Daily Briefing Mar. 2: Day 513 – Israel cites a Trump game plan but Hamas won’t play ball

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 reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s Daily Briefing.

Late last night, following a four-hour security consultation with top officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declared that it was endorsing what it described as a proposal by US President Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which would see the ceasefire with Hamas extended through Ramadan until Passover, which ends on April 19. What is this plan and how is it being received?

Israel is not allowing any more goods to enter Gaza, says the Prime Minister’s Office, citing Hamas’s refusal to accept the cited American proposal — which would see more hostage releases in addition to a longer ceasefire. Berman explains what else Israel is currently withholding counter to the mediated phase one deal.

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday to “prepare to defend” the Druze-majority city of Jaramana on the outskirts of Damascus in Syria. We hear why Israel sees itself as a defender of Druze and other minorities, and what type of defense this may be.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that he had signed a declaration to expedite the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel after the Trump administration approved nearly $12 billion in major foreign military sales to the Jewish state. But after seeing the brush-up between Trump and Zelensky — described by the US leader as “good television” — this weekend, should Israel be wary of such promises?

The conversation can also be viewed here:

Please see today’s ongoing live blog for more updates.

For further reading:

As truce enters limbo, Israel agrees to extend talks with Hamas before resuming war

Netanyahu and Katz direct IDF to ‘prepare to defend’ Syrian Druze suburb of Damascus

US moves to expedite delivery of $4 billion in military aid to Israel

After shouting match, Zelensky says Trump’s support for Ukraine still ‘crucial’

Trump berates Zelensky in shocking Oval Office scene: ‘Either make a deal or we’re out’

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Check out yesterday’s Daily Briefing episode here: