Podcasts about Gaza City

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Last week, Germany failed to secure a temporary seat on the powerful United Nations Security Council. There were several theories about the reason for Berlin's failure, but Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul offered a striking one — that it could be that Germany's support for Israel cost it the coveted seat. Germany is indeed one of Israel's closest allies in the world, and has been for decades. At the same time, the special relationship Israel enjoys with Berlin -- like its ties with other key allies -- has come under strain in the wars it has pursued in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. In August 2025, Germany announced a partial arms embargo on Israel over its decision to conquer Gaza City. To discuss the roots and the state of the Germany-Israel relationship, German Ambassador Steffen Seibert joined the podcast, weeks before he wraps up his four-year tenure and returns to Berlin. He rejects the idea that Germany's approach to Israel is guided by "Holocaust guilt." Instead, he says that the Shoah is a compass for Germany, which has the responsibility to learn the appropriate lessons from that dark period and let them guide its foreign policy. Seibert stresses that the Germany-Israel relationship is also rooted in shared democratic values and common interests. At the same time, he emphasizes that the special relationship exists within the pre-1967 borders, and that it sees Israel's presence in the West Bank as a violation of international law. On the war in Gaza, Seibert calls Israel's military response "inevitable and logical." Still, he says, there are questions over "how it was fought, how long it was fought." Still, he says that Hamas bears the main responsibility for the plight of Gazans. Seibert explains that Germany's decision not to intervene on Israel's behalf in the ICJ genocide case against Israel is a tactical move, as Berlin faces its own charges over its support for Israel: "It changes the assessment that we took at the beginning of the conflict. It's to do with the court case that we find ourselves in." Turning to the Iran war, Seibert says the Israeli-US campaign was "definitely understandable," but that continued fighting won't achieve much, and that it is now time to turn military gains into a political arrangement. Seibert, who learned Hebrew during his tenure, says that he is not sure what he will do next, but intends to continue spending time in Israel while he works to "reinvent" himself in the next phase of his career. Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Mohammad AlTurk is a young English Translator in Gaza. He joins us from Gaza City to discuss the current situation on the ground and to tell his story of the past two and a half years. He also shares his hope for the future. Mikey Cullen from the Gaza Flotilla podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-160504651 Support the Hind Rajab Centre:https://www.ionadhindrajab.org/

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Mohammad AlTurk is a young English Translator in Gaza. He joins us from Gaza City to discuss the current situation on the ground and to tell his story of the past two and a half years. He also shares his hope for the future. Mikey Cullen from the Gaza Flotilla podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-160504651 Support the Hind Rajab Centre:https://www.ionadhindrajab.org/

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US President Donald Trump indicated during a Wednesday cabinet meeting that progress in talks with Iran on a deal to end the war had slowed, departing from his assertion at the start of the week that an agreement was nearly finalized. On Thursday, Israelis awoke to the news that the US had struck Iranian targets for a second time this week for "defensive" purposes. Later in the morning, it was reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted an American base in retaliation for US strikes on the country’s south. At the same time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the IDF to broaden its activities against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Magid helps us unravel where things stand in the negotiations, even as the ceasefire appears to be evermore fragile and the chances for a deal increasingly remote. Also during the Wednesday cabinet meeting, for the second time this week, the president suggested he may not sign a deal with Iran if neighboring Gulf countries do not normalize ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords. Magid explains how this stance could actually blow up in the face of the US. In the second half of our program, we turn to the leadership vacuum in the Gaza Strip. Hamas on Wednesday confirmed the death of Mohammed Odeh, the newly appointed head of the terror group’s military wing, who Israel killed in a strike in Gaza City. Whatever happened with last month's elections to appoint a new Hamas head? And finally, we hear the scoop behind Shin Bet chief David Zini's meeting with the Palestinian Authority’s exiled former Gaza security chief Mohammed Dahlan during a recent visit to the United Arab Emirates. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump says US ‘not satisfied’ in talks with Iran, days after claiming deal imminent Soldier killed in Hezbollah drone attack as Israel widens strikes on terror group Hamas confirms death of military chief Mohammed Odeh; defiant funeral held in Gaza City Shin Bet head met exiled PA Gaza security chief Dahlan in UAE — sources Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For review:1.  The Pentagon has spent months positioning the troops and weapons needed for the U.S. to launch a military attack on Cuba — all it needs is a final go-ahead from the President.2. The US military carried out new strikes overnight Wednesday-Thursday in Iran, targeting a military site that officials believed posed a threat to US forces and commercial maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a US official tells Reuters. US forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats trying to lay mines on Monday, US Central Command said, as top Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha for talks to end the war. 3. US President Donald Trump indicated during a Wednesday cabinet meeting that progress in talks with Iran on a deal to end the war had slowed, departing from his assertion at the start of the week that an agreement was nearly finalized. 4. Hamas on Wednesday confirmed the death of Mohammed Odeh, the newly appointed head of the terror group's military wing, who Israel killed in a strike in Gaza City.  5. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that Israel is “intensifying operations” in Lebanon by taking strategic positions and reinforcing the security buffer zone as the IDF pushed past the lines it held as it seeks to counter the recent surge in drone attacks by Hezbollah. 6. Ukraine is urging the EU to help negotiate an end to the war with Russia, a topic that will be discussed in detail at an informal meeting of European foreign ministers in Cyprus. Ukraine's foreign minister has told the BBC that Kyiv is keen to introduce some "new dynamics" into the negotiation process. 7.  The U.S. intends to significantly reduce military contributions available to assist European allies in a crisis, including fighter jets, warships and mid-air refueling aircraft, German news outlet Spiegel reported. 8. North Korea test fired a newly-developed lightweight multi-purpose missile launching system and multiple tactical cruise missile weapons systems on Tuesday, state media Korean Central News Agency reported. North Korea's state media did not disclose the exact nature of the special mission warhead, but imagery released shows the tactical ballistic missile being the Hwasong 11-D tactical ballistic missiles capable of carrying conventional explosive, fragmentation, submunition, chemical or nuclear warheads. 

Mercoledì mattina, a Gaza City, i fedeli si sono radunati per la preghiera dell'Eid al-Adha tra le macerie di Rimal. La sera prima due attacchi aerei israeliani avevano colpito due edifici residenziali nella stessa zona, il distretto commerciale più affollato della città alla vigilia della festa. L'ospedale al-Shifa ha confermato tre morti, fra cui una donna, e dodici feriti. Il ministro della Difesa Israel Katz ha rivendicato l'operazione: l'obiettivo era Mohammed Odeh, nominato comandante militare di Hamas undici giorni prima, dopo l'uccisione di Izz al-Din al-Haddad il 15 maggio. Quarto comandante eliminato a Gaza dal 7 ottobre 2023. «Sono morti che camminano ovunque si trovino», scrive Katz. Hamas conferma che Odeh è morto con la moglie e i figli. Nello stesso comunicato Katz aggiunge: «Anche il piano di emigrazione volontaria da Gaza sarà attuato, tutto al momento giusto e nel modo giusto». Il piano è del febbraio 2025, ordinato dallo stesso Katz dopo la proposta di Trump di trasferire fuori dalla Striscia i due milioni di abitanti. La Corte penale internazionale e l'OHCHR di Türk lo riconducono al trasferimento forzato vietato dalla IV Convenzione di Ginevra. Mercoledì il Financial Times pubblica la radiografia del Board of Peace di Trump. A quattro mesi dall'istituzione, il fondo presso la Banca Mondiale non ha ricevuto un dollaro: zero dei diciassette miliardi promessi. Le poche somme arrivate sono transitate su un conto privato JPMorgan, fuori dai requisiti di trasparenza. Nessun contratto di ricostruzione assegnato. Ieri sera sette italiani del Land Convoy Sumud sono stati sgomberati a Sirte e rientrano oggi; a Bengasi restano detenuti dieci attivisti, fra cui Domenico Centrone e Leonarda Alberizia. «Tutto al momento giusto e nel modo giusto», ripete Katz. L'unico piano per Gaza al momento giusto è quello dell'emigrazione. #LaSveglia per La NotiziaDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/la-sveglia-di-giulio-cavalli--3269492/support.

The commander of Hamas's military wing, Mohammed Odeh, has been killed in a strike in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday - days after his predecessor died in a similar attack.Dozens more were injured in the attack, which hit a residential building in one of Gaza City's busiest market areas, local medics and witnesses said.Also in the programme: We'll hear from Africa's former top health official on the challenge of getting ahead of the newest strain of Ebola; why the moon's south pole is best for a lunar base; and keeping Ozzy Osbourne alive -- through an AI-generated avatar that can interract with his fans.(Photo shows people carring bodies identified by mourners as Hamas' military wing commander Mohammad Odeh and his wife and children during a funeral in Gaza City on 27 May 2026. Credit: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters)

Domenica 24 maggio, prima dell'alba, un missile è caduto sul letto in cui dormivano, in un appartamento di Nuseirat, Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Mallouh, trentotto anni, la moglie Alaa Majdi Zaqlan, trentasei, e il loro figlio Osama, sei mesi. I tre sono morti sul colpo. Sei bambine, le altre figlie della coppia, sono sopravvissute. Lo zio Yehia ha riferito alla Reuters che i corpi sono stati trovati «tagliati a pezzi», senza preavviso. Le agenzie palestinesi hanno comunicato i nomi domenica mattina. L'esercito israeliano taceva. Lunedì 25 maggio, ventiquattro ore dopo, le Forze di difesa israeliane hanno rivendicato: Abu Mallouh, scrivono, era una «figura centrale» nella produzione di armi di Hamas. Dichiarano di aver usato «munizioni di precisione» e «misure preventive per ridurre il danno ai civili, inclusa la sorveglianza aerea». Il comunicato tace sui civili uccisi. La moglie di trentasei anni non è citata. Il neonato di sei mesi non è citato. La parola «precisione» convive nella stessa frase con il letto di una madre e del suo bambino. Nickolay Mladenov, alto rappresentante del Board of Peace, il 13 maggio ha definito il piano di pace «paralizzato». I funzionari sanitari di Gaza, citati da Reuters il 24 maggio, parlano di circa ottocentottanta palestinesi uccisi dall'inizio del cessate il fuoco del 10 ottobre. Hamas, in una nota del 26 maggio via Asharq Al Awsat, parla di oltre novecento. La stessa domenica del raid di Nuseirat, secondo Al Jazeera, navi della Marina israeliana hanno aperto il fuoco su pescherecci al largo di Gaza City, ferendo tre pescatori. Il comunicato dell'IDF resta agli atti: «misure per ridurre il danno ai civili, inclusa la sorveglianza aerea». Sotto la sorveglianza aerea, Osama Abu Mallouh aveva sei mesi. #LaSveglia per La NotiziaDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/la-sveglia-di-giulio-cavalli--3269492/support.

Martedì 19 maggio, mentre a Parigi il segretario al Tesoro Scott Bessent parla davanti alla conferenza ministeriale «No Money for Terror», il suo dipartimento firma le sanzioni dell'Office of Foreign Assets Control contro quattro organizzatori della Global Sumud Flotilla: Saif Abu Keshek, palestinese con cittadinanza spagnola e svedese, Hisham Abdallah Sulayman Abu Mahfuz, Mohammed Khatib di Samidoun Bruxelles e Jaldia Abubakra Aueda di Samidoun Madrid. Bessent in un comunicato del Tesoro definisce la spedizione «pro-terror». Nelle stesse ore, la marina militare israeliana abborda le dieci imbarcazioni che il giorno prima erano sfuggite all'intercettazione. A circa cento miglia dalla Striscia, denuncia la Flotilla, vengono esplosi proiettili contro sei barche, una italiana. Israele smentisce il fuoco vivo e ammette «mezzi non letali». Alle 20:20 la portavoce Maria Elena Delia conferma che tutte le 54 imbarcazioni partite il 14 maggio da Marmaris sono state fermate: 426 attivisti di 39 nazionalità portati ad Ashdod. Fra loro 29 italiani e tre residenti, compresi il deputato M5s Dario Carotenuto e l'ex consigliera fiorentina Antonella Bundu. Il team legale Adalah deposita un esposto alla Procura di Roma per sequestro di persona, riferito agli abbordaggi fra il 29 aprile e il 19 maggio. Il ministro Antonio Tajani chiede all'ambasciatore a Tel Aviv «di verificare urgentemente l'uso della forza» e «un trattamento dignitoso». Lo stesso 19 maggio, in via al-Shuhada a Gaza City, un drone israeliano colpisce un'auto. WAFA conta un morto. Dal cessate il fuoco di ottobre, secondo il ministero della Salute di Gaza, gli uccisi nella Striscia hanno superato 880. Dal podio di Parigi, Bessent ha pronunciato anche un'altra frase: «Al loro nucleo, le sanzioni non sono atti di aggressione, sono strumenti di pace». #LaSveglia per La NotiziaDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/la-sveglia-di-giulio-cavalli--3269492/support.

For review:1. Cuba has posted a “family guide” on provincial websites on how to survive “potential enemy attacks,” as the communist-run island reels from US pressure and energy shortages.The release of the document– comes days after the head of the CIA visited Cuba, an extraordinary step in contact between Washington and Havana. 2. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday confirmed killing Hamas military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the terror group's leader in Gaza, in a “precise strike” on Gaza City in the Strip's north the previous day.3. NYT Report:  Israel built two covert bases in Iraq to aid in its wars with Iran.4. President Trump told Axios in a phone call that "the clock is ticking" for Iran and warned that if the Iranian regime doesn't come with a better offer for a deal "they are going to get hit much harder."5. NYT Report: Israel and the United States are carrying out their most intense preparations yet to renew attacks on Iran, possibly as soon as next week.6. Iranian state television said on Saturday that European countries were in talks with Tehran over transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.7. The UK has down-selected a group of four competitors to develop drone wingman aircraft capable of teaming with British Army Apache attack helicopters.8. Four Navy pilots are safe after their EA-18G Growlers crashed during the Gunfighter Skies air show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday. The crash is under investigation.  

Israel says it's targeted the head of Hamas's military wing - describing him as an architect of the October 7th attacks. It's not clear if Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed in the airstrike in Gaza City but there were civilian casualties. Also: the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is to be extended; the alleged murder of an Aboriginal girl highlights Australia's deep inequalities; Bolivia's government strikes a deal with protesting miners; the WHO calls to restrict sales of nicotine pouches to young people; a French art gallery exhibits still-unclaimed works stolen by Nazis; and the hunt is on for the next James Bond. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

For review:1. CIA Director Ratcliffe met with counterparts from Cuba's Ministry of the Interior on Thursday during a high-level visit to the island nation amid "complex bilateral relations" between the long-time adversaries.2. President Donald Trump says he has not yet decided whether a major sale of US arms to Taiwan can move forward following his three-day visit to China. 3. Israel said that it had targeted Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip and the head of the terror group's military wing, in an airstrike in Gaza City on Friday.  A senior Israeli security official told reporters that were “initial indications” that Haddad was killed.  The IDF has not yet officially commented on the strike.4. US President Donald Trump counted “the military decimation of Iran” among his administration's accomplishments in a social media post on Thursday, adding, “to be continued!”The phrase, included in a lengthy Truth Social Post suggested he may resume the war against Iran after he returns from his trip to China on Friday. 5. US President Donald Trump said Friday that he would accept a 20-year suspension of the uranium enrichment at the heart of Iran's rogue nuclear program if Tehran gave a “real” guarantee, in an apparent shift from his previous demand that Iran permanently halt its program and his pledge to ensure Iran can never attain nuclear weapons.6. US CENTCOM CDR Admiral Brad Cooper appears at SASC Hearing. Admiral Cooper:- US has the military power to permanently reopen the Strait of Hormuz.- Iran's ability to threaten its neighbors and US interests has been dramatically reduced by US bombings, and Tehran's defense industry has been set back by 90%.- Iran was no longer able to transfer arms and other resources to its main allies in the region: Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza. “Those transfer paths and methods have been cut off.”7. The United States on Friday announced a 45-day extension of a porous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, even as the Iran-backed terror group continued to clash with IDF soldiers and launch missiles and drones into Israeli territory.8. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party on Thursday began a three-day conference to elect its highest leadership body for the first time in 10 years.

Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, an in-depth investigatory show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (5/13/26). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth is, or claiming they have the answer, is likely leading you astray, for one reason or another. Stay Vigilant. !function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u2q643"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble");   Rumble("play", {"video":"v77q0ws","div":"rumble_v77q0ws"}); Source Links (In Chronological Order): Judge declares mistrial in Harvey Weinstein's rape retrial | AP News "You are the biggest fraud to ever sit in the U.S. Senate!" - YouTube Ghislaine Maxwell hinted at Epstein's ties to Trump officials – why wasn't she pressed for names? | Trump administration | The Guardian What The Hell Is Happening w/ Charlie Robinson (5/14/26) - The Last American Vagabond Gabbard CIA clip.mp4 DNI Denies CIA Raided Tulsi Gabbard's Office: What We Know - Newsweek (19) The Last American Vagabond on X: "Well isn't that convenient for an admin imploding in front of us. It was never incompetence and criminality guys, it was just more democrat hold-overs. Sure, why not. Those willing to ignore the obvious will jump at anything that helps them do just that. #TwoPartyIllusion" / X (19) Senator Ron Johnson on X: "Let me ask again, “who is running the deep state?”" / X Jesse Watters on X: "

Malak Hijazi is an English Literature graduate, writer, historian of displacement and journalist from Gaza. She joins us from Gaza City to share her story, describe life under the ongoing genocide and explain why she is compelled to record what is happening to her people despite the danger to herself. A remarkable young woman. Don't miss it. Stormont on the Brink pod:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-157551108 The Hope, Courage and Community podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-157607730

Malak Hijazi is an English Literature graduate, writer, historian of displacement and journalist from Gaza. She joins us from Gaza City to share her story, describe life under the ongoing genocide and explain why she is compelled to record what is happening to her people despite the danger to herself. A remarkable young woman. Don't miss it. Stormont on the Brink pod:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-157551108 The Hope, Courage and Community podcast is here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-157607730

For review:1. US Secretary of State Rubio announced new sanctions Thursday on Cuba's military-industrial enterprise, its leader and a state-owned natural resources company.2. US President Donald Trump says three US Navy destroyers transited out of the Strait of Hormuz under fire, adding that the American destroyers were not damaged but “great damage was done to Iranian attackers.”3. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that he had met with the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since his appointment in early March.President Pezeshkian did not say when their meeting took place.4. The US will host the third round of ambassador-level talks between representatives from Israel and Lebanon on May 14 and 15, a State Department official and an Israeli official confirmed to The Times of Israel on Wednesday.Joining diplomats from each side will, for the first time, be military representatives, an Israeli official said, adding that the sides would discuss more concrete measures that can be taken to disarm Hezbollah.5. Israel on Wednesday evening carried out its first airstrike in Beirut since before the ceasefire in Lebanon entered into effect last month, killing the commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, who the military said had advanced plans to invade the Galilee.6. The 23-year-old son of Hamas's chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya succumbed Thursday to wounds sustained in an Israeli strike on Gaza City on Wednesday, a hospital and senior Hamas official said.Reports of Azzam al-Hayya's death came as Hamas leaders were in Cairo to discuss the future of the ceasefire agreement.7. The United Arab Emirates transferred $100 million to the Board of Peace in recent days to fund a contract for the training of a new Palestinian police force for Gaza, a US official and a Middle Eastern diplomat told The Times of Israel this week.8. Israel said Thursday that it was working to help counter rat infestations in Gaza, helping move hundreds of cartons of rat poison into the territory as the warmer weather sees a surge in pests spreading through the tents of displaced Palestinians.9. European Council President Costa said on Thursday that he believed there was “potential” for the bloc to negotiate directly with Moscow, adding that it had the backing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to do so.   

