Day 461 - As hostage body found in Gaza, Blinken says deal is close

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 episode.


As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken nears the end of his term
in the Biden administration, Blinken says that mediators are very
close to securing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement,
something that hasn't been stated in a while. However, Magid says
it may only be finalized at the start of the new Trump
administration.


He discusses other aspects of the hostage deal under discussion,
including the refrain from hostage families that a deal for only
34 hostages, some of them no longer living, will leave two-thirds
of the remaining hostages behind, a death sentence for them, adds
Magid.


Magid notes that Blinken placed the blame on Hamas for holding up
a hostage deal for months in his recent interview with The New
York Times, a comment which suggests that the US never wanted to
blame Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his positioning on
the deal, says Magid, even when it frustrated the negotiating
teams.


He also looks at the proposed $8 billion arms deal being prepped
by the Biden administration, and which has to be approved by the
Senate and House committees. Magid says the deal is to ensure
that Israel has the arms it needs in the case of any further
Iranian attacks.


Magid talks about the appointment of Morgan Ortegus as deputy
Middle East envoy, someone who opposes Trump's isolationist
approach and therefore Trump didn't offer a ringing endorsement
of her appointment.


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


Discussed articles include:


Blinken: We’re very close to hostage deal, it’ll be
handed to Trump if not finalized


Blinken: After Oct. 7, I threatened to nix Biden visit if
Israel didn’t let aid into Gaza


Biden administration prepping $8 billion arms package for
Israel, including heavy bombs


Trump appoints Ortagus as deputy Mideast envoy, but
admits he’s not excited about it


Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple
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podcasts. This episode was produced by Ben Wallick.


IMAGE: Demonstrators protest outside the prime minister's
Jerusalem residence after the IDF recovered the body of hostage
Youssef Ziyadne from a Gaza tunnel, January 8, 2025. (Photo by
Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)


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