Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleWelcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.
With the body of hostage Tal Haimi returned to Israel overnight, Horovitz discusses the resilience of the remaining 15 hostages’ families awaiting their loved ones and the emotional toll they are paying, and whether Hamas is playing games in the slow process of returning the bodies.
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As US Vice President JD Vance flies in, Horovitz talks about his presence in Israel alongside US special envoy Steve Witkoff and White House adviser Jared Kushner, all of whom are taking part in the overt American effort to ensure that the fragile ceasefire holds and that President Donald Trump’s entire 20-point peace plan for Gaza is carried out.
Meanwhile, the Knesset’s raucous opening session yesterday underlined the bitter divisions among lawmakers, and wider society, says Horovitz. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in his speech, framed the Gaza deal as having been achieved thanks to his refusal to accept calls by the opposition to end the war, and took pains to deny that the living hostages could have been returned earlier, says Horovitz.
And he notes that the session began with a furor over the speaker’s refusal to acknowledge that Isaac Amit is the president of the Supreme Court, drawing rare stinging criticism from President Isaac Herzog, amid the coalition’s ongoing battle against the judiciary.
Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Hamas hands over body of hostage Tal Haimi, slain defending his kibbutz on Oct. 7
Vance lands in Israel as US said to fear Netanyahu could collapse Gaza ceasefire
Smiles, hugs abound as Witkoff and Kushner meet with released hostages
PM: Israelis would’ve died ‘in nuclear smoke’ if I’d heeded opposition demands to end war
Ohana snubs Supreme Court president at Knesset’s opening session, sparking turmoil
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