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Khaled Al-Qershali is a writer and journalist from Gaza, focusing on personal narratives and reporting on the humanitarian impact of conflict. He has published articles and essays in outlets such as The Electronic Intifada, The Washington Report of Middle East Affairs, and The Independent. His work highlights stories of resilience, survival, and the lived experiences of civilians under occupation. He joins us from Gaza City to share his story and his hopes for the future. The case for Community Wealth Building Podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-156362917 NERI's Tom McDonnell on the Energy Crisis and Solutions Pod:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-156099307 The Hind Rajab jersey for Dignity for Palestine is available here: https://spicebagmerch.com/

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack Khaled Al-Qershali is a writer and journalist from Gaza, focusing on personal narratives and reporting on the humanitarian impact of conflict. He has published articles and essays in outlets such as The Electronic Intifada, The Washington Report of Middle East Affairs, and The Independent. His work highlights stories of resilience, survival, and the lived experiences of civilians under occupation. He joins us from Gaza City to share his story and his hopes for the future. The case for Community Wealth Building Podcast:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-156362917 NERI's Tom McDonnell on the Energy Crisis and Solutions Pod:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-156099307 The Hind Rajab jersey for Dignity for Palestine is available here: https://spicebagmerch.com/

Domenica 26 aprile, sessanta imbarcazioni della Global Sumud Flotilla lasciano Augusta, in Sicilia, con attivisti di più nazionalità e con carichi di prima necessità. La nave Arctic Sunrise di Greenpeace garantisce il supporto tecnico. Destinazione Gaza, per sfidare il blocco navale israeliano. La risposta della Commissione europea arriva il 27 aprile a Bruxelles. La portavoce Eva Hrncirova usa una formula che merita lettura: «Pur rispettando l'impegno umanitario di tutte le persone a bordo della Flotilla, scoraggiamo questo tipo di consegne perché mettono a rischio la sicurezza dei partecipanti». Il diritto di navigazione in acque internazionali va rispettato. La Commissione chiede «costantemente un accesso senza ostacoli» per gli aiuti a Gaza. Si tratta di contraddizione strutturale. Bruxelles vuole accesso senza ostacoli e scoraggia l'unica azione civile che tenta di forzare quell'ostacolo. Il blocco navale israeliano non viene nominato come problema: il problema, nella formula ufficiale, sono i rischi per i partecipanti. La sicurezza di chi sfida il blocco, non il blocco. Questa è la grammatica diplomatica europea applicata a Gaza: solidarietà all'intenzione, scoraggiamento dell'azione, rinvio al dialogo con lo Stato che impone il blocco. Una formula che non produce pressione né accesso. Il carico dell'ong Music for Peace per la missione precedente è bloccato in Giordania da sei mesi per veto israeliano. Il 27 aprile, mentre la Flotilla naviga verso la Grecia, le forze israeliane uccidono quattro palestinesi nella Striscia: due uomini al Kuwait Roundabout a Gaza City, uno vicino alla moschea Saqqa, una donna quarantenne a Khan Younis. Lo riportano gli ospedali Shifa e Nasser. Dall'ottobre 2025, secondo OCHA, i morti nel cessate il fuoco sono già 786: 226 bambini, 179 donne. #LaSveglia per La NotiziaDiventa un supporter di questo podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/la-sveglia-di-giulio-cavalli--3269492/support.

Editor's Note: We apologize for not having been able to bring you this webinar live yesterday. David Weinberg's assessment, however, shouldn't be missed – so we recorded the conversation and are pleased to be sending it to you. A U.S.-Israeli ground raid on Iran's nuclear sites at Isfahan and elsewhere is under active discussion to seize more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium that aerial bombardment alone cannot neutralize, David Weinberg told a Jewish Policy Center webinar on March 12. Weinberg, a government relations and foreign affairs specialist at the Misgav Institute, said the absence of American heavy strategic bombers over Iran's nuclear plants during the current campaign was itself telling. “Something more needs to be done about the stockpiles,” he said. “You can't just leave this as a loose end.” Weinberg spoke from the Israeli home front as the country entered its second week of direct war with Iran under Operation Epic Fury. He described an Israeli home front absorbing punishing Iranian strikes while maintaining overwhelming public support for the war. More than 46,000 missile and attack drone alerts had sounded across the country, he noted, with 18 Israelis killed, 2,300 wounded, and 3,400 civilians made homeless. He singled out Iranian cluster munitions—carried by more than half of the incoming missiles—as particularly devastating, citing one strike earlier in the week that scattered destruction across 16 sites and killed two Israelis. Roughly 35 percent of the population lacks access to a bomb shelter. Despite the toll, Weinberg said polling showed well over 80 percent of Israelis supported extending the war “until a more decisive crushing of Iran and its offensive abilities is achieved.” He described families locked down at home for a second week, dashing into shelters day and night, and noted wryly that Israeli entrepreneurs had produced apps calculating total shelter time and the statistically safest moment to risk a shower. His own app, he said, logged more than 20 hours in shelter across some 60 alerts in the previous week. Gaza, Hezbollah, and the Northern Front Weinberg stressed that Gaza remained a significant confrontation front even as attention shifted to Iran. More than 50 percent of the territory is under Israeli control, he said, with Hamas entrenched in the remainder, including Gaza City—the one major area Israeli forces had not operated in intensively over the past two years. He expressed deep skepticism about the Trump administration's plan for international investment and peacekeeping forces in the territory, and doubting international troops would succeed in disarming and demilitarizing the enclave. Meanwhile, Hezbollah had launched 200 missiles into Israel the previous night, and Weinberg predicted that “even if the war with Iran dials down in the coming days or the coming weeks, the war with Hezbollah is just beginning.” The Regional Chessboard Turning to the broader region, Weinberg identified a “radical Sunni axis” of Turkey and Qatar as a significant strategic threat to the Jewish state, warning that confrontation with that axis could come in the years ahead. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had placed himself squarely on Iran's side, he observed, and threatened to seize parts of northern Syria and move against the Kurds. “Somebody's going to have to put Erdogan in a box,” Weinberg said. On the Abraham Accords, he noted that behind-the-scenes coordination between Israel and Gulf states was “closer than ever,” but cautioned that open normalization would take time. Saudi Arabia, he argued, had scaled back from its pre-October 7 trajectory toward Israel, and he faulted the Trump administration for granting Riyadh major concessions—including a path to F-35 purchases and understandings on civilian nuclear enrichment—without conditioning them on movement toward the Jewish state. Movement with countries like Indonesia and smaller Gulf states was more likely in the near term, he added. Trump and the Endgame Weinberg offered a forceful defense of President Trump's handling of Iran, calling him “this generation's greatest generator of moral purpose.” He ticked off a series of decisions—withdrawing from the nuclear deal in 2018, the assassination of IRGC chief Qasem Soleimani in 2020, Operation Midnight Hammer the previous June, and now Operation Epic Fury—as evidence of unwavering strategic clarity. Trump had also shown domestic political courage, Weinberg added, taking on progressive critics, isolationists within his own base, and prominent voices like Tucker Carlson. Still, Weinberg acknowledged that the war's ceiling might ultimately be set not by ideology but by “Washington's imperfect endurance”—economic costs, dwindling weapon stocks, and diminishing military returns. He cautioned that Iran could not be allowed to conclude that disrupting oil flows was “its passport to survival,” and argued that the spike in oil prices was, as Trump himself had said, “a small price to pay for major security advances.” The stockpile of highly enriched uranium, Weinberg stressed, made a ground operation a serious option. “Trump did say help is on the way,” he concluded. “And he meant it.”

