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. It is day 203 of the war with Hamas. Yeshiva University president Rabbi Ari Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's special in-depth interview episode. Berman was in Israel when Hamas invaded Israel's south on October 7, slaughtering 1,200 and taking 253 individuals hostage to Gaza. He told The Times of Israel this week that he felt called to return to New York, where he heads Modern Orthodoxy's flagship institution, and began immediately call on his university head peers to form a broad coalition to condemn the massacre and ensuing suffering. More than 100 institutions of higher education, including public and private, faith-based, and historically Black colleges and universities, signed onto a a statement saying that they stood "with Israel, the Palestinians who suffer under Hamas' cruel rule in Gaza and all people of moral conscience." Today, as violent anti-Israel protests are erupting on campuses throughout the United States, Berman shares his insights into the failings of the educators who allowed them to proliferate. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Hundreds arrested across US campuses as police clamp down on anti-Israel protests US Catholic universities offer campuses as refuge for ‘harassed’ Jewish students THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Yeshiva University head Rabbi Ari Berman (Yeshiva University)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. It is day 202 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. So-called pro-Palestinian rallies have sprouted up on US campuses, from Columbia University in New York -- where in-person classes have been canceled -- to the University of Southern California on Wednesday, just hours after police at a Texas university aggressively detained dozens of protesters. Horovitz describes what he believes are the protesters’ goals. A senior Israeli defense official said Wednesday that the Israel Defense Forces has conducted all necessary preparations to take Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah and can launch an operation the moment it gets government approval. But will the IDF also wait for US approval? Thirty years after the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina has asked Pakistan and Sri Lanka to arrest Iran’s interior minister Ahmad Vahidi who is a lead suspect in planning the attacks. Why is Argentina again interested in seeking justice for the bombing? For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: The goal of the campus Jew-haters: To render Israel indefensible, in both senses of the word At heart of protests sweeping US universities is demand they divest from Israel Dozens arrested at U of Texas, USC as anti-Israel protests spread to more US campuses As anti-Israel encampment at Columbia endures, Jewish students lament ‘Judenrein’ campus IDF ready to conquer Gaza’s Rafah, awaiting government okay, says senior official Argentina asks host countries to arrest visiting Iranian minister over 1994 bombing THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Students attend a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel rally against the Israel-Hamas war on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, on April 24, 2024. (Frederic J. Brown / 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. It is day 201 of the war with Hamas. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces intensified its operations against Hamas terrorists in the central and northern Gaza Strip, as the war reached its 200th day. Fabian explains what is happening on the ground and where the Gazan citizens are meant to be evacuating. Hamas officials in Gaza claimed on Saturday to discover a mass grave with more than 200 bodies at a hospital in Khan Younis that was recently the target of a military raid. How exactly was the IDF involved? Overnight, IAF fighter jets carried out a wave of strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, following repeated attacks by the terror group on northern Israel. Fabian speaks about the unusual drone attack that came deep into civilian Israel over the holiday. Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, chief of the Israel Defense Forces’s Military Intelligence Directorate, announced his resignation on Monday. Why now?  Police on Monday detained 13 people suspected of attempting to smuggle goats onto the Temple Mount in Jerusalem to sacrifice the animals in honor of Passover, in line with ancient Jewish tradition. What was different this year?  For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: On war’s 200th day, Israel intensifies Gaza operations; soldier killed in action IDF rejects ‘baseless’ claim it dug mass graves at Gaza hospital; analysts also doubt charge ‘I will always carry the pain’: IDF intel chief Aharon Haliva resigns over Oct. 7 failure Police detain 13 trying to smuggle goats onto Temple Mount for sacrifice ritual THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Troops of the Kfir Brigade's Netzah Yehuda Battalion operate in northern Gaza's Beit Hanoun, in a handout image published April 23, 2024. (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. It is day 200 of the war with Hamas. Host Jessica Steinberg speaks with Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, parents of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin in a pre-recorded interview. The couple speaks about the painful realities of marking the holiday of Passover, the holiday of freedom, when their only son is still held captive by terror organization Hamas. Goldberg and Polin discuss their latest trip to the US, which included meetings with members of Congress and the Biden administration, and the hostage deal that was under discussion at the time, and later rejected. Polin views the most recent proposal as Hamas’s opportunity to accept the ceasefire and end the suffering of the Gazans. They both speak about the palpable shift in US attitudes, and then the subsequent Iranian attack, when Israel was backed by the global community. Polin discusses that moment as a real opportunity for Israel to say it wouldn't respond until all the hostages come home. