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

The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

The Times of Israel

News

4.4 • 864 Ratings

🗓️ 9 January 2025

⏱️ 22 minutes

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Summary

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 Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your 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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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, welcome to the Times of Israel's Daily Briefing. It is Thursday, January 9th, and I'm Jessica Steinberg. I'm speaking today with U.S. Bureau Chief Jacob Magid. Hi, Jacob. Good morning.
0:17.1	Hi, Jessica. Good to be with you. Good to have you here. It is day 461 of the war. Three soldiers were killed in northern Gaza fighting, raising the ground offensive toll to 401. The IDF said late Wednesday that the body of hostage Yusuf Ziyadhna was found in Gaza and brought home to Israel for burial. His son hostage Hamza Ziyadna, age 22, was not yet found.
0:42.4	Two other Ziyadhna children, Bilal and Aisha, ages 18 and 17, were also taken hostage on October 7th,
0:50.5	the family from Kupitzchalit, where the father Yusuf worked in the cow shed, and the two younger
0:57.8	children were released home in the November 2023 deal. We'll talk about the possibility of a pending
1:03.6	hostage deal with comments from U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the proposed arms deal
1:10.2	from the outgoing Biden administration.
1:12.8	We'll also talk about the Deputy Mid-East envoy being appointed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump
1:18.9	and why he says he's not so excited about this particular appointment.
1:23.3	All of that, after a quick break.
1:29.5	What if we could protect Israel with autonomous airborne devices, lasers, robots, and cyber technologies?
1:37.3	We can, because of the Technion Israel Institute of Technology.
1:41.4	The Technion empowers brilliant innovators to make technological discoveries that
1:45.4	keep Israel safe. From the Iron Dome to the soon-to-come Iron Beam to vital cybersecurity,
1:52.2	Technion alumni are leading projects that protect Israelis and will reestablish the country's
1:57.2	military deterrence. Be part of Israel's future at ats.org slash what if.
2:00.9	That is ats.org slash what if.
2:07.4	Okay, Jacob.
2:08.9	The hostage talks, if Blinken states, quote, unquote, were close and that the only
2:16.2	final piece would be a final sign-off that might have to
2:19.7	come from the incoming Trump administration. What is he really saying? What does this really mean?
2:25.9	Is it nearly a done deal? What are you hearing? So it's been a while since you've had a senior
	...

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