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. Archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. If Iran attacks Israel, it will be “perhaps the most serious mistake in their history,” warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening, threatening an overwhelming response to any aggression. As the world awaits US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address tonight, Freiberg updates us with the push-pull diplomacy of the past day. The Palestinian technocratic body tasked with managing postwar Gaza announced last week that it was opening applications for “qualified candidates” seeking to serve in a “transitional police force” to be deployed in the Strip. This comes as Hamas appears poised to keep hold of its control of civilian and security infrastructure even as the Trump peace plan moves ahead. The Great Isaiah Scroll, the oldest nearly complete book from the Hebrew Bible ever found, is on display in its full length for the first time since 1968. Tercatin was on hand at Jerusalem's Israel Museum for the unveiling and fills us in. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump said frustrated with limits of military leverage against Iran Netanyahu: An attack on Israel would be ‘most serious mistake’ in Iranian history Hamas seen working to maintain control of Gaza via Trump-backed bodies Gaza oversight committee seeks ‘qualified’ candidates to join Strip’s police force Great Isaiah Scroll, oldest near-complete biblical book ever found, on show in entirety for 1st time since 1968 Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode. IMAGE: Hamas gunmen in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, November 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A group of at least five armed Palestinian terror operatives on Saturday evening emerged from a tunnel and approached troops in the northern Gaza Strip, on the Israeli side of a ceasefire line. We learn of the retaliatory strikes. Fabian, who was embedded with IDF troops outside of Gaza City last week, describes what he saw on the ground even as the IDF is finalizing plans for a potential renewed operation. We learn about the new policy for reservists as the army faces budget cuts. As part of “upgrading readiness for future threats” -- read: Iran -- the Defense Ministry said last week it successfully completed a series of “complex” tests with the David’s Sling medium-range air defense system. We learn the economic impact of repurposing the system. And finally, an Israeli military reservist and a civilian were indicted last week for using classified information to place bets regarding military operations on the popular Polymarket prediction market. What is this website and how dangerous was the intel leak? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF strikes gunmen who approached troops in north Gaza after emerging from tunnel Anti-Hamas militia says it is destroying terror group’s tunnels in Gaza IDF readying new Gaza offensive to disarm Hamas by force IDF says cutting back superfluous reservists, will reduce duty time Eyeing future missile threats, Israel successfully completes ‘complex’ David’s Sling tests Two indicted for using classified info to place online bets on military operations Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: Smoke and flames rise from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, February 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AP correspondent Laurence Brooks reports on a funeral for three Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City on Monday.

AP correspondent Laurence Brooks reports on Buckingham Palace releasing a statement to say King Charles III is ready to assist police "assessing" Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's links to Jeffrey Epstein; the funerals for three Palestinians killed in Monday's Israeli airstrike on Gaza City; and the Lunar New Year rush in China, as the government estimates billions of journeys and hundreds of millions returning home.

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 Israel Defense Forces captured a “senior” member of the al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya (Islamic Group) terror organization during an overnight raid in southern Lebanon. We hear how, according to the IDF, the operative was nabbed late Sunday from a building in the Mount Dov area near the border by a special forces unit operating with troops of the 210th “Bashan” Regional Division. We then turn to a tour of Israel's borders and learn where are the hot spots and where things are (smuggling) business as usual. In light of Hamas's continued refusal to lay down its arms, the IDF is preparing plans for a larger ground operation. Fabian fills us in. And to close out the program, we learn about a new, all-female combat intelligence unit and how the IDF is happy for all the woman-power it can get. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF nabs top terror group figure from Lebanon, targets Hezbollah operative IDF says it hit Hamas arms depot after issuing evacuation warning for Gaza City building Hamas terrorist who murdered IDF surveillance soldier Noa Marciano killed in strike Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: Hezbollah supporters raise their group's flags during a protest condemning recent Israeli military actions in Lebanon in Beirut, Lebanon, February 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

London Case - Not about Truth and AccountabilityIn May 2022 a civil case was launched against me in England. The civil trial will begin on 9 March in London, and conclude on St Patrick's Day.There are some aspects of the case I can comment on and others I cannot at this time. Suffice to say that this is an unorthodox claim against me about events which occurred 29 and 53 years ago. In short, three Claimants, seek to hold me personally liable for three bombings committed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in March 1973 (at the Old Bailey), in February 1996 (at London Docklands) and in June 1996 (at the Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre).Many innocent people were seriously hurt, three were killed in the bombings. The Claimants were injured and have suffered as a result. They deserve nothing but sympathy for what they have gone through. So do all those who were killed or injured in the conflict. And their families.  I regret all the deaths and injuries.People are entitled to use the law. However, this case is brought decades after these incidents and decades after the Good Friday Agreement brought peace to us all.   I anticipate, from public statements made by the Claimants' solicitors, that a number of former British Army, and RUC/PSNI witnesses will give hearsay evidence that because I was a senior republican during the conflict I must be responsible for these specific events.Stand-up to a Genocidal BullyAs the world ponders the implications of US President Trump's talk of an ‘armada' heading for Iran; or his latest threat of tariffs against Canada; or his ongoing threats against Cuba, Greenland and Europe; the so-called ceasefire in the Gaza Strip which he brokered in October has been breached over 1300 times by the Israeli apartheid regime. 509 Palestinians have been killed.In just one morning last week, Israeli attacks on Gaza City and Khan Younis left 31 Palestinians, including six children, dead. The limited medical facilities were overwhelmed with the dead and wounded.Streets of MinneapolisI have been very fortunate over the years to see Bruce Springsteen live. The concerts and the music are amazing. The Boss's lyrics are sharp and he is unafraid to sing about the politics that anger and outrage him. ‘Born in the USA' is an anthem against the War in Vietnam. ‘Streets of Philadelphia' highlighted the aids crisis.Last week he turned his ire on the behaviour of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE )agents.Springsteen dedicated the song – Streets of Minneapolis - to the “people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbours and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good”. Well done Bruce. 