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s parents contemplate Passover with their son in captivity Passover celebrants urged to set a seat for a hostage, use a Haggadah of hope THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, parents of Hamas hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin (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. It is day 199 of the war with Hamas. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Following days of unrest and anti-Israel action at Columbia University in New York City, the university’s Orthodox rabbi sent a message to Jewish students urging them to stay away from campus until it is deemed safe again. The situation has spiraled so out of control that President Isaac Herzog and President Joe Biden are publicly denouncing the situation. Berman weighs in. Two US sources told The Times of Israel yesterday that in addition to the Netzah Yehuda Battalion -- which the Biden administration is reportedly slated to sanction this week -- Washington is reportedly considering sanctions against other Israeli military and police units alleged to have committed human rights violations against Palestinians. Berman explains the 1997 Leahy law that is being enacted and how it was applied in the past on other countries' militaries. In a pre-Passover video, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would “land additional and painful blows” on Hamas over the holiday to increase pressure on the terror group to free the hostages it has held in the Gaza Strip for over six months. Berman explores what is missing today versus in November when the sides successfully freed over 100 hostages. What would it take for Sinwar to unharden his heart and let our people go? For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Biden blasts ‘alarming surge of antisemitism’ amid anti-Israel protests at Columbia Columbia rabbi urges Jewish students to stay home until campus deemed safe US mulling sanctions against other IDF units for alleged rights violations – sources Netanyahu vows imminent ‘painful blows,’ diplomatic pressure on Hamas to free hostages THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: File - Yahia al-Sinwar, the Gaza Strip chief of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, greets supporters as he arrives to attend a rally marking Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day, April 14, 2023. (Mohammed Abed / 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. It is day 198 of the war with Hamas. Political correspondent Tal Schneider and legal and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Schneider discusses the current nature of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's relationship with Turkey as Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Haniyeh over the weekend and as Qatar discusses possibility of expelling Hamas leadership from Doha. She also looks at the latest in the US-Israel relationship, as the Biden administration considers sanctioning an IDF battalion known as Netzah Yehuda, largely made up of soldiers from more extremist backgrounds, known for alleged human rights abuse against Palestinians. Schneider considers this possible step by the US against the backdrop of the approved $17 billion US military aid package, and as the US continues to look carefully at how the IDF is handling some of its actions in Gaza. Sharon talks about the latest efforts by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich who is starting the process of legalizing 68 illegal outposts, part of his coalition agreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has to satisfy the demands of this far-right political partner. Steinberg speaks about preparations for Passover among the hostage families, including a seder for 500 members of Kibbutz Be'eri at Tel Aviv's Hostages Square, and other efforts in order to mark this complicated season and holiday. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 21, 2024 Hamas leaders said looking at leaving Qatar amid growing pressure in hostage talks To punish Israel for Gaza war, Turkey’s citizens will gladly suffer the economic cost House okays $17 billion in military aid for Israel under major spending package Israel aghast as US said poised to sanction IDF unit with history of abuses Smotrich said pushing to start legalization process for 68 illegal West Bank outposts Passover celebrants urged to set a seat for a hostage, use a Haggadah of hope THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: A sign reading 'Happy Freedom holiday' refers to Passover, with the words 'Happy' and 'Freedom' crossed out, in Tel Aviv, April 16, 2024 (Photo by Miriam Alster/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. It is day 197 of the war with Hamas. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode in the Jerusalem office. The alleged Israeli strike in Iran overnight Thursday-Friday went beyond the scope of several small drones described by Tehran. The strike reportedly included at least one missile launched by Israeli Air Force warplanes that targeted an air defense radar site near Isfahan that was part of an array defending the nearby top-secret Natanz nuclear site. What are we hearing from the US so far about the attack on Iranian soil? White House Mideast czar Brett McGurk said on Friday that the regional cooperation that took place in the thwarting of Iran’s attack on Israel last weekend is something that the Biden administration has been working to bolster for the past several years. What else did he say? The Biden administration has managed to continue holding high-level discussions with Saudi Arabia in recent weeks aimed at brokering a normalization agreement between the leading Gulf kingdom and the Jewish state, three US officials told Magid last week. What does this information signal? The Palestinian Authority said on Saturday that it will reconsider bilateral relations with the US after Washington vetoed a Palestinian request for full United Nations membership. Magid dives into the meaning of the vote. Magid describes Benzi Gopstein, a far-right Israeli activist and close ally to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir who was targeted in the third round of sanctions imposed by the Biden administration, aimed at clamping down on settler violence in the West Bank. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 20, 2024 In ‘message,’ IDF said to fire missiles at radar defense for secret Iran nuclear site US vetoes Security Council resolution recognizing Palestinians as full UN member state PA’s Abbas threatens to reconsider ties with US after veto of UN membership bid Top Ben Gvir ally, former MK aide among targets of latest US and EU settler sanctions THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Illustrative - Demonstrators burn a US and an Israeli flag during the funeral for seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members killed in a strike in Syria, which Iran blamed on Israel, in Tehran on April 5, 2024. (Atta Kenare / 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. It is day 196 of the war with Hamas. Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren and military reporter Emanuel Fabian host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode in the Jerusalem office. Explosions were reportedly heard near the Iranian city of Isfahan early Friday in what some international media is claiming was Israel’s launch of the heavily anticipated reprisal strike for the Iranian attack on Israel Saturday night. Fabian briefs us on what is being reported and gives us updates on the conflict along Israel's northern and Gaza border. Goren weighs in on the immediate consequences of the alleged attack on Iran. Ahead of next week’s Passover holiday, Jerusalem Affairs Minister Meir Porush wrote to United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland and demanded that he work to provide the hostages in Gaza with matzah and wine for the Seder night. Goren dives into their ongoing captivity and how it is a consequence of decisions made by the Israeli government on October 7. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 18, 2024 Iranian air base reportedly attacked in ‘limited’ Israeli reprisal strike Minister demands UN envoy ensures Gaza hostages have matzah, wine for Seder night THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: A man walks past a banner depicting missiles along a street in Tehran on April 19, 2024. (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. It is day 195 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode in the Jerusalem office. The United States led a group of 48 countries at the United Nations in condemning Iran’s missile and drone attack on Israel last weekend. Horovitz weighs in. Egyptian officials tell a Qatari outlet that the US has accepted Israel’s plan for an operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in return for not carrying out a large strike in Iran in response to Tehran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack. Horovitz postulates that Israel may have missed its chance for true retaliation for the Iran strike. The New York Times is reporting that “multiple American officials” think that Israeli officials miscalculated the severity of Iran’s response to the April 1 strike on a building in Damascus in which several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders were killed. Based on previous targeted killings of key Iranian players, should Israel have anticipated Iran's large-scale potentially devastating strike? Horovitz conducted an interview with Giora Eiland, a former IDF planning and operations chief and the former head of the National Security Council under prime minister Ariel Sharon. We hear highlights of their discussion. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 18, 2024 PM shelved pre-approved plans for immediate Iran reprisal after Biden call — report A top ex-general’s radical strategy for tackling Iran, saving the hostages, calming the north THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Check out yesterday's Daily Briefing episode: https://omny.fm/shows/the-daily-briefing/day-194-tension-on-3-fronts-knesset-passes-1st-rea IMAGE: An Iranian military truck carries parts of a Sayad 4-B missile past a portrait of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a military parade as part of a ceremony marking the country's annual army day in Tehran on April 17, 2024. (Atta Kenare / 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. It is day 194 of the war with Hamas. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and environmental reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Fabian discusses the latest in Gaza, as Israeli tanks pushed back into parts of the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, with two brigades joining ongoing missions in Gaza while other troops are situated outside Gaza, on the border, preparing themselves to enter for the expected large-scale strike on Rafah. He also talks about the latest in the north, as two Hezbollah commanders were killed in IDF strikes following attack drones that injured three Israelis in the Beit Hillel community in the north and no sense of when 60,000 evacuated Israelis can return home. Fabian also speaks about ongoing clashes in the West Bank, where violence has broken out between Israeli settlers and Palestinians following the Friday killing of 14-year-old shepherd Benjamin Achimeir, near Ramallah. There are considerable troops located in the West Bank, says Fabian, but it is complicated to contain three fronts simultaneously. Surkes turns to the passage of the first reading of the climate bill, long-discussed but narrow in terms of planned targets, and largely controlled by budgetary expectations from the Finance Ministry. She also discusses the long-awaited shipment of livestock from Australia, turned around in the fall because of maritime attacks by the Houthis, then relaunched again in March, and noted for the crowded conditions of the lambs and cows. Surkes then describes several building developments in Jerusalem, the planned Burj Jerusalem near Yad Vashem and Har Herzl, along with a long-debated expansion of a city police station on the city's Lupine Hill, both fiercely opposed by several community groups. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 17, 2024 Commando seriously hurt as Israeli tanks said to push back into northern Gaza 2 Hezbollah commanders killed in IDF strikes as attack drones injure 3 in north Two Palestinians shot dead by settlers in clashes near West Bank village Knesset passes 1st reading of climate bill without any clear budgeting Controversial shipment of livestock reaches Israel from Australia after months-long odyssey Planned ‘Jerusalem Burj’ skyscraper draws opposition over proximity to landmarks Police revive plan to build complex on beloved Jerusalem hill, angering residents THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown IMAGE: Members of the emergency squad of Safed take part in a drill on April 5, 2024. (Photo by David Cohen/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. It is day 193 of the war with Hamas. Arab affairs reporter Gianluca Pacchiani and political reporter Sam Sokol join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Today, Israel reassured Arab countries in the region that its response to Iran’s attack will not place them in danger. One neighboring country, Jordan, which was a player in foiling the Iran strike Saturday night, is presented with an even more complicated situation with its large Palestinian population. Pacchiani weighs in. On Sunday, far-right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government issued strident calls for Israel to react to Iran’s attack on Israel with a show of force, while other moderate members of the coalition, including war cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, urged a balanced approach aimed at avoiding a spiraling escalation. Sokol explains who is currently calling for what. Yesterday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party said that it was no longer bound by coalition discipline, following opposition by ultra-Orthodox coalition parties to an expansion of his authority. We hear what this expansion is and how the Haredim are play quid pro quo. We hear impressions from a long interview Pacchiani conducted with Gazan journalist Sami Obeid, who brings his thoughts on who should run the Gaza Strip after the war and life on the ground in Rafah right now. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 16, 2024 Jordan’s help against Iran shows relationship with Israel still strong, despite Gaza Shaken by daily mass protests on Gaza, Jordan accuses ‘infiltrators’ of stoking unrest Should Israel launch an immediate retaliatory attack on Iran? Lawmakers are divided Ben Gvir says no longer bound by coalition discipline, in spat with Haredi factions Gazan journalist to ToI: We, the people of Gaza, are also living like hostages of Hamas THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Illustrative - Jordan's King Abdullah II speaks during a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron, February 16, 2024 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (Yoan Valat, Pool 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. It is day 192 of the war with Hamas. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. To start Berman, who is currently in the United States shares how American media has depicted the foiled Iran strike. Berman wrote an analysis following the Iran strike that examined the roles played by Israel's neighbors and Centcom partners. He analyzes how this teamwork developed and where it can go from here. Neighboring Arab countries played greater and lesser roles in foiling the Iranian projectiles, including Jordan, but also Saudi Arabia. In an interview with the Israeli Kan broadcaster, a Saudi official criticized Iran for having engineered a war in Gaza in order to destroy the progress it was making in normalizing relations with Israel. Berman weighs in. After over three hours of deliberations on Sunday afternoon, Israel’s five-person war cabinet did not reach a decision as to how the country would respond to Iran’s massive missile and drone barrage on Saturday night. Berman describes the United States' point of view as well as some potential strike options on Israel's table. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 15, 2024 With its aerial attack, Iran could break Israel’s isolation and reframe the Gaza war ‘Not seeking war’: White House stresses US won’t join Israeli counterstrike on Iran War cabinet said to favor hitting back at Iran but divided over when and how Should Israel launch an immediate retaliatory attack on Iran? Lawmakers are divided US House to vote on Israel aid package following Iran attack THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: In this photo obtained from the US Department of Defense, the US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) transits the Strait of Hormuz on November 26, 2023. (Ruskin Naval / US Department of Defense / 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. It is day 191 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz and military reporter Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Late Saturday night, Iran launched a large wave of some 300 attack drones and missiles from its territory toward the Jewish state, in the first-ever direct attack on Israel by the Islamic Republic, triggering air raid sirens throughout the country early Sunday as the military worked to intercept the Iranian projectiles. Fabian walks us through the timeline of the Iranian attack and explains what appears to have been Iran's goal. We hear which allies helped out in foiling the attack and how the long-range Arrow air defense system managed to knock down the “vast majority” of the 120 ballistic missiles, according to the IDF, although some penetrated Israel’s defenses and struck the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel. We hear about some sense of the IDF's next steps and how it may retaliate. The United States took one of the lead roles in staving off the attack on Israel. Horovitz weighs in on what this means for the reportedly fraying Israel-US relationship, as well as that with Israel's other allies, including Jordan. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 14, 2024 Waiting for the drones and the missiles, at the opening of a regional conflict Iran fires some 300 drones, missiles at Israel in first-ever direct attack; 99% downed As Israel waits for potential attack, what are Iran’s missile and drone capabilities? THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Demonstrators wave Iran's flag and Palestinian flags as they gather at Palestine Square in Tehran on April 14, 2024, after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. (Atta Kenare / 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. It is day 190 of the war with Hamas. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday found the body of a 14-year-old Jerusalem resident Benjamin Achimeir who went missing while shepherding in the West Bank northeast of Ramallah a day earlier. Achimeir was murdered in a terror attack, the IDF and Shin Bet security agency said in a joint statement and clashes were reported between settlers and Palestinians on both Friday and today, leaving at least one Palestinian dead. Magid gives us a fuller picture. Commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rappelled down from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel Saturday. We hear what has been the US security assessment prior to this attack and how President Joe Biden has responded to the reportedly imminent threat. Despite huge steps taken by Israel to increase humanitarian aid following a contentious phone call between President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a week ago, the Biden administration’s Gaza humanitarian envoy warned Wednesday that “there is an imminent risk of famine for the majority, if not all, the 2.2 million population of Gaza.” What else did David Satterfield say during a virtual event hosted by the American Jewish Committee? On Wednesday, former president Donald Trump said bluntly, “Any Jewish person who votes for a Democrat or votes for Biden should have their head examined.” Magid weighs in on whether these statements may sway some Jewish voters. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 13, 2024 Settlers riot in West Bank after Israeli teen murdered; Palestinian killed, others hurt Body of Israeli teen found in West Bank; IDF says he was murdered in terror attack Despite Hamas’s hopes and Biden’s fears, Ramadan didn’t spread Gaza war to Jerusalem Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seizes Israeli-linked ship with 25 crew near Strait of Hormuz Biden predicts Iran attack on Israel ‘sooner than later,’ renews warning: ‘Don’t’ ‘It’s an established fact’: US envoy says most Gazans at risk of imminent famine Trump: Jewish Biden voters ‘should have their head examined’ THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: A Palestinian inspects the damage to his belongings in the village of Mughayir near Ramallah in the West Bank on April 13, 2024, after an alleged attack by Israeli settlers on the village. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh / 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. It is day 189 of the war with Hamas. Political correspondent Tal Schneider and Arab Affairs reporter Luca Pacchiani join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Schneider speaks about the latest headlines regarding Iran, which could strike Israeli soil within the next 48 hours according to intelligence from the US. She discusses the differences between previous attacks carried out by Iranian proxies on Israeli embassies and the threat posed by one possibly pointed toward Israel. Schneider also discusses the information recently shared by the US administration in The Wall Street Journal regarding the number of hostages still presumed alive, and how six months of starvation, difficult conditions and lack of medications along with IDF missile hits may have left fewer hostages alive than expected. Pacchiani talks about Hamas and Hezbollah operatives living and working in European countries, opening dozens of non-profit organizations in order to work with Palestinian loyalists and make inroads into local societies, often under the noses of security forces. He also mentions an interfaith iftar meal at the end of Ramadan, held in west Jerusalem, where food, music and conversation were the cornerstone of the event after months of war. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 12, 2024 US intel said to indicate Iran could strike ‘Israeli soil’ in next 24 to 48 hours US, Israeli officials fear most hostages held by Hamas are dead — report Empty seder tables at Nir Oz as survivors mark an unhappy Passover without hostages Europe turning blind eye to Hamas and Hezbollah networks in its territory, experts say At interfaith Ramadan iftar in Jerusalem, breaking fast under the shadow of war THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Participants in the Let My People Go march hold posters of all the dates that the hostages have been held in captivity by Hamas in Gaza, on April 12, 2024 (Courtesy Tanya Zion-Waldoks)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. It is day 188 of the war with Hamas. Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon and health reporter Renee Ghert-Zand join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Wednesday that Israel will open a new land crossing into the Gaza Strip designed mainly to facilitate deliveries to Palestinians of aid from overseas or from neighboring Jordan. Sharon updates us on a High Court of Justice petition from Israeli NGOs that would go much further than that to bring humanitarian aid into the strip. A group of Canadian citizens and residents whose children and parents were murdered by Hamas during the October 7 atrocities has filed an application in the Canadian Federal Court to the country’s attorney general demanding the annulment of the Canadian government’s decision in March to resume funding to UNRWA, the UN agency that provides humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Sharon explains the issues at hand in this case. Ghert-Zand recently spoke with Dr. Raquel C. Gardner, director of clinical research of the Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center at Sheba Medical Center, who is an expert in the "invisible" side-effect of war, traumatic brain injury (TBI). We hear what it is and how she is raising awareness in Israel. During a site visit to Beit Halohem, a center for rehabilitating former soldiers, Ghert-Zand viewed a ceramics exhibit and was struck by the pieces created by Amnon Sharon, who was taken captive during a fierce tank battle on the Golan Heights on October 6, 1973, the first day of the Yom Kippur War. He was held and tortured for eight months and is now bringing this experience into the open through this unique PTSD treatment. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 11, 2024 High Court gives government six days to submit answers on Gaza humanitarian crisis Gallant says Israel plans to ‘flood Gaza with aid’ via new crossing into Strip’s north Relatives of October 7 victims file suit against Canadian resumption of UNRWA funding Invisible traumatic brain injuries in wounded IDF soldiers may have devastating effects Israeli survivor of captivity and torture in Syria exorcises his demons by sculpting clay THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Masked members of the so-called 'People's Protection Committees' guard a humanitarian aid truck in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on April 3, 2024. (Said Khatib / 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. It is day 187 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz and military reporter Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US President Joe Biden told Spanish television in an interview that he’s urging “the Israelis to just call for” a six-to-eight-week ceasefire. Since most other demands made by the US last week in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been implemented, is this one-sided pause also on the horizon? This week, Netanyahu said that he has circled a date in his calendar for the Rafah operation. But, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US counterpart Lloyd Austin during a call on Monday that Israel has not set a date. Why the conflicting information? In a statement marking Eid Al-Fitr, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the plight of Palestinians in the West Bank alongside Muslims suffering in some of the world’s worst conflicts. And last week, United States Sen. Elizabeth Warren told a Boston mosque that Israel will be found guilty of genocide in the International Court of Justice. Do these remarks painting Israel as the oppressor represent mainstream Democrat thinking today? The IDF said this morning that Nahal Brigade soldiers are still battling Hamas gunmen in the central Gaza corridor. We hear how the massive troop drawdown is playing out on the ground in the Gaza Strip and are updated on large-scale humanitarian aid efforts. Early this morning, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Tehran will retaliate for Israel’s alleged bombing of a building in Damascus earlier this month. Among the threats that Israel is taking seriously are cyberattacks, drone strikes and long-range missiles. Fabian explains. Fabian takes a look at the use of drones in the war so far, as well as a ship-mounted version of the Iron Dome missile defense system that intercepted a drone that entered Israeli airspace near the southernmost city of Eilat shortly before midnight on Monday.For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 10, 2024 Biden urges Israel ‘to just call for’ 6-8 week ceasefire, slams PM’s handling of Gaza war Contradicting Netanyahu, Gallant told Austin no date set for Rafah op — source US Sen. Warren: World Court has ‘ample evidence’ to find Israel guilty of genocide Cyberattacks by Iran, Hezbollah have tripled during the war, says Israel cyber czar In first, IDF says ship-mounted Iron Dome downs hostile drone over Eilat THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Israeli soldiers gather around army tanks stationed in an area along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on April 10, 2024. (Jack Guez / 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. It is day 186 of the war with Hamas. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Berman speaks about the latest in hostage negotiations, the role that Qatar is currently playing in the talks, the fact that the US is leaning into the talks given its desire to see a post-Hamas future, and the flexibility Israel is showing on certain details. He then looks at the statement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made about a firm date for entering Gaza's Rafah, the last "unconquered city," says Berman. He notes some of the preparations made for evacuating Gazans from that area, but adds that it will be a unit-on-unit fight that "can't be a tiny operation." Berman finishes the podcast with a careful look at how Israel has handled the matter of letting humanitarian aid into Gaza throughout the last six months, the lack of initiative on Israel's part at the start of the war, and now that the aid effort is finally happening, it should offer more latitude from Israel's allies and partners. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 9, 2024 Hamas says it won’t compromise on key demands as US leans into hostage talks Israel has circled date in calendar for repeatedly-pledged Rafah invasion, PM says Israel’s begrudging approach to humanitarian aid could cost it the war in Gaza ‘Proof is in the results’: US cautiously welcomes Israeli moves on Gaza aid THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: Armed and masked Palestinians seen on trucks loaded with International humanitarian aid entering Gaza through Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, into the southern Gaza Strip on April 3, 2024 (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. It is day 185 of the war with Hamas. Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren and reporter Canaan Lidor join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. This morning, Israeli and Palestinian officials have downplayed reports that a truce and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas could be reached as early as this week. But citing a senior Egyptian official involved in the talks, the Egyptian outlet Al-Qahera reported that talks in Cairo have made “significant progress on several contentious points of agreement.” Goren explores how the recent phone call between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week is playing a role. Six months after the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel, 70% of those who departed the affected area have returned. The government released data yesterday. Lidor brings us some more numbers. Also yesterday, 18 prominent rabbis associated with the Shas party and the ultra-Orthodox Sephardi movement signed onto a document rejecting any compromise on the conscription of Haredi Jews – including those who are not studying in yeshivas. Lidor explains why this runs counter to perceived notions of Shas. Finally, to mark six months of war, Goren explores how October 7 was Israel's national experience of a solar eclipse. For the latest updates, please see The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Live blog April 8, 2024 IDF chief says withdrawal of troops from Gaza doesn’t mean war is close to end Israel, Hamas downplay report of progress in truce talks amid optimism from Egypt 6 months on, 70% of evacuees from the south are home, but thousands remain in hotels Shas rabbis spurn compromise on Haredi draft following High Court ruling THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.  IMAGE: A person holds a handful of spent bullet casings above a bigger pile in Khan Yunis on April 7, 2024, after Israel pulled its ground forces out of the southern Gaza Strip, six months into the war sparked by Hamas's October 7 attacks on southern Israel. (AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To mark six months of war with Hamas, we are releasing on The Daily Briefing this bonus episode of What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring one key issue currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, hosted by deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan. In half a year, Israel has systematically broken down Hamas’s battalions in the Gaza Strip. But in achieving terrible success in its aim to defang the terrorist army, the Jewish state is no longer seen on the world stage as the attacked underdog David, but increasingly reviled as a cruel Goliath. According to many in the West, it is up to Israel to immediately stop the war regardless of Hamas’s clear ability to regroup and again attack, just as the terror group has publicly vowed to do. This week, What Matters Now again speaks with public intellectual and philosopher Dr. Micah Goodman. We revisit the raw conversation we held six months ago, mere days after Hamas’s murderous attack, and see just how right Goodman’s predictions were. In our conversation this week, Goodman explains the completely different framings of the war held by the West and Israel, and how they influence both sides’ actions and words. And we hear about how Israelis, forever changed by the war, are now standing at a crossroads. Can civil society regroup and reemerge from this war stronger, saner and more united? Goodman spent the past six months writing his seventh best-selling book, "Hayom Hashmini" ("The Eighth Day"), which was published in late March. He sees the end of this war as an opportunity for restructuring and revitalizing Israelis, as long as they embrace a new paradigm. So this week, six months into the war, we ask Dr. Micah Goodman, what matters now? What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.  IMAGE: Philosopher and public intellectual Dr. Micah Goodman. (Yonit Schiller)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.