Welcome to the Times of Israel's daily briefing.

Today is Thursday, October 31, Day 391 of the war with Hamas.

Amanda Borchelle Dan here in our Jerusalem offices with diplomatic reporter Laser Bearman.

Hi, Laser. Thanks for sitting with me here. It's really a pleasure to be in the same room.

Pleasure is mine as well. U.S. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein is in Jerusalem on this Halloween day

for meetings with top Israeli officials about his new proposal for a ceasefire in Lebanon, and

Laser will explain what we know so far. The Israel Defense Forces announced yesterday the formation of a new division that will be tasked

with defending the country's eastern border.

So how does this fit with the strategic needs of the army to enlarge its forces, including

with Israel's ultra-Orthodox sector?

All this and much, much more when we're back.

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Yesterday, Lebanon's caretaker prime minister said he was striving for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah

within the coming days after a hopeful conversation with U.S. Special Envoy Amos Hochstein

...