Day 467 - Hostage deal could be signed Wednesday or Thursday

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.


Reporter Amy Spiro filling in for diplomatic
correspondent Lazar Berman and environmental
correspondent Sue Surkes join host Jessica
Steinberg for today's episode.


Spiro says there is optimism that the proposed hostage deal will
be signed by Wednesday or Thursday, and reviews the proposed
details of the deal that it is very similar to what was proposed
last May, with a first stage of 33 hostages to be released in
exchange for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and
negotiations on a second phase of hostages 16 days into the
ceasefire.


Spiro says that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar calls this a
gradual deal, not a partial deal.


She reviews the process of approving the deal, which would first
go to the security cabinet and then to the entire government
cabinet. Spiro remarks that Likud ministers have said the deal
will pass, even without right-wing politicians National Security
Minister Itamar Ben Gvir or Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on
board, and that opposition leader Yair Lapid has said he will do
what is necessary to ensure the deal goes through despite any
longer-term political implications.


Surkes discusses the new reforms aimed at changing the range of
imported goods from the European Union, intended to lower prices
on goods in Israel.


Surkes also looks at a Tel Aviv University study regarding the
lack of cave art in the Levant and a bereaved family member's
newspaper that looks at how Israel could become a better place.


The printed newspaper, written only by bereaved families, aligns
with the latest Yoni Bloch song that Steinberg speaks about
briefly, with an AI clip that imagines the hostages released home
and peace in the Middle East.


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


Discussed articles include:


Smotrich undecided on hostage deal at this ‘fateful
moment’


Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal on brink of finalization, as
reports spell out details


Israeli officials: Deal will see 33 hostages freed in 1st
stage, most of them alive


Ben Gvir says he repeatedly foiled hostage deals, urges
Smotrich to help him stop this one


Along with soaring prices, Israel rings in 2025 with
economic reforms, but will they work?


Israeli researchers devise woolly solution to enigma of
why Levant has no cave art


AI music clip imagines all hostages released, a new
MidEast


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: Protestors at Begin Gate in Tel Aviv on January 15, 2025,
calling for the release of all the hostages and the end to the
war (Credit Yoav Loeff)


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.