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. The body of the final hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, was recovered from the Gaza Strip this week and buried on Wednesday in his hometown of Meitar. Rettig Gur delves into the deep Jewish roots and societal promise to bring every last person home that led to this moment of relief. We then hear about the likelihood of realizing the vision that US envoy Jared Kushner laid out last week about a flourishing, reconstructed "New Gaza." 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 Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: A man walks through tents sheltering displaced Palestinians amid the ruins in Gaza City, January 28, 2026. (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 The Times of Israel's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. The body of the final hostage, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, was recovered from the Gaza Strip this week and buried on Wednesday in his hometown of Meitar. Rettig Gur delves into the deep Jewish roots and societal promise to bring every last person home that led to this moment of relief. We then hear about the likelihood of realizing the vision that US envoy Jared Kushner laid out last week about a flourishing, reconstructed "New Gaza." 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 Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: A man walks through tents sheltering displaced Palestinians amid the ruins in Gaza City, January 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Board of Peace launched on Thursday in Davos and is chaired for life by US President Donald Trump. It is beginning its work by addressing the Gaza conflict and at its launch, the US announced plans for a “New Gaza” rebuilt from scratch, to include residential towers, data centers and seaside resorts, part of US President Donald Trump’s push to advance an Israel-Hamas ceasefire shaken by repeated violations. We hear about Jared Kushner's vision for a "New Gaza" and the demilitarization of Gaza. The head of a transitional Palestinian committee backed by the US to temporarily administer Gaza, Ali Shaath, said on Thursday that the Rafah border crossing — effectively the sole route in or out of Gaza for nearly all of the more than 2 million people who live there — would open this week. We learn who will be manning the crossing and how involved the IDF will be. And finally, we discuss the increased involvement of the Palestinian Authority -- albeit in different garb and under changed names. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Witkoff and Kushner meet Netanyahu as US seeks to advance its Gaza peace plan With Hamas armed and Strip in ruins, Kushner’s vision for Gaza faces major obstacles Rafah crossing reopening was ‘imposed’ on Israel by Gaza mediators — officials Israel reportedly plans to monitor Rafah Border Crossing, as its reopening nears Despite concerns, PM’s reliance on Trump left him no choice but to join Board of Peace Arab diplomat: Turkey, Qatar filling vacuum in Gaza created by Israel’s snub of PA 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 and Ari Schlacht. Check out yesterday’s episode here: IMAGE: Hamas terrorists search for the remains of Israeli hostage Ran Gvili in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, January 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot caused global outrage after it flooded X with sexually explicit images. Raphael Satter of Reuters joins to discuss how the photos proliferated so quickly — and what governments are doing about it. The Trump administration is halting all immigrant visas from 75 countries. The Washington Post’s David Nakamura explains how the move fits into Trump’s larger immigration crackdown. After two years of no formal education, the children of Gaza City have returned to makeshift classrooms for school. The BBC reports on how classes are lively and the mood is hopeful despite remaining anxiety over the war. Plus, the U.S. and Denmark remain at odds over the future of Greenland, Iran temporarily closed its airspace, and why some people are being left out of this year’s Super Bowl halftime crew. Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.

President Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, says the second phase of the ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas is beginning. He said “phase two” will establish a new Palestinian administration in Gaza, and begin the full demilitarization and rebuilding of the territory. Our reporter tells us what all of this could mean for Gaza in practice. And we hear reaction to the plan from people living in Gaza City.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack CW: This podcast contains a personal story that discusses topics that some listeners may find upsetting. Ali Skaik is an English Literature student and writer from Gaza City. In his own words: "Literature should be lived and not just read. Growing up amid the struggles in Gaza, every word I write carries the reality I face daily. Literature became my way of living, feeling, and speaking the truth of the spirit, pain, and enduring hope of my people. In this very special episode Ali shares his story. Warning: He dose not spare any detail and discusses topics listeners may find upsetting. Ali has also been published on We Are Not Numbers, The Nation, The Electronic Intifada, and The Intercept. The Immigration "Debate" Podcast with Lawyer Cathal Malone is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-148191117 Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

It has been three months since the ceasefire in Gaza began and food that is desperately needed after being largely blocked for two years has begun returning by the truckload. We go to Gaza City to see what kind of food is arriving and where it is going.And we visit a haven in Tel Aviv for Jews and Palestinians to interact amid heightened tensions. In a nail salon.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Listen to the article with analysis from the author:  Multiple outlets report that Israeli leaders are drawing up military plans to launch an invasion of Gaza City in March. The Wall Street Journal spoke with people familiar with the planning in Tel Aviv, who explained that the IDF has new battle plans for ground operations in Gaza. A ground invasion in Gaza would destroy the ceasefire and peace deal that was brokered by President Donald Trump. Israel has violated the truce over 1,000 times in three months and blocked aid from entering Gaza. While over 425 Palestinians have been killed by Israel during the truce, Israel was killing scores of Palestinians daily before the ceasefire. At least three Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Sunday. The Times of Israel reports speaking with an Israeli official who said the new operations would begin in March and start with an invasion of Gaza City. One Arab diplomat told the outlet that he believes President Donald Trump could prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from resuming negotiations in Gaza. Netanyahu and Trump are demanding that Hamas give up power in Gaza and disarm as a condition for continuing the ceasefire. Hamas has stated it is willing to hand over power to an independent Palestinian government in Gaza and would disarm in the process of creating an independent Palestinian state. While Israel has decimated the Strip, its forces are likely to face stiff resistance from Gaza if it restarts the invasion. Tel Aviv estimates Hamas has at least 20,000 fighters and 60,000 rifles. First Published at Antiwar.com

Please join us at patreon.com/tortoiseshack CW: This podcast contains a personal story that discusses topics that some listeners may find upsetting. Ali Skaik is an English Literature student and writer from Gaza City. In his own words: "Literature should be lived and not just read. Growing up amid the struggles in Gaza, every word I write carries the reality I face daily. Literature became my way of living, feeling, and speaking the truth of the spirit, pain, and enduring hope of my people. In this very special episode Ali shares his story. Warning: He dose not spare any detail and discusses topics listeners may find upsetting. Ali has also been published on We Are Not Numbers, The Nation, The Electronic Intifada, and The Intercept. The Donroe Doctrine Podcast is out now here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-147717138 Pedro Sanchez's Spain special podcast is out here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-exclusive-146421867 Support Dignity for Palestine here:https://www.patreon.com/posts/call-to-stand-143037542

We’re looking back at 10 of the episodes that defined 2025 at The Take. This originally aired on September 3. None of the dates or references have been changed. Inside Gaza City, as the Israeli military escalates its takeover, Al Jazeera continues to report from the ground on the day-to-day reality for more than a million Palestinians still there. As top scholars declare that Israel is committing genocide and US plans for a "Gaza Riviera" continue to circulate, how are Palestinians bracing for what comes next? In this episode: Hani Mahmoud, Al Jazeera Correspondent Episode credits: This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Tamara Khandaker, Sarí el Khalili and Diana Ferrero, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Farhan Rafid, Kisaa Zehra, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. Special thanks to Youmna ElSayed. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

