Daily Briefing Aug. 18 – US holds direct talks with Hamas. Why it’s the new normal

US bureau chief Jacob Magid on the Board of Peace’s floated potential new way forward out of the Gaza quagmire, 60 days from the ‘end’ of the war with Iran, and an update from hotspot Qusra

With:
  • Amanda Borschel-Dan
    Amanda Borschel-Dan

    Deputy Editor Amanda Borschel-Dan is the host of The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, What Matters Now and The Reel Schmooze podcasts, and heads up The Times of Israel’s features.

  • Jacob Magid
    Jacob Magid

    Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel’s US bureau chief

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.

WATCH the full episode here:

US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and top aide Jared Kushner met with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya in the Egyptian coastal city of El-Alamein on Sunday before meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem yesterday. We discuss the normalization of the US conducting direct talks with Hamas terror group and a potential new way forward being floated by the Board of Peace.

With the 60-day memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran having run out, in a wide-ranging phone interview with Fox News US President Donald Trump said he had “no time schedule” for the conflict. Magid also delves into the mixed messaging between the president and Vice President JD Vance over the war’s goals.

And finally, we turn to the ongoing saga taking place at the Palestinian village of Qusra, near Nablus. International media attention has been spotlighting the location for over a week after settlers began surrounding several new houses built on its outskirts, trapping residents inside in an apparent effort to force them out. The IDF’s actions — and inactions — have generated condemnation around the world.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Kushner meets Hamas chief in Egypt in push for Gaza disarmament; IDF continues strikes

Meeting with Kushner, PM doubles down on IDF remaining in Gaza until Hamas disarmed

Amid Israeli pushback, source reveals Board of Peace weighing new disarmament framework

Trump threatens to bomb Oman over its deal with Iran on Hormuz, as 60-day MOU expires

Palestinian-American raises US flag upon return to Qusra home besieged by settlers

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple PodcastsSpotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

Check out yesterday’s episode here:

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