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.

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

Yesterday, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said that deadlines were needed on a deal for the next phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and that “all things are on the table” if the terror group agrees to demilitarize and leaving the Gaza Strip. We discuss who is in Doha right now and the so-called Witkoff outline, a framework would see Hamas release 10 living hostages, including American-Israeli Edan Alexander, in exchange for a further 60 days of ceasefire.

Israel received more clarity over US President Donald Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler’s direct dealings with Hamas officials on the release of hostages in Gaza when US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said they were a “one-off situation” that as of now “hasn’t borne fruit.” We delve into what Boehler has said about the talks in many media interviews and discuss what we know about the hostage envoy.

Berman recently published an analysis asking: If Trump could turn on Ukraine, not to mention close American allies like Canada, Colombia, and Jordan, then who says he won’t do the same to Israel? Berman weighs in.

Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Ahead of Doha talks, Witkoff says ‘deadlines’ key for deal on ceasefire’s next phase

US envoy Boehler’s Hamas meetings were a ‘one-off’ that ‘hasn’t borne fruit,’ Rubio says

Trump envoy defends his direct talks with Hamas, says US ‘not an agent of Israel’

After Trump turns against Zelensky and other allies, could Israel be next in line?

Meet Adam Boehler, Trump’s complacent, confused and dangerously naive hostage envoy

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.

ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: President Donald Trump listens as Adam Boehler in the Rose Garden of the White House, April 14, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

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