Episode description

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.

Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Washington, DC, yesterday and is set to meet with US President Donald Trump tomorrow. In the meantime, he will meet and potentially start up talks about the second phase of the hostage release deal with US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff. Who is Witkoff and is he the key to Trump's idea of depopulating the Gaza Strip?

We discuss what we're learning about the treatment meted out to the three men freed on Saturday: Yarden Bibas, Ofer Calderon and Keith Siegel.

In an interview that aired on Israel’s Uvda investigative program on Tuesday evening, released hostage Amir Soussana said she owes one of the recently released female surveillance soldiers, Liri Albag her life. Goren recounts portions of Soussana's chilling interview.

For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

As Netanyahu arrives in Washington, Trump says talks on Middle East ‘progressing’

Witkoff to freed IDF soldiers: We have a common goal to bring everybody home

Hamas captors said to have tormented Yarden Bibas with incessant talk of wife, kids

Cages, starvation and fasting on Yom Kippur: More testimonies from freed hostages emerge

Keith Siegel forced to write thank-you letter to Hamas captors ahead of release

Ex-hostage says Liri Albag saved her life as Hamas captors tortured, threatened her

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 protest for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, in Tel Aviv on February 1, 2025. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

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