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.
Released hostage Amit Soussana is honored by the US State Department as a Woman of Courage and is the only one of eight women presented with the award to be given a personal shout-out by the US Secretary of State at the event. Magid notes that Soussana uses the platform to speak about the remaining hostages and the need to return to negotiations.
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Former hostage Yarden Bibas also echoed the plight of the hostages in his CBS interview with “60 Minutes,” aired on Sunday, where he asked US President Donald Trump to help bring them home.
Magid speaks about the freed hostages who feel comfortable expressing their opinions and concerns about the intensification of military pressure and the current impasse in hostage negotiations.
The spontaneous, sporadic protests in Gaza against Hamas are the first in years, according to Magid, as people take huge risks calling for an end to the war in Gaza. A 22-year-old protester was tortured and killed, says Magid, who follows several Palestinian activists on social media who are planning more protests in the coming days. Magid says that it would be best if Israel did not comment on the anti-Hamas demonstrations, leaving the movement as real, genuine protests, which could impact the terror group as it approaches the ongoing hostage talks.
This conversation can also be viewed here:
Please see today’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.
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Ex-hostage Amit Soussana receives US’s International Woman of Courage Award
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