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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Overnight, an Israeli airstrike in Iran killed Saeed Izadi, the head of the Palestine Corps in the IRGC Quds Force, who funded and armed Hamas ahead of the terror group’s October 7 onslaught as part of a multi-front plan to destroy Israel. Fabian describes who he was and how central he was in drafting Iran's ultimate strategy to eliminate Israel.

Also hit last night was Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site for the second time since the start of the conflict, as Iran fired an overnight volley of five ballistic missiles at central Israel. The strike on the first day of the conflict destroyed several critical sections, including uranium conversion infrastructure and labs. Last night's strikes were intended to cause further damage to Iran’s nuclear program.

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told Israelis yesterday that they must prepare for a “prolonged campaign” against Iran to “eliminate a threat of this magnitude,” indicating that a quick end to the campaign was unlikely. We ask Fabian to decipher this cryptic message from the head of the IDF even as US President Donald Trump told reports that Israel appears to be "winning."

Also yesterday, reporters were told that Israel is not running low on air defense interceptors amid its conflict with Iran, denying reporting that the IDF’s stockpile of interceptor missiles is being depleted. Fabian explains why this may still be the case.

Iran is not only firing traditional ballistic missiles at Israel: At least one ballistic missile launched by Iran at Israel in a barrage on Thursday morning was carrying a cluster bomb warhead, marking a dangerous new development. We speak about this type of missile, as well as Iran's drips-and-drabs retaliation to the continued Israeli strikes.

To close out, we review the stunning operation to eliminate Iran’s top military commanders early June 13 was code-named “Red Wedding” after the infamous scene in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series and “Game of Thrones” TV show, due to the almost fantastical way it was carried out. Fabian explains why.

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

For further reading:

IRGC Palestinian division chief, an architect of Oct. 7, killed in overnight strike in Iran

IDF hits Isfahan nuclear site for 2nd time; Iran fires 5 missiles in overnight barrage

IDF chief warns Israelis must brace for ‘prolonged campaign’ against Iran

Denying reports, IDF indicates that it’s not running low on missile interceptors

Iranian missile with cluster warhead scattered bombs in central Israel, IDF says

Inspired by brutal TV scene, first strikes on Iran said code-named ‘Red Wedding’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Israeli soldiers and first responders check the damage caused to a building from an Iranian strike in Beit She'an on June 21, 2025. (Jalaa MAREY / AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Israel has experience in attempting to stop a nuclear weapons program. Twice before striking Iran on June 13, 2025, Israel attempted to thwart two neighboring nations' nascent nuclear programs.

This week on the Friday Focus, we’re talking about the covert surprise 1981 Operation Opera in Iraq and the 2007 Israeli airstrike on Syria, called Operation Outside the Box or Operation Orchard.

Berman fills us in on the back story of both, and weighs in on how successful they were — of course, with an eye to the current Israel-Iran war and Israel’s goal to stop Iran from reaching a nuclear bomb.

We learn how Operation Opera, also known as Operation Babylon, took place under prime minister Menachem Begin on June 7, 1981, at 16:00 when 14 fighter jets departed from Etzion (Efrat) Airport in Israel. At approximately 17:30, they struck and destroyed the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq, and within about 90 seconds of bombing, they successfully completed their mission.

Berman speaks about the resultant "Begin Doctrine," which, since 1981, guides Israel in how it reacts to imminent threats of weapons of mass destruction.

We then turn to the second preemptive strike that Israel carried out to stop the bomb in 2007, under prime minister Ehud Olmert. Ten Israeli Air Force (IAF) F-15 fighter jets, along with F-16 fighters and electronic-warfare aircraft, bombed a Syrian radar site and took over Syrian air defenses, feeding them a false picture of empty skies.

We discuss the overriding themes of both operations and compare them with what is currently happening in the Israel-Iran war.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: The IDF pilots who participated in the Operation Opera bombing of Saddam Hussein's nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981. (Israel Defense Force archive)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian and political reporter Tal Schneider join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Defense Minister Israel Katz agreed on Israel’s response to Hamas’s counter-offer to a US proposal for a hostage-ceasefire deal at their meeting yesterday, Army Radio reports. The response has been forwarded to mediators, the report says. Officials are now awaiting the terror group’s response, but in the meantime, fighting continues on the ground in Gaza. Fabian fills us in.

In a first, Israeli Navy missile boats on Tuesday morning launched strikes against infrastructure at the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeida in western Yemen. Fabian explains the pros and cons of using the naval forces instead of the air force for similar future attacks.

The UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway said Tuesday that they would freeze assets and bar the entry of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for having “incited extremist violence” against Palestinians in the West Bank. Schneider weighs in on all the various diplomatic efforts on the table designed to pressure Israel to stop the Gaza war, including the upcoming conference in New York co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia on the topic of the two-state solution.

Leaders of opposition parties decided this morning to submit a private bill to dissolve the Knesset, starting the process of four votes that may -- or may not -- lead to new elections. Schneider dives into the thorny topic and explains the forces pulling strings behind the scenes.

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

For further reading:

Palestinians say 20 killed near aid site; IDF says troops fired at Gazans who posed threat

Israeli Navy carries out Yemen strikes for 1st time, targeting Houthi port

IDF shoots down Yemen missile; multiple interceptors launched as it breaks up

UK, Canada and 3 other nations sanction Ben Gvir and Smotrich over settler violence

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Illustrative: An LRAD missile is launched from the Sa’ar 6-class corvette INS Magen during a test in November 2022. (Israel Defense Forces)

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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 correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Ariela Karmel for today's episode.

Berman discusses new developments in the ongoing Iran nuclear talks and daylight between US and Israeli leadership following a 40-minute phone call between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening, shortly after Iran announced that it would respond soon to Washington's latest proposal for a nuclear deal.

Berman also describes his recent tour in Gaza with the IDF, during which he entered Hamas tunnels underneath an EU-funded hospital where Hamas command sat, including commander Muhammad Sinwar who was killed there in an Israeli airstrike in May.

Hostages are believed to have also been held in the vast network of tunnels underneath the hospital, says Berman, noting that it is not clear who was held there or when but that forensic evidence pointing to the presence of hostages has been found.

Finally, Berman discusses a new report detailing a series of multimillion-dollar deals approved by Netanyahu between top Israeli defense companies and Qatar.

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

For further reading:

Trump speaks with Netanyahu, stresses US wants Iran deal ‘so there’s no destruction and death’

Here, beneath an EU-funded Gaza hospital, Hamas military chief Mohammed Sinwar met his end

Report: PM approved multimillion dollar deals between top Israeli defense companies and Qatar

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Troops from the IDF Golani Brigade guard the entrance to a tunnel underneath the European Hospital in Khan Younis, June 8, 2025 (Lazar Berman/The Times of Israel)

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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.

Political correspondent Sam Sokol and archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Shas party leader Aryeh Deri threatens to leave the coalition, Sokol discusses the pressure being placed on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the ultra-Orthodox parties to wrangle Likud lawmaker Yuli Edelstein and the law he is writing regarding Haredi army enlistment.

There is intense anger in the ultra-Orthodox world over the issue, says Sokol, who also notes an act of arson in a Shas synagogue in Sunday, as the Shas party announced its intention to leave the coalition over its anger with Netanyahu regarding the Haredi draft bill.

Sokol notes that a political insider told him there's a relatively low chance of these pressures leading to new elections. Even if the current coalition is dissolved, there would still be up to five months of its ability to continue functioning and for the coalition parties to buy more time for themselves.

Tercatin discusses two sets of findings, one regarding the Bible. A pioneering new algorithm looks at the layers of oral traditions and writers of the Bible and its editors. The algorithm helps discern which words are used most often and the writing style, creating new methods of analyzing ancient writings and answering questions about the history they present.

She also looks at a radiocarbon dating study that was used to examine one of the Dead Sea scrolls, helping futher determine the timeframe when it was written, and whether the current scrolls are first copies or early editions.

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

For further reading:

Shas said planning to back Knesset dissolution over stymied draft-exemption bill

Shas spiritual leader: Edelstein’s soul is an abomination, shame he came to Israel

Haredi parties maintain pressure on PM after he claims ‘significant progress’ in talks

Outrage after arson attack on Jerusalem synagogue of top Shas party rabbi

Who wrote the Bible? A pioneering new algorithm may shatter scholarly certitude

New study revolutionizes Dead Sea Scrolls dating, might rewrite Israel’s history

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Shas party leader Aryeh Deri and spiritual leader Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef visit the scene of suspected arson and vandalism at a Jerusalem synagogue on June 8, 2025. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Four more soldiers were declared dead on Friday morning after a booby trapped building exploded in the southern Gaza Strip. The slain soldiers were Sgt. First Class Tom Rotstein, Staff Sgt. Uri Yhonatan Cohen, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Chen Gross and Staff Sgt. Yoav Raver. Fabian weighs in on the challenges facing troops on the ground as Operation Gideon's Chariots continues.

