government last night. Schneider weighs in on the stability of the coalition, which, if the other major ultra-Orthodox party Shas also leaves, will drop to 50-51 seats for a minority government. Sokol delves into the ongoing debates surrounding the universal conscription bill. We learn about what is objectionable to the Haredi parties, including new sanctions on institutions such as yeshivas who are harboring draft dodgers. Schneider describes how threats to fire the legislator behind the bill -- head of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Yuli Edelstein -- may not be enough to placate the haredi parties this time. A motion to expel Hadash-Ta’al chair Ayman Odeh from the Knesset failed to pass on Monday, with only 73 out of the required 90 lawmakers voting in favor. Fifteen MKs voted against the motion, while multiple opposition parliamentarians boycotted the vote. We learn why the petition was put into motion and its ripple effect. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara was not present as a controversial ministerial panel convened at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem to hold a hearing on her dismissal Monday afternoon. Schneider explains why Baharav-Miara calls this a "sham" process and shares the outrage the hearing has sparked. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Three IDF troops killed, officer seriously wounded in northern Gaza tank blast Motion to expel Arab party head Odeh from Knesset fails to pass; coalition MKs heckle him AG stays away from her dismissal hearing: ‘A sham that harms rule of law, democracy’ The government’s bid to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara: What happens next? 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: Israelis protest in support of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara outside the courthouse in Tel Aviv, July 14, 2025. (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 reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Five IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, continue to operate across Gaza. Dozens of airstrikes were carried out in the past days, but one in particular has captured international attention: a strike near a Gaza water distribution point that reportedly killed several children. The IDF said Sunday that it was an accident and attributed it to a “technical malfunction.” Fabian reports on the accidental strike and compares the IDF's quick accountability of it to reports of mass deaths from humanitarian aid distribution sites. A proposed plan to establish a “humanitarian city” in southern Gaza’s Rafah continues to receive backlash. According to the plan, at least 600,000 Palestinians would be allowed into a newly rebuilt area of the city after being cleared that they are not Hamas. Some critics -- including former prime minister Ehud Olmert -- allege that it resembles the Nazi concentration camps built during World War II. Fabian talks about the plan, puts it in to the greater context of the entire Gideon's Chariots operation and explains the reported criticism from within the IDF itself. Israeli troops found more than three tons of weapons while raiding military facilities inside Syria, including anti-tank mines, explosive devices, and rockets. The sites had been maintained by the deposed Bashar al-Assad regime. We hear about the raid and the scale of the troops' finds. Israel’s most advanced communications satellite, dubbed Dror-1, was successfully launched into space from Cape Canaveral in the United States on Sunday aboard a Falcon 9 two-stage rocket, manufactured by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Fabian was inside the Israeli control room and reports back. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF admits error in deadly strike on water delivery site as truce talks stay jammed IDF said to warn against Gaza ‘humanitarian city’; ex-PM brands it ‘concentration camp’ IDF seizes 3 tons of arms from ex-Assad regime sites; violence flares in southern Syria Israel’s most advanced communications satellite successfully launched by SpaceX 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 former Syrian regime military site found by IDF troops in southern Syria, in an IDF handout photo released on July 13, 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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. According to a Channel 12 Israeli television report, later today, Israel will present new maps for the IDF’s redeployment in the event of a ceasefire-hostage release deal along the Morag Corridor and perimeter around Gaza after Hamas rejected its previous offer. Magid updates us on the status of the Doha talks and speaks about the blame game from both sides. We hear about how the Trump administration is playing the "Witkoff card" -- or when US envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff will finally join the talks and what it will signify when he does. We turn to the results of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to Washington, DC, even as he comes home without any overt deals. What else was on the table for the trip and what was accomplished? Over the past day, security forces arrested six people in connection with an incident in the West Bank yesterday, where settlers allegedly killed two Palestinians on Friday. US citizen Saif al-Din Kamil Abdul Karim Musalat was allegedly beaten to death in Sinjil, a village north of Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority health ministry said. A second man, Mohammed Rizq Hussein al-Shalabi, 23, died after being shot during the attack, according to the Palestinian Authority health ministry. Magid describes what we know about this incident and weighs in on whether any rigorous investigation will be launched. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Doha talks stuck on IDF withdrawal; Palestinian officials say discussions nearing collapse US won’t allow Israel to resume war, but rejects truce text saying so explicitly — sources Two Palestinians, including US citizen, killed by settlers in West Bank attack — PA Family of American-Palestinian man allegedly beaten to death by settlers urges US probe Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Demonstrators in Tel Aviv protest against the Israeli government and for the release of Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, July 5, 2025. (Miriam Alster/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. Just ahead of this week's What Matters Now recording, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump sat in the White House for a celebratory meal. The table was set for a grand announcement -- a sealed hostage release-ceasefire deal -- but the guest of honor and his terrorist counterparts have yet to come to terms. Goodman looks back at the two huge "double gambles" made during these 21 months of war. The first was by former Hamas leader Yahye Sinwar, who launched the invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, after viewing the intense divisiveness in Israeli society. His double-or-nothing bet was that Iran and its proxies would immediately join in the onslaught -- they didn't. Goodman compares Sinwar's double gamble to that of Netanyahu, who launched a surprise preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear program on June 13 and wagered that the United States would join. Now that Netanyahu's bet has paid off, Goodman describes how the region is ripe for a realignment -- if tough compromises can be made to end the Gaza war. 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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: Shiite Muslim mourners hold portraits of Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a religious procession held to mark Ashura, on the 10th day of the Islamic holy month of Muharram in Karachi on July 6, 2025. (Asif HASSAN / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.