Day 492 - 2 released hostages didn't know loved ones were killed
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.5 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 9 February 2025
⏱️ 21 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
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.
Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As the three hostages, Or Levy, Eli Sharabi and Ohad Ben Ami return to Israel, questions arise about what they knew of their families' fates as they were released. Fabian discusses some of the details about what each man learned upon coming home to Israel, whether Eli Sharabi found out that his wife and daughters had been killed from Hamas, the Red Cross or his family, and if Or Levy knew his wife Eynav had been killed before he was taken into captivity.
Palestinians are allowed to return to northern Gaza, along the Netzarim Corridor, after the IDF cleared out its remaining positions, says Fabian, adding that Gazans are already approaching the area.
With nine more days left in the ceasefire with Lebanon, Fabian discusses Israel's enforcement of the ceasefire agreement, and the additional understandings that allow Israel to act against any Hezbollah act, including its Saturday strikes against Hezbollah members at a strategic missile site, which Israel said were a blatant violation of the ceasefire.
Following the Saturday IDF strike on a Hamas arms depot near Damascus, the first in more than a year, Fabian talks about the site as one that was known to the IDF. It was suspected that the arms could be used to attack IDF troops in the area.
Please see today's ongoing live blog for more updates.
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.
For further reading:
Almog, 3, to his dad, freed hostage Or Levy: ‘It took you a long time to come back’
IDF strikes Hezbollah operatives in eastern Lebanon; 6 reported killed, 2 wounded
IDF says it carried out airstrike on Hamas arms depot near Damascus
IMAGE: Hamas hands over hostage Or Levy to the Red Cross on February 8, 2025. (Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/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 Sunday, February 9th, and I'm Jessica Steinberg. I'm speaking today with military correspondent Emmanuel Fabian. Hi, man. And good morning. |
| 0:15.5 | Hi, good morning. How you doing? It is day 492 of the war. Israelis and the families of yesterday's returned hostages are |
| 0:24.5 | reeling from their fiscal appearance, from their severe emaciation, their health conditions |
| 0:30.6 | that include malnutrition and heart disorders. We'll talk about aspects of the return of the three |
| 0:37.1 | hostages, as well as Palestinians returning to the eastern part of Gaza's Nezzerium corridor and IDF strikes in eastern Lebanon in Syria. |
| 0:47.8 | All of that after a quick break. |
| 1:00.0 | During this period of upheaval in Israel, across the Middle East, and in U.S.-Israel relations, it's always tough to see through the fog of war and get clarity about what's really happening |
| 1:05.0 | and what's really important on the ground. |
| 1:08.0 | These days too can be really difficult to talk about, let alone envision a better |
| 1:12.6 | way forward and a better future for everyone living in the region. Join me, Tel Aviv-based |
| 1:18.4 | journalist and Israel Policy Forum Policy Advisor Neri Zilber, as I host the very top analysts, |
| 1:24.3 | journalists, policymakers, and other experts for in-depth conversations to keep |
| 1:29.2 | you informed on the most critical issues challenging Israel's future as secure, Jewish, and |
| 1:35.3 | democratic. Find Israel Policy Pod, wherever you get your podcasts, and let's get into it. |
| 2:05.3 | Okay, so Manny, everyone is thinking about and looking at the images of the Three Hostages. |
| 2:13.9 | We covered a little bit of this on yesterday's podcast, Elie Shirabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and Orlevi emaciated skeletal. |
| 2:21.5 | And the stories that are unfolding today are trying to, as everyone wants to understand what they knew and what they didn't know as they were released to the Red Cross and then to their |
| 2:28.3 | families in Israel. So let's talk about that a little bit. What have you been hearing and finding out over the last hours? |
| 2:37.3 | Let's put it that way. |
| 2:38.7 | So from what we've seen, I think I'd like to talk about Eli Sharabi first, |
| 2:44.1 | who as far as we understand, was not aware that his wife and daughters were killed on October 7th when he |
| 2:53.0 | was abducted by Hamas terrorists. And he only found out about this when he returned to Israel |
... |
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