The leader of a small Gaza terror group responsible for the October 7, 2023, abductions and eventual murders of several hostages -- including Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir -- was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City on Saturday, the military said. Another senior member was killed in a separate strike in the city. Fabian explains what the Mujahideen Brigades group is and other hostages who were murdered by it.

The body of slain hostage Nattapong Pinta, who Hamas-led terrorists abducted on October 7, 2023, was recovered in a joint Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet operation in the southern Gaza Strip, officials announced Saturday morning. This follows the recovery of two additional hostage bodies, Gadi Haggai and Judih Weinstein from the Khan Younis region. We learn how their whereabouts were determined.

The Israeli Navy is expected to block a high-profile activist mission sailing to Gaza to challenge Israel’s blockade, should the boat near Israel’s territorial waters in the coming days. Among the 12 activists on the ship are Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, Irish “Game of Thrones” actor Liam Cunningham, and Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian European Parliament member. With the world's gaze on Israel, Fabian describes how the Navy may block the boat from reaching the Gaza shore.

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

For further reading:

IDF names two other soldiers killed in booby-trapped Gaza building on Friday

4 IDF soldiers killed, 5 wounded after booby-trapped south Gaza building collapses

Gaza aid group says Hamas threats to staff kept distribution hubs closed on Saturday

Heads of terror group that abducted and murdered Bibas family killed by IDF

Body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta recovered by IDF from south Gaza’s Rafah

Activist aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg reaches Egypt’s coast as it heads for Gaza

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Golani troops operate in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip in this June 3, 2025, handout image from the IDF. (Israel Defense Forces)

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with ToI editor David Horovitz.

How do you cover a war when no objective, proven journalists are allowed to report independently in the war zone?

And when one side of the conflict -- a terrorist regime -- floods international media with its narrative while the other side -- an attacked sovereign nation -- provides no narrative, guess which side's story makes front pages?

This week on What Matters Now, Horovitz lays out the challenges of penetrating the fog of this war within the constraints of an Israeli information vacuum.

"The hardest challenge for journalists, and it's certainly never been harder for us in the last 19-20 months, is to get the facts first... Getting to the facts has never been harder," said Horovitz. 

And so this week, we ask ToI editor David Horovitz, 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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch. 

IMAGE: Palestinians run following an Israeli strike in Gaza City, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Just back from reserve duty, Berman has written an in-depth look at the war in Gaza and the questions it raises in Israeli society.

For today's episode, we take a look at Berman's op-ed, "For now, victory is still within reach: 10 truths about the Gaza war, 20 months in," and discuss each point one by one.

In a free-flowing conversation, we hear Berman assess the war's successes and failures and learn about the burning existential issues that Israelis have yet to address.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: IDF troops of the Nahal Brigade operate in the Gaza Strip, in images released on June 5, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

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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.

US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation banning travel from certain countries, citing national security concerns — and pointedly, the DIY flamethrower attack on Sunday in Boulder, Colorado. Magid explains which nations are -- and are not -- affected, and discusses the new ban on foreign students at Harvard University.

For the first time since Trump took office, the United Nations Security Council discussed and voted on a substantive resolution related to the war in Gaza. The resolution, which was vetoed by the United states, called for a ceasefire, release of the hostages and surge of humanitarian aid into the Strip. Magid weighs in on the significance of the vote.

Mediators are reportedly optimistic that Hamas will soon submit an updated hostage deal proposal that will be closer to what US special envoy Steve Witkoff presented last week, three sources familiar with the matter told Magid. But does this optimism have any grounds? What's changed?

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announced that its aid distribution sites would again not open on Thursday morning to give time for the US- and Israeli-backed organization to carry out logistical work needed to accommodate larger crowds. We discuss this aid effort in the context of other, now suspended attempts, such as air drops from Jordan.

Israel decided to block a Saudi-led delegation from visiting the West Bank earlier this week. It would have been the first visit by a Saudi foreign minister since Israel took over the West Bank in 1967, and had been intended to boost the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority as a viable candidate to replace Hamas as the governing body of Gaza after the war. Magid adds nuance and context to this decision and its repercussions.

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

For further reading:

Trump bans travel from 12 countries, ties it to attack on Colorado Jewish rally
 
Trump moves to bar US entry to foreign students planning to study at Harvard

US vetoes UN Security Council resolution calling for Gaza ceasefire

Mediators optimistic Hamas will soon submit softened hostage deal proposal — sources

GHF says Gaza aid sites won’t reopen Thursday morning as planned, after one-day shutdown

Saudi official says Israel harmed normalization by blocking West Bank visit – report

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: US Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea (C) speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting to vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, at UN headquarters in New York City on June 4, 2025. (Leonardo Munoz / AFP)

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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 correspondent Lazar Berman and reporter Ariela Karmel join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As hostage family members met with members of the Trump administration in the White House on Tuesday, Berman discusses the latest developments in the hostage negotiations, as Hamas continues to leverage the remaining living hostages for political gain while negotiators say Hamas must accept US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff's latest proposal.

He also looks at Iran's rejection of the nuclear deal proposal, after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the US proposal for a nuclear agreement went against the country’s national interest of continuing to enrich uranium. Berman notes that Iran wants a deal of some kind, particularly one that will protect them against future Israeli attacks, and is continuing to negotiate, with another round slated for this weekend.

Berman describes one of the aid sites in Gaza that was created by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, and the complications of funneling Gazans into the space to receive their aid packages. He notes that the aid centers are closed today to fine-tune the process and prepare safe access routes after the IDF opened fire toward Palestinians who had approached troops after straying off a pre-approved path for reaching a Rafah distribution site.

Berman also looks at Spain and its decision to cancel another arms deal with Israel, spiking a $325 million system that would have been developed in Spain by Pap Tecnos, a subsidiary of Israel’s Rafael Advance Defense Systems. Berman discusses that Spain is a long-time critic of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, and that it may be following other European countries with this step.

Karmel speaks about ongoing government settlement policies that incentivize Israelis to move to the West Bank due to rising housing costs inside Israel, and how that situation has been concretized by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government.

She also relates the launch of a book by released hostage Eli Sharabi, the first book by a former hostage, and his determination to keep living despite the personal tragedies he has experienced.

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

For further reading:

Senior Israeli official: Hamas ‘must understand it has to accept the Witkoff outline’

Key US consulting firm withdraws from American- and Israeli-backed Gaza aid agency

Israel punches back at UN chief for demanding probe into Gaza aid site shooting

Trump insists no enrichment in Iran deal after US said to offer limited nuke activity

Spain reneges on $325m purchase of anti-tank missiles from Israel’s Rafael

Is the government using the housing crisis to drive the settlement movement?

A book to wake up the world: Ex-hostage Eli Sharabi launches memoir of captivity and survival

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: The Al-Ansar Mosque in Gaza's Deir al-Balah after Israeli airstrikes, June 3, 2025. (Photo by Ali Hassan/Flash90)

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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.

New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Twelve people were wounded Sunday in Boulder, Colorado — including at least one person in critical condition — when activists rallying for the release of the Israeli hostages in Gaza were attacked by a man shouting “end Zionists,” who fired a makeshift flamethrower and threw firebombs at them. Tress updates us with what we know so far about the suspect, Mohammed Soliman, and his motives.

Tress compares Sunday's Boulder attack to the fatal shooting of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, less than two weeks ago. He reminds listeners of Jewish community leaders' warnings of potential copycat attacks on the horizon.

To close, we learn about a new facility from the Community Security Service, a nonprofit that trains volunteer synagogue guards throughout the US, the first in the US dedicated to training synagogue guards as American Jews build out an array of connected security measures amid a global surge in antisemitism.

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

For further reading:

Three IDF soldiers killed by roadside bomb in north Gaza’s Jabalia

With attacks in Washington and Colorado, the global intifada lands in America

Colorado suspect planned attack for a year, wanted to ‘kill all Zionist people’ — FBI

Trump pins Boulder attack on Biden border policy after suspect named as illegal alien

After deadly shooting, US Jewish security leaders urge vigilance amid threat of copycats

In first, US Jewish security outfit opens boot camp for volunteer synagogue guards

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Law enforcement officials investigate after an attack on the Pearl Street Mall Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Boulder, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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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.

Religions reporter Rossella Tercatin joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Nearly two years after the ancient, nearly complete Codex Sassoon bible was first introduced at the Anu Museum, days before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, the book of Torah is inaugurated at the museum, in the presence of released hostage Agam Berger, in a moving, bittersweet ceremony, tells Tercatin. Another ancient bible, the Shem Tov bible, this one only 700 years old, was also inaugurated permanently at the National Library of Israel, both in time for the Shavuot holiday.

Tercatin also looks at the ongoing issues of conversion in Israel, following a meeting last week of the Knesset Aliyah Committee devoted to the topic of conversions on Tuesday, ahead of the Shavuot festival. Only about half of those who start the process to convert manage to complete the journey, and the Conversion Authority is currently formally without a director, leaving nobody can sign the official conversion certificates, complex matters that Tercatin discusses.

