Day 522 - Gaza talks proceed as Israel smarts from US-Hamas meetups

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


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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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