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.

Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.

Key aspects of the day-to-day situation in Gaza remain unclear, says Horovitz, with the lack of independent journalism in Gaza continuing to fog the narrative. For the moment, Israel has reversed its policy on aid to Gaza, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s two far-right coalition members, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, not invited to the cabinet meeting that approved this.

More from The Daily Briefing

Horovitz discusses the mixed signals and strategic incoherence of the government, with the supply of more aid into Gaza getting underway at the same time as unsourced reports say the army has proposed a tightened siege in the Strip and the government itself is weighing the occupation of all of Gaza and/or the annexation of some of it if a hostage-truce deal cannot be finalized.

Horovitz also discusses a wave of European recommendations to exclude Israel from academic projects, plus instances of Israeli tourists requiring security assistance in various EU locations, amid the rising tide of criticism against Israel.

Israeli and US negotiators are no longer in Doha, with both countries having characterized Hamas’s response to the latest proposal as unacceptable, even as Hamas claims it is surprised by this assessment.

Horovitz says Israel’s overall strategy is incoherent, including Netanyahu’s continued endorsement of US President Donald Trump’s original February call to relocate all Gazans, which the US leader is no longer highlighting.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

How Israel made itself responsible for Gaza, and for all the death, hunger and destruction there

PM says Israel will ensure lots of Gaza aid; ministers said to mull occupation, annexation

‘You can’t fake that’: Trump sees ‘real starvation’ in Gaza, says Israel must do more

Image of Gazan child with genetic illness being used to falsely smear Israel, COGAT charges

Smotrich signals he won’t bolt coalition despite objecting to Gaza humanitarian aid

EU proposes cutting Israeli access to research funds over Gaza humanitarian crisis

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