Steinberg talks about an art exhibit currently at Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan, marking the 80th anniversary of the kibbutz's Shavuot ceremony, created by two pioneering kibbutz members in the 1940s to mark the agricultural and harvest aspects of the festival.

Finally, Tercatin discusses the Messianic community in Israel, and its connection to Yaron Lischinsky, the Israel Embassy staffer who was killed alongside his soon-to-be-fiance, Sarah Milgrim, on May 21 in an antisemitic attack at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC.

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

For further reading:

Codex Sassoon, oldest near-complete Hebrew Bible, displayed in Israel after Oct. 7 delay

Ahead of Shavuot, thousands of converts remain unrecognized by state, stuck in limbo

Kibbutz marks 80 years of Shavuot song and dance with pioneering artworks

For Messianic Jews in Jerusalem, Yaron Lischinsky’s murder was a personal loss 

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: The 'Codex Sassoon' bible is displayed at Sotheby's in New York on February 15, 2023. (Ed Jones/AFP)

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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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following the early morning Iranian rocket attack that directly hit Beersheba's Soroka Medical Center and buildings in Ramat Gan and Holon, Magid discusses the likelihood of the US getting involved in the Israel-Iran conflict. He notes that the stance of US President Donald Trump regarding US involvement has shifted dramatically in recent days, moving from very unlikely to highly possible.

Magid also discusses how Republican support for Israel is divided on the issue of the US intervention in the Iranian conflict, with some Republican politicians making it clear that they support the steps that Israel has taken, while others are against the US getting involved in a conflict far from US soil.

As 85 trucks of humanitarian aid entered Gaza on Wednesday, Magid discusses the ongoing challenges of aid distribution being handled by the Israeli-US Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

He also talks about the latest offer for hostage negotiations, as Egypt offers to host representatives of Israel and Hamas in Sharm el-Sheikh, which is accessible for the Israeli team, given the closure of Israel's airports during the Iran conflict.

Israel believes that its strikes against Iran will help in talks with Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal, says Magid.

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

For further reading:

‘Nobody knows what I’m going to do’: Trump won’t say whether he’ll strike Iran

Trump speaks with Netanyahu and advisers as he weighs strike on Iran

Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender,’ says US won’t kill Khamenei ‘for now’

Netanyahu says Israel won’t rule out killing Khamenei: It would ‘end the conflict’

US embassy working on plans to evacuate citizens seeking to leave Israel

Egypt pushing to host hostage talks, but Israel holding off for now

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Smoke rises from where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, June 19, 2025 (Credit: Dudu Greenspan/Flash90)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The IDF confirmed last night that an Israeli airstrike earlier this month killed top Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar while he was in a tunnel underneath a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. What information is the IDF basing the confirmation on?

The IDF claims that Hamas’s hold is slipping, along with its stronghold on food supplies. However, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation effort is being accused of wounding and even killing Gazans who are attempting to secure aid. Fabian weighs in on this increasingly murky endeavor.

A 19-year-old Defense Ministry civilian contractor, David Libi, was killed by an explosive device Thursday during Israel Defense Forces operations in the northern Gaza Strip. We learn why the IDF is employing Israeli civilians in the Strip.

The IDF carried out airstrikes on Friday near the coastal Syrian city of Latakia, saying its fighter jets targeted weapon depots used to store anti-ship missiles. It was Israel’s first reported strikes in Syria in nearly a month, but the IDF is not being forthcoming as to which terror group -- or state -- was the owner of the missiles.

Finally, we learned recently that the Israeli Air Force intercepted 35 drones launched by the Hezbollah terror group using a new laser interception system. The new system used during the fighting is a lower-powered version of the Iron Beam laser interceptor, which is set to be delivered to the Israel Defense Forces later this year. We hear about the IDF's beta-testing of the new system.

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

For further reading:

Following Netanyahu, IDF confirms Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar killed in May 13 strike

Israel claims Hamas losing control over Gaza civilians as GHF ramps up aid operations

IDF chief said to tell communities near Gaza he will ‘not let war drag on indefinitely’

Defense Ministry civilian contractor killed during IDF operations in northern Gaza

IDF says it targeted anti-ship missile depots near Syria’s Latakia; one said killed

IDF reveals it used laser system to intercept dozens of Hezbollah drones last year

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: A laser interception system deployed to northern Israel, in an undated photo published by the Defense Ministry on May 28, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Hebrew University Prof. Elie Podeh.

Podeh, the Bamberger and Fuld professor in the History of the Muslim Peoples, recently published a research article, "Israel’s 2005 Disengagement from Gaza: A Multilateral Move Under Unilateral Façade."

In the article, we learn that while the Gaza Disengagement was a unilateral decision, it was carried out in partnership with the United States, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

Among other revelations in the paper, we hear about the committees formed among the partners and their work on arrangements for border control, economic transition, and security cooperation. All elements were negotiated behind the scenes, especially under the guidance of American envoys and Egyptian mediators.

Podeh weighs in on prime minister Ariel Sharon's decision not to allow the PA to take credit for any part of the diplomatic cooperation and the question of whether delegitimizing the PA's authority in Gaza may have contributed to the Hamas takeover in 2007.

We speak about -- today, as the IDF is poised to retake the Gaza Strip, what the reasons were for the Disengagement 20 years ago -- and, in Podeh's opinion, why the Strip shouldn't be resettled by Israel.

And so this week, we ask Prof. Elie Podeh, 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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch. 

IMAGE: Young settler prays during the disengagement in Neve Dekalim on August 18, 2005. (Nati Shohat/ Flash90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. In this episode, American Jewish Committee head Ted Deutch fills in for Berman, who is on reserve duty.

On May 21, Sarah Milgrim and her boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, were shot to death outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, where the victims had just attended an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee that focused in part on humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Both Milgrim and Lischinsky were employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington. Their alleged killer — a far-left activist from Chicago — shouted “Free Palestine” as he was arrested.

This week, the head of the AJC talks more about what type of coexistence event was held prior to the murders.

We discuss the rise in antisemitic violence across the Diaspora and what, in Deutsch’s opinion, can be done to counter it.

The former Florida congressman emphasizes the need for leaders around the world to condemn the surge in antisemitism and use nuanced language when speaking about the war in Gaza.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: A mourner lights a candle during a vigil for the victims of the Capital Jewish Museum shooting outside of the White House on May 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Two Israeli Embassy staff members, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were gunned down after an event at the museum by a man shouting slogans in support for Palestine. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images/AFP)

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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 military reporter Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff says he has “some very good feelings” about the chances for reaching a temporary ceasefire that leads to a long-term resolution to the conflict in Gaza. Magid explains what could be on the table and why Witkoff is expressing optimism despite long-time Israeli and Hamas intransigence.

The Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said Wednesday it had successfully opened its second aid distribution center in southern Gaza, after the launch of its first site a day earlier descended into chaos when crowds stormed the facility. International media is reporting shootings and deaths at the first aid center this week. Magid attempts to make order of the chaos.

The United Arab Emirates rebuked Israel over this week’s Jerusalem Flag March, characterizing it as an “annual spectacle of unchecked violence and extremist provocation” and issuing a rare warning against Israel if Jerusalem doesn’t take “decisive steps” against the phenomenon. Magid explains why summoning of Israel's envoy -- only the second time the UAE has taken this measure -- is so significant even as several of Israel's allies are openly condemning the Jewish state.

US President Donald Trump confirms that he asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a call last week not to take military action against Iran that could disrupt Washington’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic. Magid describes the differing accounts of the phone call.

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

For further reading:

Witkoff says US to issue new Gaza terms, has ‘very good feelings’ on reaching hostage deal

Gaza aid group opens 2nd distribution center, day after first site swarmed by crowds

UAE issues rare warning to Israel after summoning envoy over Jerusalem Flag March

Trump: I told Netanyahu striking Iran would be ‘very inappropriate,’ as deal is close

Report: Netanyahu-Trump phone call on Iran was marked by heated disagreements

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump invites US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to respond to a question in the Oval Office of the White House on May 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

On this 600th day since the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, we do a zoomed-out update on all seven fronts of the war and where they stand today.

Fabian begins the program by updating us on new humanitarian aid operations in the Gaza Strip and chaos on Tuesday as Gazans temporarily overtook a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation disbursement center near Rafah.

We turn to the West Bank where Israeli forces raided foreign exchange stores in Ramallah and Nablus on Tuesday, accusing their parent company of “connections with terrorist organizations,” according to an army closure notice. Fabian delves into other -- as yet -- unrealized fears regarding the West Bank.

We reported this morning that Israel and Syria are in direct contact and have, in recent weeks, held face-to-face meetings aimed at calming tensions and preventing conflict in the border region between the two longtime foes. Fabian weighs in on the evolution of the over 19 months of war there.

Although there were early drones and missiles coming from Iran-backed militias in Iraq, recent news indicates negotiations to release Elizabeth Tsurkov, the Israeli-Russian researcher who was taken hostage in Iraq two years ago, are at advanced stages. For the past six months, the militias have not targeted Israel, explains Fabian.