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 Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse. This week, we dive into the five likely scenarios that could play out in Gaza during 2026, which Alkhatib recently proposed on his social media channels. According to Alkhatib, the five proposals all "undermine Hamas severely and massively change the calculus and geostrategic landscape following the Trump-sponsored ceasefire in October, which has temporarily halted the war." The five proposals include: A mutiny from Hamas’s ranks within Gaza due to economic and cost-of-living pressures; a significant rise and empowerment of anti-Hamas militias in different areas of the Gaza Strip; mass protests and large-scale uprisings against Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip by civilians; a mass exodus of civilians, from the Red Zone controlled by Hamas behind the "yellow line" into the Israeli-controlled Green Zone; and a successful international stabilization force (ISF) deployment with the mandate of battling and demilitarizing Hamas. We go through each scenario point-by-point throughout the conversation, leaving time for a reader's question or two. And so this week, we ask Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, 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: Palestinians walk along a street past a tent camp in Gaza City, December 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The total number of people killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the ceasefire took place in October has reached 400, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Flooding, low temperatures and makeshift shelters have also presented issues for those in the region. We speak with a Gazan resident about what life is like now for her and her peers. Also in the programme: More children abducted from a Nigerian Catholic school last month look set to be released; CBS News faces criticism for delaying a '60 Minutes' special on the US deportation of migrants to an El Salvadoran megaprison; and Ukraine takes part in a morale-boosting Secret Santa scheme, offering gifts to soldiers on the frontline.(Photo: Mourners react during the funeral of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike on Friday, according to medics, at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Credit: Dabou Abu Alkas, Reuters)

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 Israel Defense Forces said Friday it was investigating a strike in Gaza City which reportedly killed at least five people, including civilians. According to the military, during operations on the Israeli side of the ceasefire line in the Strip’s north, troops spotted several suspects in “dominant structures” on the western side of the Yellow Line — meaning not in IDF-held territory. Fabian discusses the idea of "dominant structures" and reports on the uptick of Gazans attempting to cross the Yellow Line into Israeli-controlled Gaza. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said yesterday that his country is close to completing the disarmament of Hezbollah south of the Litani River. This comes after Israel struck Hezbollah targets across Lebanon on Thursday morning, hitting weapons stores deep inside the country and a training camp used by the terror group. So which is it? Fabian weighs in. The Israel Defense Forces captured a suspected Islamic State jihadist in an overnight raid earlier this week in southern Syria, the military said in a Saturday statement. We learn how active ISIS is in southern Syria. Finally, an Israeli woman who reported having been kidnapped on Friday was extracted by the Palestinian Authority’s security forces from the West Bank city of Jericho, the military said. We hear about the oft-overlooked close coordination between Israeli and PA forces.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: 5 said killed in Gaza City strike; IDF says it’s investigating, regrets any civilian harm Army says it killed two terror operatives who crossed Gaza’s Yellow Line Lebanese PM says country close to completing Hezbollah disarmament south of Litani River Widescale IDF strikes target Hezbollah training camp, terror sites across Lebanon IDF says it nabbed suspected ISIS jihadist in southern Syria operation PA forces extract Israeli from Jericho who reported being kidnapped 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: An Israeli woman who was extracted from the West Bank city of Jericho is seen next to an officer from the Civil Administration, December 19, 2025. (Courtesy)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this last episode before our two month break (save for an occasional special, check your feed!) Linda Gradstein and Noah Efron talk about (1) What to make about Bondi Beach and the many, many violent things around the world that maybe led up to it, and (2) What does Hanukkah mean in 2025? For our most unreasonably generous Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra discussion: What do we look for in a Rabbi? All that and a Mufti and a Chief Rabbi studying the New Testament in Gaza City. Plus some really good music that sounds more or less how we feel these days.

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. Senior officials from the US, France and Saudi Arabia are set to meet in Paris today amid fears that Israel could embark on a new military operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon after a December 31 deadline to disarm the Iran-backed terror group passes, a diplomatic official told The Times of Israel on Tuesday. We have seen an uptick in tensions over the past few weeks. Fabian takes us back to early October to give context for what is currently happening on the ground. In one of his first moves, new Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Itai Ofir decided today to close a criminal case against a senior reserves officer who was facing charges over his involvement in the circumstances that led to the deaths of a soldier and a civilian researcher in southern Lebanon in November 2024. Fabian was in the area when this occurred and fills us in. Israeli settlers torched a vehicle and sprayed graffiti in a West Bank village near Ramallah overnight, according to Palestinian media. The suspected crime took place in Ein Yabrud. The conflict in the West Bank, always at a low boil, but are appearances deceiving in that it seems to be on a higher flame in the past several weeks? After Palestinian media reported a series of Israeli airstrikes in eastern Gaza City, the IDF said it is conducting routine activity to demolish Hamas infrastructure in the Israeli-controlled area. In addition to the tunnel demolitions, there are almost daily incidents in which Gazans attempt to cross the Yellow Line from the Hamas-ruled side. Fabian gives several scenarios for the attempted crossings. Earlier in the month, Fabian visited Hamas’s “most complex” tunnel network in the Gaza Strip, where, eventually, the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin were recovered. He was killed and abducted by the terror group in 2014, and it transpires that he was held some two kilometers from the Israeli border. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US, French, Saudi officials to meet in Paris about preventing renewed war in Lebanon IDF postpones planned strike on alleged Hezbollah site as Lebanese army searches it IDF drops charges against reserve officer over deadly Lebanon incident last year Settlers said to torch vehicle, spray graffiti in attack on West Bank village Scouring massive labyrinth under Rafah, IDF just missed finding Hadar Goldin’s body 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: An officer with the elite Yahalom unit is seen inside a tunnel in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip, where the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin was held, December 8, 2025. (Emanuel Fabian/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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and environmental reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following the IDF strike that killed top Hamas commander Raad Saad in Gaza City, Berman reviews the obstacles for Israel and Hamas in moving toward the second phase of the broader ceasefire. He discusses how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump will need to find a way to agree on the thorny and fundamental issue of how to get Hamas to disarm. As the IDF postponed a planned airstrike on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon, Berman reports on the ongoing issue of needing Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese Army's efforts to work to accomplish that, and Israel's dissatisfaction with Lebanon's progress. After the Water Authority began channeling desalinated water to the Sea of Galilee, the first ever attempt anywhere in the world to top up a freshwater lake with processed seawater, Surkes reports on hopes that it will raise the level of the sea by half a centimeter a year. Surkes also discusses the new facility for the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center, featuring the world’s only sea turtle breeding program, helping protect and preserve these creatures that have existed on the planet for 330 million years. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US State Department said to ask 70 countries to contribute to Gaza stabilization force Report: Israel agrees to US demand to pay for massive Gaza rubble-clearing operation Beirut has been warned of possible Israeli offensive against Hezbollah — Lebanese FM Scientists tracking impact as desalinated water flows into Sea of Galilee for first time 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: Palestinians inspect a car belonging to Hamas commander Raad Saad after it was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on December 13, 2025. (Fathi Ibrahim/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the UN's humanitarian affairs agency, more than 800,000 displaced Gazans could be affected by flooding, as a winter storm surges along the coast. Most of them are living in tents. Also in the programme: we meet the man who smuggled opposition leader Maria Corina Machado out of Venezuela; and Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is the clear winner in the world's top gaming awards, so why has a French arthouse creation proved such a hit? (Photo: Displaced Palestinians ride a donkey-drawn cart on a flooded street in Gaza City, December 12, 2025. Credit: Reuters/Mahmoud Issa)

