Day 524 - Is Steve Witkoff the only hope for a hostage deal?

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 Daily Briefing.


As Israel’s hostage negotiating team remained in Doha, Qatar
overnight, Horovitz reviews the latest in the ceasefire situation
and the sense that US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff appears to be
the only person who can push Israel toward a second phase of a
hostage deal. Horovitz discusses how it was Witkoff who pushed
Israel toward the first stage of the deal that brought 33
hostages home, eight of them no longer living.


Horovitz also notes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
his coalition are on a two-week deadline to pass the budget by
March 31, and if they fail, his government will fall. Horovitz
notes that Netanyahu has to mollify coalition partner Bezalel
Smotrich, who has threatened to leave if Israel doesn't return to
war in Gaza, as well as the ultra-Orthodox, who want a permanent
IDF exemption for Haredi yeshiva students.


Another deadline looming for the prime minister's coalition is
pushing through laws that will neuter the Supreme Court and give
the political echelon control over how Israel's judges are
selected.


Horovitz also talks about US President Donald Trump's statements
about the future for Gazans, as he softened some of his previous
comments regarding their relocation, underlining how complicated
the entire topic is for all of the countries involved.


Please see today's ongoing liveblog for
more updates.


For further reading:


Steve Witkoff, Israel looks to you


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


Coalition to drive forward budget, judicial appointments
bills in intense Knesset push


Trump says ‘nobody’s expelling any Palestinians,’ in
apparent softening of Gaza plan


Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple
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podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.


IMAGE: Singer Kobi Oz and the Teapacks band perform for Einav
Zangauker and Ilana Gritzewsky, mother and girlfriend of hostage
Matan Zangauker on March 13, 2025 at the hostage family tent
encampment on Tel Aviv's Begin Road outside the Defense Ministry
(Credit Amir Yaacobi)


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