However, even as we were recording today's episode, the Israel Air Force retaliated against the Iran-backed Houthis' relentless ballistic missiles and struck the Houthi-held Sanaa airport. Again.

Since November 27, 2024, there has been a negotiated ceasefire with the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorist army. But all is not quiet and, as Fabian explains, Israel will likely remain in fighting form along the border -- permanently.

And finally, the great unknown: reports from The New York Times indicate that US officials are worried that Israel could decide to carry out strikes on Iran’s nuclear program without much warning. Fabian reviews what we know.

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

For further reading:

Gazans overrun Strip’s new aid center; operator says distribution has resumed

Israel launches anti-terror raids on West Bank money changers

Israel and Syria holding face-to-face meetings at border to calm tensions

Reports claim deal in works to free Israeli-Russian held hostage by Iraqi militia

Security cabinet approves plan for high-tech security barrier along Jordanian border

US officials concerned Israel may strike Iran nuke sites without much warning – NYT

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

Illustrative: Fighters from the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah train in southern Lebanon, May 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

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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.

Legal correspondent Jeremy Sharon and health editor Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

The controversy over the appointment of a Shin Bet chief continues, says Sharon, discussing the implications of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's instructions to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he continues to disregard the instructions about appointing a new Shin Bet chief. Sharon reviews the potential for a constitutional crisis as the situation comes to a head.

Sharon also reviews some of the statements made by the attorney general and President of the Supreme Court Isaac Amit during Monday's Bar Association conference, as they both accused the government of quietly advancing far-reaching changes to Israel’s form of government.

Bletter speaks about several Israeli medical centers and how hospitals prepared for and responded to the needs of returning hostages in the earlier stages of the war and more recently. She discusses the particular care given to children and the expectation that hospitals will care for released hostages and their families for months and years to come.

The Druze community in Israel is in touch with and actively supports relatives in Syria, reports Bletter, with concerns over the future of Druze in Syria, given the new government in place. They're also questioning the strength of their own  Druze identity in Israel.

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

For further reading:

AG tells Netanyahu that choosing Zini to head Shin Bet ‘invalid and unlawful’

AG: ‘Not a warning, but reality – under cover of war, regime change has sped up greatly’

Netanyahu’s appointment of David Zini as Shin Bet chief is fraught with obstacles

Facing a hostage situation without precedent, Israeli hospitals innovate to rehabilitate

‘Maybe God put Druze in Israel to save the Druze there’: Minority fights for Syrian cousins

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: A billboard showing Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, 'The judicial seamstress to the government! in Tel Aviv on December 6, 2024 (Photo by Miriam Alster/Flash90)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Currently, the IDF holds about 40% of the Gaza Strip. In a briefing yesterday, Fabian learned that the new plan is to almost double those holdings within two months. As of yet, the groundwork is still being laid ahead of a massive ground operation with over 200 airstrikes carried out in the past 48 hours. Fabian explains the procedure the IDF uses to order civilian evacuations ahead of the planned influx of IDF soldiers on the ground.

The first distribution point operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation begins operations in the Strip today. This comes as its CEO Jake Wood resigned suddenly last night, saying it was “clear that it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.” We hear how the mechanism is being implemented.

Israeli troops stationed at an army post near the Gaza border community of Kissufim on the morning of October 7, 2023, rushed to defend the kibbutz as Hamas terrorists began their terror onslaught. The forces, along with the kibbutz’s civil defense squad, managed to fight back against many of the terrorists, preventing them from rampaging throughout the entire community. Fabian takes us through the timeline of the battles from October 7-12, when the final terrorist was eliminated at the kibbutz.

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

For further reading:

Israel says Gaza aid starting distribution through controversial new mechanism

IDF aims to capture 75% of Gaza Strip in 2 months in new offensive against Hamas

IDF rushed to Kibbutz Kissufim as Hamas invaded, but some attackers stayed for days

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Troops of the Givati Brigade operate in the northern Gaza Strip, in a handout photo published May 26, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

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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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following reports of nine children killed from one family by an Israeli strike, Magid discusses the recent toll on Gazan children and the need to carefully weigh statements from Gaza Health Ministry, and the international headlines about this loss.

Magid also reviews statements made this weekend by released hostages and families of hostage members regarding the frightening experiences of captives in Gaza during Israeli strikes, including a harrowing story of narrow escape to safety by recently released hostage Edan Alexander. The statements highlight the lack of certainty felt by hostages and their families as the IDF increases the intensity of fighting in Gaza. He also mentions recent comments made by Democrats party head Yair Golan and colleagues, and how Israelis are expressing similar feelings in polls about the ongoing war.

As Israel continues to manage the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip following the 11-week blockade meant to squeeze Hamas, Magid discusses an American program that will handle the aid distribution, including non-food items and medicines.

He looks at the funding mechanisms and the distribution process, and whether this plan is close to operational.

Magid looks at comments made by Israel's Ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, during a PragerU podcast, in which he criticizes the Israeli opposition, and relates to the charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, dismissing them out of hand and relating to topics that diplomats don't generally touch. Leiter also talks about implementing President Donald Trump's plan to relocate Gazans.

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

For further reading:

Gazans say 9 children of doctor couple killed in Israeli strike; IDF looking into report

IDF strikes on Hamas tunnel nearly killed Edan Alexander in his last month of captivity — report

Letter shows Israel may let humanitarian groups in Gaza stay in charge of non-food aid

Israeli envoy to US accuses Netanyahu’s political opponents of ‘blood libel’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Protestors at Begin Road in Tel Aviv on May 24, 2025, carry a large banner, 'Save the Hostages End the War' (Credit: Dana Reany/Israeli Pro-Democracy Movement)

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with ToI senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur.

Last week, US President Donald Trump completed a four-day trip to the Middle East, his first official state visit of his second term.

He struck economic deals in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and, in lifting sanctions against Syria, made a bold move that could reboot the wartorn country.

On May 13, Trump delivered an almost hour-long speech at the Saudi-US Investment Forum at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that gives deep insight into his plan for the Middle East and beyond.

Rettig Gur examines this speech and explains its significance. We hear how it reflects Trump's diplomacy, which in many ways harkens back to an earlier style of US policy. And we hear how, while the speech only names Israel once, it is actually a leitmotif.

And so this week, we ask Haviv Rettig Gur, 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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch. 

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump speaks during the Saudi-US investment forum at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh on May 13, 2025. (Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, political correspondent Sam Sokol steps in for Berman.

This week, we learned that only 1,212, or five percent, of the 24,000 ultra-Orthodox men who have received initial draft notices since July 2024 have begun the enlistment process. Some 70,000-80,000 Haredi men are eligible to serve.

We also learned that despite constituting 14 percent of the working-age population, the ultra-Orthodox community generated only 4% of Israeli tax revenues in 2023, costing the government billions and adding thousands of shekels to the average non-Haredi worker’s annual tax burden, according to a new study by the Israel Democracy Institute.

Sokol has been rigorously covering the issue of universal conscription, also known as the Haredi or ultra-Orthodox draft, both in the halls of the Knesset and on the streets of Israel.

In this episode, we learn more about the diverse Haredi society and what motivates it. We talk about the history behind the exemptions, as well as the history of Haredim joining the coalition.

And finally, Sokol updates us on the slow legislative process to codify Haredi enlistment -- which may just topple the coalition.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Yeshiva students listen to a Torah lesson at the Hebron Yeshiva in Jerusalem on August 16, 2018. (Aharon Krohn/Flash90)

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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.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The Israel-Iran war continues with fewer missile barrages from Iran even as Israel continues to use innovative ways of using its technology to destroy nuclear and military infrastructure in Iran. We begin the episode by speaking about how Israel has tweaked its aerial missile capabilities, specifically its standoff munitions, to turn them into far-flying, guided ballistic missiles.

Rettig Gur speaks about the many, deep reasons why Russia did not want this Israel-Iran war to take place, including the notion that Israel has shown the lack of capabilities of Russian anti-aircraft tech as the IAF sails through Tehran airspace. We hear what else had Russian President Vladimir Putin concerned.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed words of support yesterday for Israel’s war against Iran, saying, “This is the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us. We are also victims of this regime. This mullah regime has brought death and destruction to the world. As Merz appers to be urging the United States to enter the fray, we also hear about France's support for Israel's military operations in Iran.

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

For further reading:

Israel will achieve goals in Iran within a week or two, including in Fordo, IDF says

The US bunker-buster bomb that could destroy Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility

Germany’s Merz threatens destruction of Iran’s nuclear program if it bucks talks

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Portraits of Iranian military generals and nuclear scientists, killed in Israel's June 13 attack are displayed above a road, as a plume of heavy smoke rises from an oil refinery in southern Tehran, after it was hit in an overnight Israeli strike, on June 15, 2025. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)

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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.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider and legal reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following the tragic shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, Schneider reviews what we know about the victims and the shooter, as well as security at public Jewish institutions in the US.

Schneider also discusses the implications of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Wednesday night press conference, his first with the Israeli press in at least six months. The prime minister discussed key issues, including the government's demand that Gazans be relocated in its ongoing negotiations for the hostages. Schneider points out that the hostage families strongly criticized the prime minister for his statements regarding the talks. Netanyahu was also taken to task for his mistaken remarks about one Gaza envelope kibbutz and what happened to the community on October 7, as well as his downplaying of the Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7, remarking that they were wearing flip-flops and weren't a heavily armed force.

Following Wednesday's High Court ruling that Netanyahu's firing of the Shin Bet chief was improper due to a conflict of interest, Sharon discusses the immediate implications of the ruling, commenting that the Shin Bet's independence is crucial for Israel's democratic governance and the government faces a potential constitutional crisis following the court's ruling.

This conversation can be viewed here:

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

For further reading:

Two Israeli Embassy staffers killed in shooting attack at Washington, DC, Jewish Museum

Netanyahu sets implementation of Trump’s Gaza relocation plan as new condition for ending war

High Court rules Shin Bet head’s dismissal ‘unlawful’, PM had ‘conflict of interest’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Two Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza over the past two days. Fabian describes the situations that led to the deaths of Staff Sgt. Danilo Mocanu, 20, and Sgt. Yosef Yehuda Chirak, 22.

Even as Israel has begun to allow humanitarian aid trucks into the Gaza Strip, the United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that 14,000 babies in Gaza could die within 48 hours. Yesterday, the United Nations received permission from Israel for 93 aid trucks to enter the Gaza Strip, but questions remain over how it will get to the Gazans who need it -- and not be usurped by Hamas.

Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense agency said IDF strikes killed at least 19 people overnight, as Israel faces mounting international pressure over its military offensive. Dozens of others have been reported dead in unverifiable numbers in the past several days since the operation ramped up on Saturday. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned in a video statement on Tuesday that the IDF is prepared to capture more territory in the Gaza Strip if Hamas does not agree to release the remaining hostages it is keeping in captivity. We hear what appears to be the IDF's operational strategy during Operation Gideon's Chariots.

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

For further reading:

IDF soldier killed in Strip; Hamas-linked agency raises day’s Gazan death toll to 91

Israel allows UN to bring 93 aid trucks into Gaza as international pressure mounts

Israel will seize more of Gaza if Hamas doesn’t free hostages, IDF chief warns

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip, in a handout photo published on May 11, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

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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.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada issued a joint statement Monday condemning Israel’s handling of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and calling on the Jewish state to immediately halt military action in the enclave and allow in more aid, threatening “further concrete actions in response” if Jerusalem refuses. Likewise, an additional 19 countries issued a joint statement urging Israel to “allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza immediately” after the partial lifting of its blockade on the territory. Horovitz describes what he says is a new, troubling sign in this round of global condemnations.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended his decision to allow limited humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip, saying that pressure on Israel had been “approaching a red line.” The step was necessary to press ahead with the expanded military offensive against Hamas, he said to his political allies, and had to begin despite the fact that IDF-secured distribution centers designed to keep the supplies out of the hands of the terror group were not yet ready. How has his coalition taken the news?

In comments that have roiled Israel, Yair Golan, head of the opposition party The Democrats, issued a scathing denunciation of the government and the war in Gaza, saying that Israel was killing children in Gaza “as a hobby.” Later attempting to fend off widespread criticism over his comment, The Democrats chairman praised IDF fighters as “heroes” fighting on behalf of a “corrupt” government. Horovitz weighs in on what may have brought Golan to make these explosive statements.

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

For further reading:

UK, France, Canada warn of ‘concrete actions’ if Israel doesn’t halt war, boost aid

Five trucks of humanitarian aid enter Gaza, says Israel, ending two-month blockade

Netanyahu defends Gaza aid resumption, acknowledges step stemmed from allies’ pressure

‘Insanity’: Hawkish politicians and groups pillory Netanyahu for resuming aid to Gaza

Qatar PM says ‘fundamental differences’ between sides have stalled Doha ceasefire talks

Outrage as opposition party leader Golan says Israel ‘killing babies as a hobby’ in Gaza

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Leader of the Democrats party Yair Golan leads a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on May 19, 2025. (Oren Ben Hakoon/Flash90)

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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.

Dozens of airstrikes were reported overnight and IDF spokesman, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, in a press statement from the Gaza border, says five divisions are now operating inside the Strip in the new offensive aimed at defeating Hamas. The ramped-up operation and Israel’s apparent determination have caused renewed determination to strike a deal. But the real question is which deal and whether the sides will bend at all. Magid fills us in.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the immediate resumption of “basic” humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip on Sunday evening. Israel has blocked the entry of medical, food and fuel supplies into Gaza since the start of March to try to pressure Hamas into freeing Israeli hostages. We learn about the newly established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and when it will be up and running. 

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

For further reading:

Netanyahu orders immediate renewal of humanitarian aid to Gaza, under heavy US pressure

US said pushing 2-month ceasefire deal for 9-10 hostages; Hamas denies this is agreed

Witkoff told mediators US not planning to force Israel to end Gaza war, officials say

New aid group: We’ll start Gaza operations by June; Israel to lift blockade in interim

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: A Palestinian man stands next to a truck carrying UNICEF aid supplies outside a shopping mall in Gaza City on May 12, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

A new round of negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal between Hamas and Israel began in Qatar on Saturday after the Israeli military launched its new expanded offensive in the Gaza Strip, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots,” that will seek to “seize strategic areas” of the Hamas-run Strip. Fabian describes the slow rollout of the operation so far and how many more troops have entered Gaza as of Sunday morning.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis say they fired two ballistic missiles at Israel early Sunday morning. This comes after Israeli fighter jets carried out a wave of airstrikes in Yemen on Friday afternoon, targeting two Houthi-controlled ports in the west of the country, and threatened to kill the terror group’s leader. We discuss the growing realization that the terrorist group is undeterred by IAF strikes and whether Israel will take another tack soon.

The Israel Defense Force said Saturday that it killed a Hezbollah commander in a drone strike in Lebanon. The operative, who was targeted on a road near Mazraat Jemjim — some 30 kilometers from the Israeli border — in the Tyre District, was the commander of Hezbollah’s forces in the Beaufort Castle area, the military said. Fabian updates us on who he was and what he was allegedly up to.

To end the program, we discuss Israel's participation in last night's Eurovision final and Yuval Raphael's second-place finish. Israel's 2025 contestant, who survived the Nova festival massacre on October 7, 2023, won the popular vote, but was less warmly received by the jury. Fabian gives some reasons why.

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

For further reading:

IDF launches major new Gaza op, ‘seizing’ key areas; Palestinians: Dozens killed in strikes

Israel, Hamas say Gaza talks renewed after IDF initiates major new offensive

IDF pounds Houthi ports in Yemen, threatens to kill leader, after missile, drone attacks

IDF says it killed Hezbollah commander in drone strike in southern Lebanon

Israel’s Yuval Raphael tops Eurovision public vote, finishes in 2nd place as Austria wins

Israel’s Yuval Raphael feels she’s ‘won at life’ after coming second at Eurovision

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: A Palestinian boy looks at a house destroyed in Israeli strikes in al-Saftawi area west of Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip on May 18, 2025. (Bashar TALEB / AFP)

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Eurovision mega-fan Tal Dahan, straight from Basel.

Dahan is a volunteer reporter with the Hebrew-language EuroMix website, which has been the number one source for Israelis about the Eurovision for decades.

This year marks Israel's 47th time participating in the Eurovision, a song contest that was established 69 years ago to unite Europe through music.

We are recording just after the first semi-final and ahead of Israel's participation in the second semi-final on Thursday night. It is expected that Israel's candidate, Yuval Raphael, will make it to the finals on Saturday night with her song, "New Day Will Rise."

Dahan talks about the betting favorites going into Saturday's final and also discusses the politics of the competition.

And so this week, we ask Tal Dahan, 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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch. 

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, political correspondent Tal Schneider steps in for Berman.

Unforgettable images of the Caracal's female tank unit crushing Hamas terrorists infiltrating southern Israel on October 7, 2023, brought home the realization that not only are women serving in the IDF, they're as eager -- and able -- to fight as their brothers in arms.

Scheider describes a recent Knesset committee that discussed the phenomenon of the IDF's growing number of women warriors, which now make up almost 21 percent of all fighting forces.

We review the history of battles to have female fighters in the IDF -- including several benchmark Supreme Court cases which paved the way for the next generation.

Schneider, who has spent the past several months researching the contribution these women warriors made on October 7, talks about where the army stands today -- and what is on the horizon for other fighting units being opened up to women.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Mix-gender Caracal battalion troops at the end of their basic training. (IDF)

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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.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode.

US President Donald Trump is still in the region and is visiting the United Arab Emirates today. After landmark deals in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, we discuss what may come out of the UAE trip — and the entire trip’s resonance for Israel, including Trump’s new relationship with Syria.

We begin by discussing a half-hour meetup in Riyadh with Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Trump announced the US was lifting sanctions on the country the previous day and urged Syria to join the Abraham Accords normalizing relations with Israel. It was the first encounter between leaders of the countries in 25 years. We hear how Israel views this budding relationship.

In Qatar, Trump signed an agreement with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani that will “generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2 trillion,” the White House said. The announcement came as negotiations kicked off in Doha over a potential hostage-ceasefire deal with the Hamas terror group. Horovitz describes how Israel was not apart of the Trump visit, yet Israeli representatives are currently in the country in a renewed US push to negotiate an end to the war.

To end the program, we speak about Israel’s approaching participation in tonight’s Eurovision semifinal. Horovitz describes the antipathy already experienced by Yuval Raphael, Israel’s 2025 contestant, who survived the Nova festival massacre on October 7, 2023.

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

For further reading:

Woman en route to hospital to give birth killed in West Bank terror shooting

Hailing Syria, arming Saudis, dealing with Iran and Houthis, Trump relegates Israeli concerns

Trump puts an American First, and Israel rejoices

Trump urges Syria’s Sharaa to join Abraham Accords, praises him as ‘attractive, tough guy’

Hostage talks kick off in Doha, but PM’s insistence on not ending war curbs optimism

Trump, in Qatar, announces ‘record’ deals with Gulf State for US planes, drone tech

Trump says Israel is not sidelined by his Gulf trip: ‘This is very good for Israel’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump speaks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before posing for a family picture with Gulf leaders during a gathering of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh on May 14, 2025. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP)

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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.

Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon and news editor Amy Spiro join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Yesterday, the United Nations-linked Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) organization said in a “Special Snapshot” briefing that “the Gaza Strip is still confronted with a critical risk of famine,” and that “the entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people [one in five] facing starvation.” Israel has accused IPC of a “lack of transparency” with regards to the source of its data, and it said the IPC’s Special Snapshot failed to take into account “the massive volume of aid, especially food, that entered Gaza during the ceasefire.” Sharon weighs in. 

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Tuesday ordered the military to begin sending conscription orders to all draft-age members of the ultra-Orthodox community at the start of the next recruitment cycle in July. How much authority does she have and will anything change? 

President Isaac Herzog on Monday became the first foreign leader to be hosted by new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, just six days after he took the helm of Germany’s government, with Berlin and Jerusalem marking 60 years of strong diplomatic ties. Spiro was there and reports back.

Singers from 37 countries are now in Basel, Switzerland, for the annual Eurovision Song Contest this week. We learn about Israel's candidate Yuval Raphael and some of the challenges she faces.

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

For further reading:

Food security NGO warns of ‘critical’ famine risk in Gaza; Israel says study ‘flawed’

Attorney general urges conscription of all draft-age Haredim starting this summer

In Berlin, Herzog lauds 60 years of German-Israel ties, even as Gaza war casts shadow

Eurovision kicking off in Basel with glitz, schmaltz and little love for Israel

Israel’s Yuval Raphael and her team met by protests, threat as Eurovision week kicks off

After surviving Nova, Israel’s Eurovision hopeful is ready to ‘give my dreams a chance’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Palestinians line up to get a ration of hot food from a charity kitchen set up at the Islamic University campus in Gaza City on May 12, 2025. (Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Released hostage Edan Alexander is back in his family's embrace in Israel and is recovering from his 584 days in Hamas captivity. We hear what we know so far about Alexander's health and the conditions in which he was kept. 

A few hours after the final living US-Israeli hostage was released by his Hamas captors, the IDF says that its forces carried out a “targeted attack” on “key” Hamas fighters who were operating a command center in the Nasser Hospital compound in Khan Younis. Among those reported killed is Palestinian journalist Hassan Eslaiah, who on October 7 was freelancing for the Associated Press and invaded Israel with the terrorists and photographed them entering Kibbutz Nir Oz, where dozens of civilians were massacred. Was he the target of the airstrike?

Nour Bitawi, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative who Israeli authorities say was planning imminent terror attacks, was killed by troops Friday in the West Bank city of Nablus. Fabian explains who Bitawi was and how significant this mission could be. 

The Mossad spy agency and the Israel Defense Forces recovered the remains of Sgt. First Class Zvi Feldman, who went missing in the First Lebanon War’s battle of Sultan Yacoub in 1982. The battle, nearly 43 years ago, claimed the lives of 21 Israeli servicemen, and more than 30 were injured during it. Feldman, a tank soldier, went missing during the battle along with Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz and Sgt. First Class Zachary Baumel. Baumel’s remains were recovered and returned to Israel in 2019.
Fabian describes how the body of Feldman was recently recovered from “the heart of Syria” in a special operation.

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

For further reading:

US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander freed from Hamas captivity, reunites with family

IDF says it razed major tunnel in Rafah after Hamas operatives provided location

IDF says terrorists near defeat in Rafah, fighting now limited to one neighborhood

IDF says ‘most wanted West Bank terror operative’ killed in Nablus operation

Body of soldier Zvi Feldman, missing for 43 years, recovered from Syria by Mossad, IDF

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Released hostage soldier Staff Sgt. Edan Alexander, center, arrives at an IDF base near Re'im, May 12, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

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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 episode.

Two Israeli soldiers were killed fighting in separate incidents in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis on Monday. Cpt. Tal Movshovitz, 28, from Re’ut, was killed by an explosive device planted in a building.
Hours later, Staff Sgt. Naveh Leshem, 20, from Nokdim, was killed, and 10 other soldiers were wounded. Berman addresses the rumors of progress towards a negotiated deal to get the hostages out and a ceasefire in the Strip. What is happening in the war and what has changed?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday did not rule out plans to target Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Instead, he suggested that it would be a surefire way to “end the conflict” with the Islamic Republic. Berman updates us on other statements from the prime minister -- in English and Hebrew.

Downtown Tehran appears to be emptying out, with many shops closed, including in the city’s ancient Grand Bazaar, perhaps in light of US President Donald Trump’s impromptu evacuation call for the entire city of Tehran Monday night, citing what he said was the country’s rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development, as the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic appeared poised for further escalation. Berman explains what happened in the G7 and where the war could be turning.

French authorities erected black partition walls around Israeli company exhibits displaying offensive weapons systems at the Paris Air Show overnight Sunday, hours before the event opened at Le Bourget Airport. Berman weighs in, explaining the nuance of the situation -- and why this is hardly the first time Israel is singled out at this show.

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

For further reading:

2 soldiers killed in Gaza; another mass casualty incident reported near GHF aid site

Netanyahu admits Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was Israeli initiative

Netanyahu says Israel won’t rule out killing Khamenei: It would ‘end the conflict’

Trump urges ‘everyone’ to flee Tehran, sparking speculation of widening conflict

Trump, G7 heads call for ‘de-escalation’ in Iran, but US president denies ceasefire bid

Paris Air Show closes off pavilions of Israeli companies displaying ‘offensive weapons’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Handout image of Israeli fighter jet lifting off to strike Iran, June 17, 2025. (IDF)

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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.

Hamas has stated that in an “act of good faith,” it will release the final living US-Israeli hostage, Edan Alexander, today as US President Donald Trump begins to make his way to his visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Magid talks about his exclusive look into how the negotiations were carried out.

US envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff reportedly said during conversations with hostages' families that “Israel is prolonging the war, even though we do not see where further progress can be made.” This harsh statement came as the US made a separate peace agreement with the Iran-backed Houthis and is directly negotiating with Iran for a nuclear deal Israel is not supporting. Is Israel losing the backing of its closest ally?

Trump’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday is also set to include Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Syria’s interim leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, Arabic media reported Sunday. Magid weighs in on how likely this meeting is to take place and what Trump is trying to accomplish in his Mideast trip.

Iran and the United States wrapped up nuclear talks in Oman on Sunday with no apparent breakthrough in a standoff over uranium enrichment, but with both sides confirming plans for future negotiations. We discuss how Trump's Mideast trip may or may not influence future rounds of talks.

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

For further reading:

Hamas set to free US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander Monday in goodwill gesture to Trump

Backchannel helped secure release of American-Israeli hostage, sources tell ToI

Witkoff said to tell hostage families Israel pointlessly extending war, US urging deal

Trump’s meeting with Saudi ruler said set to include leaders of PA, Lebanon, Syria

Tehran says 4th round of nuclear talks difficult, while US ‘encouraged’

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Varda Ben Baruch holds an image of her grandson, hostage Edan Alexander, in Jerusalem on October 25, 2023. (Yuri CORTEZ / AFP)

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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.

Political reporter Sam Sokol and reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The Knesset came back from spring break last week and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox coalition partners have been pushing for the passage of legislation enshrining military exemptions for their community, after the High Court ruled in June last year that the dispensations, in place for decades, were illegal since they were not based in law. The legislation has long been held up in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, whose chairman, Yuli Edelstein (Likud), has pledged that he will “only produce a real conscription law that will significantly increase the IDF’s conscription base.” Sokol unpacks this complicated situation.

Surkes reports on Magen 48, an initiative to train civil defense teams at 66 localities within the Gaza border area — including the city of Sderot — and raise their skill set to that of IDF fighters.

We then learn about "She-Rise," a program that teaches women in the western Negev how to leverage their skills and create change in their communities.

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

For further reading:

‘The final deadline’: Could the IDF conscription crisis bring down Netanyahu’s government?

After October 7, IDF said to increase penalties for deserters, but not draft dodgers

Edelstein urges ‘real solution’ as work set to begin on revising Haredi draft bill

IDF joins forces with NGO to turn community security teams into lean fighting machines

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Haredi Jews protest and clash with police during a protest against the drafting of ultra-Orthodox Jews to the Israeli army, Jerusalem, May 5, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Elana Kaminka, peace activist and bereaved mother.

On October 7, 2023, Elana's firstborn son, Lt. Yannai Kaminka, 20, a commander in the Home Front Command, was killed battling against Hamas at the Zikim IDF training base. His efforts and those of his fellow officers there saved the lives of almost 100 recruits, as charted in a recently released IDF probe into the failures on and leading up to October 7.

In a frank and open discussion about what it means to choose a path of peace after losing her first child to terrorists bent on destroying her nation, Kaminka speaks with The Times of Israel just after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down in refusing to hold a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 disasters. 

Kaminka made aliya from California as a lone soldier at age 18 and later married Eyal with whom she had four children. Prior to October 7, she was already active in groups committed to fostering empathetic, respectful and nuanced dialogue. After losing her son, she redoubled her efforts to promote engagement between Israeli Jews and Palestinians -- and to protest the Netanyahu government, which she holds accountable for her son's death.

She is an active member of Tag Meir and the Parents Circle Families Forum and speaks tirelessly about the need to counter extremism and develop empathy and compassion among all levels of Israeli society.

While advocating for a future of dignity and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike in the Land of Israel, she is also a mother of three additional children, including her son who was conscripted to a paramedics unit a mere six weeks following his older brother's death.

And so this week, we ask Elana Kaminka, 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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch. 

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Tens of thousands of IDF reservists are again being called up — Berman among them — and Israel appears to be standing at a crossroads in the Gaza War.

In the first half of our program, we discuss Israel's strategy of conducting conflicts through a fighting force that is largely made up of reserve forces. Berman charts earlier wars and discusses the major takeaways from them.

We then turn to the present war and discuss its rollout, pauses, surprises (beepers, anyone?) and successes.

Berman discusses why it is imperative to end this war quickly -- for both Israelis and Palestinians.

At this liminal moment, we take a look at the past, present and future of the operations in the Gaza Strip.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Undated image of IDF forces in the Gaza Strip. (Israel Defense Forces)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

According to the Hamas health ministry, two IDF airstrikes early Wednesday hit the Karama School in Tuffah, a suburb of Gaza City, killing 15. Later in the day, an Israeli strike near a restaurant and market in the city killed at least 33 people, including women and children. Fabian reports on these two incidents and assesses where the IDF is currently heading in Gaza based on statements from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir yesterday.

A Hamas commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern coastal Lebanese city of Sidon early Wednesday morning. What was Khaled Ahmad al-Ahmad responsible for?

Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in two attacks carried out by Palestinians in the northern and southern West Bank on Wednesday afternoon. Even as the fighting in Gaza is ramping up, we learn that the concentration of forces are still largely in the West Bank.

As the army is searching for manpower, it apparently has no lack of woman power. Women still cannot enlist into all fighting units, but where they can, they’re showing up in record numbers. Fabian talks about this and a new rededicated unit -- where women can serve -- aimed at fighting drones along the northern border.

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

For further reading:

Hamas-run authorities say at least 48 killed in series of IDF strikes in Gaza

Hamas, Hezbollah commanders killed in IDF strikes in Lebanon

3 soldiers wounded, 2 seriously, in West Bank attacks

Ultra-Orthodox incensed as IDF chief orders boost in community’s conscription

IDF sees continued surge in female combat recruits amid Gaza war

Revived air defense battalion to aim new weapons at drone threat in north

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Soldiers stand near an Israeli army mobile canon at a position by Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, on May 6, 2025. (Jack GUEZ / AFP)

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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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following US President Donald Trump's announcement of a US truce with the Houthis, Magid discusses Jerusalem's surprise over that turn of events, given the ongoing Houthi attacks on Israel, including the Sunday morning attack that hit near Ben Gurion International Airport.

Magid explores Israel's new plan for distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza to prevent Hamas from diverting resources and getting the food into Gazans' hands. The plan includes working with humanitarian organizations and private US contractors and will allow some 60 trucks into Gaza daily through one border crossing. Food packages will be given directly to approved representatives of Palestinian families.

Trump is expected in the Middle East next week but isn't including a stop in Israel. Magid examines how hostage families are viewing the trip as a possible opportunity to bring the remaining hostages home. Families have also expressed concern over recent statements from the US president, as well as Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over conflicting numbers of living hostages.

Finally, Magid discusses a downgrading of US ties with the Palestinian Authority, with the elimination of the US Security Coordinator role, which helps bolster security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. It's part of the broader reorganization of the State Department by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The conversation can also be viewed here:

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

For further reading:

Trump announces US truce with Houthis, who say their strikes on Israel will continue

IDF planning major shift in Gaza aid delivery in bid to thwart Hamas diversion

US hostage families see Trump’s May trip to region as chance for loved ones’ return

US plans to eliminate security post tasked with bolstering Israel-PA security ties

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Family members and representatives of the 59 remaining hostages stand in front of the Knesset on May 5, 2025, to state that the Israeli public agrees that victory cannot be achieved without returning the hostages (Courtesy Hostages Family Forum)

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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.

Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Horovitz discusses the Israeli Air Force missile attack on the Yemen port, in response to the Houthi missile that hit Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday morning, and the ongoing bafflement about how to handle the challenge presented by the Iran-backed Houthis, and one that isn't going to fade.

He discusses the mood in the country as thousands of reservists are called up again to fight in Gaza, as polls show that two-thirds of Israelis would be prepared to stop fighting to bring the remaining hostages home. Horovitz notes that the language used by the government and army are subtle with an unclear plan in Gaza and an unpredictable US administration.

Horovitz also offers a brief look at the latest regarding the cabinet decision against a state commission probing October 7, as the attorney general had suggested. He notes that there is domestic concern on the part of the public who want to be sure that a disaster of that scope will never happen again and the concern that Israel will be able to defend itself internationally with the proper scrutiny into what took place on that day.

Finally, Horovitz comments on remarks made by US Mideast envoy Steve Witfkoff at an Israel Independence Day event at the US Embassy in Washington, DC, and his clear message that Israel needs to be united despite all the pressures from the outside and inside.

IMAGE: An Israeli reservist kissing his wife and child goodbye as he leaves for reserve duty, in Jerusalem, May 5, 2025. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Late last night, Israel approved a plan to significantly broaden the military offensive against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip. The plan provides for the “conquering of Gaza” and retaining the territory. One voice was heard above all in warning, that of Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who reportedly warned ministers that this could endanger the hostages held there. Fabian debriefs us on what he knows about this plan and what else is happening on the ground in Gaza.

Yesterday morning, a Houthi ballistic missile struck the Ben Gurion Airport compound. Fabian explains the initial conclusions about the failure and discusses Israel's anti-missile array, including a Patriot air-defense system that will be refurbished and sent to Ukraine.

Finally, we learn conclusions from the IDF's probe into the October 7, 2023, battles at Zikim Beach and hear that a squad of Israeli soldiers stationed near the border with the Gaza Strip abandoned civilians sheltering on the beach as Hamas terrorists invaded the coast.

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

For further reading:

Israel okays ‘conquering Gaza, holding the territories,’ as IDF chief said to warn ‘we could lose’ the hostages

IDF planning major shift in Gaza aid delivery in bid to thwart Hamas diversion

UN humanitarian agency rejects new Israeli plan for Gaza aid deliveries

Netanyahu threatens Houthis, and Iran, as cabinet convenes after missile hits airport

Patriot air-defense system based in Israel to be refurbished, sent to Ukraine – NYT

Most foreign airlines halt flights to Tel Aviv after Houthi missile hits airport

In ‘massive failure,’ troops abandoned civilians at Zikim Beach on Oct. 7, IDF probe finds

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Troops operating in the Gaza Strip in an undated photo released for publication on May 4, 2025 (Israel Defense Forces)

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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 and environment reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Earlier this morning, a Houthi ballistic missile struck inside the area of Ben Gurion Airport after the Israel Defense Forces failed to intercept it. Landings and takeoffs were halted before the projectile struck. Magen David Adom says six people were physically hurt in the Houthi missile attack on Ben Gurion Airport. Berman explains how the biggest blow may have been to Israel's reputation.

Two IDF soldiers -- Cpt. Noam Ravid, 23 from Sha’arei Tikva and Staff Sgt. Yaly Seror, 20, from Omer -- were killed and two were wounded in an explosion in a booby-trapped tunnel shaft in southern Gaza’s Rafah Saturday, the military announced. This terrible announcement comes after we heard last night that the military will resume mass call-ups of reserves for more intensive operations in Gaza. Berman weighs in on whether Israel is gearing up for "the" big operation in Gaza, or whether that will be on hold until after US President Donald Trump's visit to the region.