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 Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, the head of Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse. This summer, Alkhatib flew over Gaza as part of the last days of the United Arab Emirates's aid drop missions. It was the first time since he had seen his former home since leaving the enclave in 2005 for what was meant to have been a high school year abroad. To begin the program, Alkhatib relates how he felt viewing the swaths of destruction two years of war had left in its wake. An outspoken anti-Hamas voice, Alkhatib promotes what he calls “radical pragmatism” through his work with the Atlantic Council and his speaking engagements around the world. No short on considered criticism for Israel's prosecution of the war sparked by Hamas's murderous onslaught on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, we learn of concrete steps that could be taken to drive out the terrorist organization. We hear how Hamas is re-rooting itself into all aspects of the Strip's governance. Now that the terror regime has been reestablished, so has law and order, says Alkhatib, leaving Gazans stuck in a "safe-ish," but abusive relationship. And so this week, we ask Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, 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: A tent camp for displaced Palestinians stand amid the destruction left by Israeli strikes north of Gaza City, November 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporting on the war in Gaza has only been possible because of the work of Palestinian journalists, because the Israeli government will not let foreign broadcasters – including the BBC – inside the territory to report freely, even now a ceasefire is in place. One month ago, freelance journalist Ghada Al-Kurd began sharing voice notes with us, talking about her life, her hopes, her family, and her days reporting in Gaza City. Her job is dangerous – almost 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza in the past two years – and even with a ceasefire in place, safety is far from reach. Ghada has continued to report for us through her displacements, sharing her treasured memories of pre-war Gaza, and her fears and hopes for its future.Image: Ghada Al Kurd

Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TYT and use code TYT and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Jennifer Welch Multiple Palestinians are killed in Gaza City for allegedly violating the ceasefire, according to the IDF. Drop Site News journalist Noa Avishag Schnall accuses Israeli guards of “extreme brutality.” Trump prepares to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington on Friday. Hosts: Cenk Uygur & Ana Kasparian SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE ☞  https://www.youtube.com/@TheYoungTurks FOLLOW US ON: FACEBOOK  ☞   https://www.facebook.com/theyoungturks TWITTER  ☞       https://twitter.com/TheYoungTurks INSTAGRAM  ☞  https://www.instagram.com/theyoungturks TIKTOK  ☞          https://www.tiktok.com/@theyoungturks

President Trump's budget director is canceling billions in projects and threatening mass layoffs as the White House uses the government shutdown to push for deeper spending cuts. The shutdown's ripple effects are spreading nationwide, with key federal services slowing or stopping. And in Gaza, Israel has issued a final evacuation order, warning that anyone who remains in Gaza City will be treated as a militant as Hamas considers changes to Trump's ceasefire plan.Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Russell Lewis, Miguel Macias, Mohamad ElBardicy and Alice Woelfle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Lindsay TottyWe get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Tommy & Ben start with Gaza: the UN Human Rights Council's finding that Israel has committed genocide, and Israel's ground operation into Gaza City. They discuss how Marco Rubio signaled that Trump has given up on brokering a peace deal in Gaza, and why the Netanyahu government is telling the press that Trump is lying about his knowledge of the IDF airstrike in Qatar. Also covered: Kash Patel's combative Senate hearing about the rampant dysfunction at the FBI, the global reaction to the murder of Charlie Kirk and the dark conspiracy theories that have emerged around it, the long-term harm to the US-South Korea relationship caused by the ICE raid on a Hyundai plant in Georgia, Nepal's democracy by Discord, Trump's UK state visit amid Jeffrey Epstein fallout and far-right protests, Trump's ultimatums to NATO, and Conor McGregor's aborted bid for the Irish presidency. Then, Tommy speaks to Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, about the humanitarian situations in Haiti, Sudan, and Gaza, the devastating effects of the gutting of USAID, and what's giving him hope right now. Check out Be Hope here.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Get tickets to CROOKED CON November 6-7 in Washington, D.C at http://crookedcon.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

FBI Director Kash Patel spoke on Tuesday about a massive rise in the number of investigations into so-called NVEs, which stands for “nihilistic violent extremists.” He defined them as people who “engage in violent acts motivated by a deep hatred of society.” Some experts would use that term to describe the suspect in the Charlie Kirk shooting. Utah prosecutors said Tuesday that the suspect allegedly wrote video game references and online jokes on the bullet casings. We've chosen not to reference the name of the alleged shooter because we think it's important not to give people who commit acts of violence the infamy they crave. To talk more about the online spaces where Charlie Kirk's alleged shooter spent most of his time and the rise of NVEs, we spoke to David Gilbert, who covers disinformation and online extremism for Wired Magazine.And in headlines: President Donald Trump is suing the New York Times again, Israel officially launches its ground offensive in Gaza City, and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Susan Monarez testifies to a Senate panel about her ouster by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Show Notes:David's work — https://www.wired.com/author/david-gilbert/Call Congress – 202-224-3121Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/3kk4nyz8What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, Ron Steslow and Hagar Chemali (Fmr. spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) discuss information warfare and the biased reporting about Israel ahead of their ground offensive in Gaza City.    Then, the backlash against parties in power in Europe and why Americans need to care about it. In Politicology+ they discuss China's military parade, the meetings between the leaders of China, Russia, and India and why it matters so much right now. Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don't miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Contribute to Politicology at politicology.com/donate Find our sponsor links and promo codes here: https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at  https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(703) 239-3068‬ Follow this week's panel on X (formerly Twitter): https:/x.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/HagarChemali Related Reading:  TOI - Tens of thousands of reservists drafted ahead of Gaza City takeover, but turnout down | The Times of Israel TOI - At stormy cabinet meet, IDF chief said to warn Gaza op will lead to full-fledged occupation | The Times of Israel FP - WATCH: Gazan Journalists Say Al Jazeera Works Hand in Glove with Hamas FP - They Became Symbols for Gazan Starvation. But All 12 Suffer from Other Health Problems. The Dispatch - White Hats and Black Hats in the Middle East WSJ - Populist Right-Wing Parties Lead Polls in Europe's Biggest Economies The Spectator - Migrant protests and the twilight of luxury beliefs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices