Daily Briefing Oct 29: Day 23 - Cracks in government unity as war enters '2nd phase'

Editor David Horovitz on what PM Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant and war cabinet member Gantz are projecting about the ongoing war; reporter Sue Surkes with stories of bravery

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz and reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today’s episode.

We are in day 23 of the war, which erupted on October 7 after some 2,500 Hamas terrorists broke through the border with the Gaza Strip and rampaged murderously through border communities. They killed some 1,400 people, mostly civilians, amid acts of savage brutality, and took at least 230 hostages to Gaza.

Last night Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the second stage of the campaign to destroy Hamas had begun with an expanding ground offensive into the Gaza Strip. What was said at the press conference?

Following the press conference, Netanyahu posted a now-deleted tweet apparently assigning blame to the security and defense services for failures ahead of the October 7 massacres. Horovitz weighs in on just how united a front the emergency government is — and why that’s not what’s important now.

Surkes reports on time she recently spent with asylum seekers in Israel, including Darfur refugees, who are an integral part of the volunteer war effort.

We hear harrowing and amazing stories of bravery, including of Border Police superintendent Shira Buchris at the October 7 Supernova rave and resourceful Filipina caregiver Camille Jesalva, who saved her 95-year-old client. For dessert, we hear about three animal rescues, as well.

For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.