The Israel Defense Forces said its fighter jets had carried out a wave of airstrikes in Syria late Friday, less than a day after Israel attacked near the presidential palace in Damascus, amid Israeli warnings to Syria’s new Islamist rulers not to harm their country’s Druze minority following deadly sectarian clashes. Also, on Saturday, the IDF said troops were “deployed to southern Syria and prepared to prevent hostile forces from entering the area and Druze villages.” This comes as an Israeli Air Force helicopter ferried humanitarian aid to the Sweida area of southern Syria and retrieved wounded Druze. Berman gives insight into Israel's activities.

The Fire and Rescue Service said Thursday evening that firefighters had gained control of the conflagrations that had ravaged the Jerusalem hills for close to 30 hours. The announcement came hours after roads and train lines were reopened and evacuees from the area were permitted to return to their homes. Surkes describes the factors that led to this massive outbreak and why lessons definitely have yet to be learned.

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

For further reading:

Houthi missile hits grounds of Ben Gurion Airport after interception fails; 6 injured

Two IDF soldiers killed, two wounded in blast in booby-trapped Rafah tunnel

IDF calls up tens of thousands of reservists ahead of expanded Gaza offensive

IDF strikes military targets across Syria, says troops deployed to protect Druze

PM: Qatar ‘playing both sides’; Doha: He’s trying to justify crimes against civilians

Israeli chopper ferried aid to Druze in southern Syria, 70 km from border — source

Government accused of failing to take fire threat seriously despite years of warnings

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Israeli security forces at the site where a missile fired from Yemen hit an area of Ben Gurion Airport, May 4, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

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Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with the coordinator of The Times of Israel's Those We Have Lost project, Amy Spiro, for this special episode in honor of Israel's Memorial Day to Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror.

We explain about the genesis of our Those We Have Lost project, and how we aim to tell the stories of individuals slain in Hamas's brutal attack on October 7, 2023. The first entry was written on October 11, 2023, when the number of the murdered was still unclear and funerals were held around the clock.

Today, with 1,100 individual entries covering almost every single person killed by Hamas, our Those We Have Lost project paints a picture of each of their lives and the ongoing ripple effects of their deaths.

Spiro speaks to the challenges she's faced -- including the mundane issue of how to write names in Latin letters -- and where she draws her information from.

The Those We Have Lost project works to ensure that despite the massive scale of the loss, no one is forgotten. On behalf of The Times of Israel, Borschel-Dan urges listeners to visit the project's home page this week and keep the fallen's memories alive.

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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch. 

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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.

Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Over the past night, eight Israelis were killed and hundreds injured in Iranian barrages, with evenings and overnights now punctuated by missile strikes. Israelis have been staying close to protected spaces, and, until last night, almost every serious casualty had been outside a protected room or shelter.

Horovitz talks about Israel gaining air supremacy in Iran and the declared goals of the military campaign, which include averting the ballistic missile threat and damaging the Iranian nuclear program, but do not include bringing down the Iranian regime or targeting the country's political leadership... or completely destroying the nuclear program. Rather, the overt intention is to create an environment in which the regime decides its own interests require it to abandon and dismantle the entire program.

He notes that Israel has killed many Iranian commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and army, and key nuclear scientists, disrupting the regime's military command structure and hampering a potential breakout to the bomb.

Horovitz discusses whether the US could get involved, and notes comments by US President Donald Trump that express clear support for Israel but no intention to join the battle.

He says that Israel, which has made significant progress over the last few days, never asks other countries to fight its wars, but American involvement may be crucial in disabling Iran's best-protected nuclear facilities.

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

For further reading:

8 killed, nearly 300 injured as Iranian ballistic missiles strike central Israel, Haifa

Devastation grows as Iran targets Israel’s civilian areas, despite interceptors and shelters

Israel kills Iranian intel chiefs, strikes deep inside Iran, opens ‘air corridor to Tehran’

IDF reiterates safe rooms still best option against Iran’s missiles, despite 2 fatalities

Trump said to veto Khamenei assassination; Netanyahu: Conflict may result in regime change

Trump says ‘it’s possible’ US will get involved in Iran-Israel conflict, while urging deal

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Israelis at scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran hit and caused damage in Tel Aviv, June 16, 2025. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

This week, we look at Israel's long history of hostage release negotiations and how the price per captive has become increasingly inflated over the decades.

To begin our discussion, Berman gives a brief survey of some traditional Jewish sources dealing with the subject, including the Bible, Mishna and the Rambam's writings.

We then turn to 1950s Israel and hear a survey of hostage and POW situations -- and how many prisoners Israel released to free its citizens.

Finally, we discuss the deal which released Gilad Shalit -- and saw 1,027 Palestinian security prisoners again walk free, including Hamas October 7 mastermind, Yihye Sinwar.

Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: Illustrative image of now-dead Hamas head Yachye Sinwar at a rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day), in Gaza City, April 15, 2023. (Atia Mohammed/Flash90)

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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.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode on Israel's Independence Day.

Today, we will step back in time and attempt to get into prime minister David Ben-Gurion’s state of mind as the Jewish state is declared in 1948. We speak about the divided nation -- even as it was fighting for its mere survival against enemies on all fronts. 

To understand how Ben-Gurion was thinking on that fateful May 14, 1948, we turn to two newly released images of his handwritten diary, which reveal the first prime minister’s anxieties as the newly born country headed to war against invading Arab neighbors.

We then discuss how a mere few weeks after the Declaration of Independence, one of the most painful episodes in Israeli history occurred -- the Altalena Affair. Rettig Gur explains this social turning point.

Finally, Rettig Gur expounds on the current Israeli moment and compares it to the prescient anxiety felt by Ben-Gurion and the profound test of leadership he faced so soon after the founding of the state.

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

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

IMAGE: Cartoon illustrating Israelis' first election, January 25, 1948. (AP Photo/H. E. Munhall)

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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.

Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode on Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror.

Since February, the IDF has begun releasing a series of probes into the disasters on and leading up to the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre of some 1,200 and 250 hostages taken to Gaza.

Today, we look at the recent reports on the battles at the Zikim IDF base -- notable for the bravery of its commanders in saving their recruits -- and two smaller communities, Nir Yitzhak and Ein Hashlosha.

Despite being vastly outnumbered, Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak’s well-armed civil defense squad fought off dozens of Hamas-led terrorists, largely preventing them from rampaging through the community on October 7.
This is in stark opposition to what happened at Ein Hashlosha, another community in the Gaza Envelope. Fabian fills us in.

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

For further reading:

Commanders battled terrorists, saving 100 rookies at Zikim training base on Oct. 7

Outgunned, outnumbered Ein Hashlosha security team failed to resist Oct. 7 onslaught

Nir Yitzhak security team resisted terrorists on Oct. 7, preventing murderous rampage

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

Check out yesterday’s Daily Briefing episode here:

IMAGE: Cpt. Or Moses was killed on the Zikim base on October 7, 2023. (IDF)

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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 and political correspondent Sam Sokol join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As an Israeli official states that Qatar isn't being helpful in the hostage talks and an Arab official tells The Times of Israel that reports are being manufactured by Israeli officials looking to harm the negotiations, Magid offers a deeper look. We hear about the last few days of the talks and the government's desire for victory in Gaza, which could lead Israel into a deeper, more extensive battle against Hamas.

Magid reports on a conversation he had with Republican lawmaker Rep. Marlin Stutzman, one of the first US lawmakers to meet Syria's new Islamist leader, President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Stutzman cautions against Israel's interest in dividing the fledgling government into several autonomous regions and the Syrian president's vehement opposition to that idea.

Several top aides to former US president Joe Biden commented in a TV interview on several aspects of Israeli relations with the US during the Biden administration, including a missed opportunity to reach a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia last year. Magid fills us in.

Sokol speaks about a demonstration of Haredi protestors outside one of two IDF recruitment centers on Monday, where ultra-Orthodox men harassed conscripts to the new ultra-Orthodox brigade.

He discusses the IDF's inability to recruit 4,8000 Haredi men during the 2024-2025 draft cycle, given the lack of consensus in the ultra-Orthodox community, while Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Likud MK Yuli Edelstein is determined to finalize the draft of a law regulating ultra-Orthodox enlistment.

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

For further reading:

Arab source: To shield Netanyahu, Israel leaking false claim Qatar sabotaged talks

GOP lawmaker cautions Israel against ‘dividing’ Syria, after meeting with Sharaa

Biden officials vent frustrations in dealing with Netanyahu, decry missed chance of Saudi deal

‘Zionists are not Jews’: Haredi extremists harass recruits from their community at IDF centers

IDF won’t meet 2024-2025 Haredi conscription targets, official tells Knesset defense committee

Edelstein says Knesset close to drafting new enlistment law, won’t accept ultimatums

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch.

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