Day 507 - Tanks in the West Bank and IAF buzzes Nasrallah funeral
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.4 • 864 Ratings
🗓️ 24 February 2025
⏱️ 23 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.
Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's Daily Briefing.
The White House says that it supports Israel’s decision to delay releasing 600 Palestinian prisoners, citing the “barbaric treatment” of Israeli hostages by Hamas. At the same time, we’re hearing for the first time from US President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff that he will come to the region this week to try and negotiate an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, which is supposed to conclude at the end of the week with the return of four additional bodies of hostages. Berman updates us on the current status of the talks.
Yesterday, Israeli tanks deployed to the West Bank for the first time in over 20 years and Defense Minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the IDF to stay for at least the next year in West Bank refugee camps that have been cleared of terror operatives and civilians, and not allow some 40,000 displaced Palestinians to return. Does the IDF have the manpower for such an operation?
Tens of thousands of black-clad mourners vowed support for the Hezbollah terror group Sunday at the Beirut funeral of slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, after the group was dealt major blows in its last round of hostilities with Israel. As the funeral began at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium, Lebanon’s biggest sports arena, Israeli warplanes flew at a low altitude over Beirut. What was Israel's message with this fly over?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a “warm conversation” last night with Friedrich Merz, the presumptive German chancellor after his CDU/CSU came first in the German elections yesterday. But the standout saga from these elections is the surge in support for far-right anti-immigration party AfD, which took a historic second place among the electorate. Berman weighs in.
On the eve of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has faced fierce criticism from the new US administration, leading Zelensky to offer to quit his post if it would mean that Ukraine could join NATO. Publicity stunt or authentic plea?
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 Ben Wallick.
For further reading:
In first, Witkoff says US looking to extend hostage deal’s current phase
In visit to Tulkarem, Netanyahu calls to expand West Bank counterterror operation
Holding up photo of Bibas family, PM says Israel must ‘remember what we’re fighting for’
IDF deploys tanks in West Bank for first time since 2002, sending 3 to Jenin as it expands op
Tens of thousands shout ‘Death to Israel’ at Nasrallah funeral, as Israeli jets fly overhead
Germany’s rising far-right AfD is split over Israel. Jews call party ‘a danger’ either way
Responding to Trump, Zelensky says he’d resign if it meant Ukraine could join NATO
IMAGE: An Israeli tank drives towards the Jenin camp in the West Bank, February 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Times of Israel's daily briefing. |
| 0:08.6 | Today is Monday, February 24th, day 507 of the war. |
| 0:14.0 | Amanda Borsell, Dan here with our diplomatic reporter, Laser Bearman, from our Jerusalem |
| 0:18.5 | office. |
| 0:19.5 | Hi, Laser. |
| 0:20.5 | Thanks for joining me today in this semi-snowy weather. |
| 0:24.4 | Good morning. There's a couple of flakes, but it's really not what I was hoping for. |
| 0:29.5 | No one was hoping for a couple of flakes, for sure. So as Israel currently continues its pause in releasing some 600 Palestinian security prisoners. |
| 0:40.7 | Laser will update us on the status of negotiations to either prolong the first phase of the hostage-release ceasefire deal or reach a second phase. |
| 0:50.3 | We'll also hear about an enlarged IDF operation in the West Bank that, as of yesterday, includes tanks. |
| 0:58.9 | Yesterday was also the funeral for the former leader of Hezbollah and his successor, whom Israel killed in airstrikes five months ago. |
| 1:07.6 | We'll learn about Israel's messaging during the event. |
| 1:13.3 | Also yesterday, Germany held elections and the far-right AFD party won a historical second place. What does this mean? And today marks the |
| 1:20.2 | three-year anniversary of the current war in Ukraine and we'll hear about recent statements |
| 1:25.3 | from President Zelensky. |
| 1:30.3 | All this and much, much more when we're back. |
| 1:38.8 | We the Holocaust survivors are a rapidly diminishing group. |
| 1:42.9 | We are in the last moments of being able to share with our young people our firsthand testimonies. |
| 1:45.5 | Time is rapidly running out. Each year sees smaller numbers of survivors able to accompany students |
| 1:53.3 | on the March of the Living. Marching with students and survivors from many countries in those |
| 1:58.9 | terrible places allows our students to learn and understand |
| 2:02.6 | through stories and eyewitness accounts about our resilience, our strength and our determination. |
... |
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