Day 458 - As Lebanon truce frays, is Gaza deal in the offing?

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 on today’s
show.


Israeli and regional media is rife with headlines about an
imminent potential Gaza hostage release deal. However, after a
Saudi outlet published a list it received from Hamas of 34
hostages the terror organization says would be freed in the first
phase of a potential hostage-ceasefire deal, the Prime Minister’s
Office puts out a statement stressing that the document is merely
an Israeli list that was given to the mediating countries in July
2024. Berman updates us on what is going on.


US special envoy Amos Hochstein has just landed in Beirut. This
comes a day after Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel
will be “forced to act” if Hezbollah does not pull back from
southern Lebanon as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement. What
is happening with the temporary truce agreement?


As Syria’s new government strives to gain international
legitimacy after overthrowing the Bashar al-Assad regime, Western
countries seem open to giving a chance to the government led by
Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group.
Berman explains how Israel is sounding the alarm.


An Israel Defense Forces soldier who survived Hamas’s attack at
the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, hurriedly ended his
vacation in Brazil on Sunday morning after the country’s Federal
Court ordered police to open a war crimes investigation into him,
according to Brazilian media. Another 11 soldiers across the
globe were warned by the Foreign Ministry. Berman weighs in.


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


Discussed articles include:


Leaked list names 34 hostages to be freed in 1st stage of
Gaza deal; Israel denies progress


Hamas said to okay list of 34 hostages to be freed, but
refuses to detail who’s alive


Katz warns ceasefire in jeopardy if Hezbollah doesn’t
withdraw from south Lebanon


As European and Arab leaders rush to meet Syria’s new
leader, Israel calls for caution


IDF soldier who survived Nova massacre escapes war crimes
investigation in Brazil


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podcasts. This episode was produced by Nomi Studios.


IMAGE: A protester with her hands bound and mouth taped shut
holds a placard during a demonstration calling for the release of
hostages held captive in Gaza by Hamas terrorists since the
October 7 attacks, outside the Defense Ministry headquarters in
Tel Aviv on January 4, 2025. (Jack Guez / AFP)


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