Day 530 - US offers full support but no comment from Trump

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 Daily Briefing.


As Israel continued to bombard parts of the Gaza Strip for the
second night in a row, Magid discusses the full-throttled support
for Israel from the US. He comments that the Trump administration
believes that Hamas is at fault, and the terror organization
could have released hostages but refused and chose war instead.
Magid comments on the shift from the Biden administration and the
fact that US President Donald Trump hasn't yet commented on the
military pressure.


Magid looks at the latest with hostage envoy Adam Boehler after
his unsuccessful attempts to negotiate directly with Hamas, a
move that angered Israel. It appears that Steve Witkoff is back
in charge of the US negotiating efforts for Israel. Boehler spent
the week in Montana, says Jacob, hosting a summit at his home
with participants from several countries, part of a collaboration
to ensure that the act of hostage-taking around the world is
eradicated.


Magid also discusses the latest in the US funding of Palestinian
Authority security forces in the West Bank, as PA President
Mahmoud Abbas canceled legislation that conditioned welfare
payments to Palestinian security prisoners on the length of their
sentences in Israeli jails. Instead, the PA will be basing
payments to all Palestinians strictly on financial need.


Please see today's ongoing liveblog for
more updates.


For further reading:


Israel resumes Gaza strikes, says Hamas collapsed truce
by refusing to free hostages


US envoy to UN says blame for renewed Gaza fighting ‘lies
solely with Hamas’


Embattled US hostage envoy hosts summit for global
counterparts in Big Sky, Montana


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podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.


IMAGE: Israelis marching for hostages and efforts by Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try and fire Shin Bet head Ronen
Bar, on Road 1 outside Jerusalem, March 18, 2025. (Photo by
Yonatan SIndel/Flash90)


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