Day 513 - Israel cites a Trump game plan but Hamas won't play ball
The Times of Israel Daily Briefing
The Times of Israel
4.4 • 864 Ratings
🗓️ 2 March 2025
⏱️ 21 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.
Late last night, following a four-hour security consultation with top officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declared that it was endorsing what it described as a proposal by US President Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which would see the ceasefire with Hamas extended through Passover, which ends on April 19. What is this plan and how is it being received?
Israel is not allowing any more goods to enter Gaza, says the Prime Minister’s Office, citing Hamas’s refusal to accept what it says is an American proposal to extend phase one of the ceasefire through Passover and Ramadan alongside more hostage releases. Berman explains what else Israel is currently withholding, which is counter to the mediated phase one deal.
Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday to “prepare to defend” the Druze-majority city of Jaramana on the outskirts of Damascus in Syria. We hear why Israel sees itself as a defender of Druze and other minorities -- and what type of defense this may be.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that he had signed a declaration to expedite the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel after the Trump administration approved nearly $12 billion in major foreign military sales to the Jewish state. But after seeing the “good television” of a brush-up between Trump and Zelensky this weekend, should Israel be wary of such promises?
Please see today's ongoing live blog for more updates.
For further reading:
As truce enters limbo, Israel agrees to extend talks with Hamas before resuming war
Netanyahu and Katz direct IDF to ‘prepare to defend’ Syrian Druze suburb of Damascus
US moves to expedite delivery of $4 billion in military aid to Israel
After shouting match, Zelensky says Trump’s support for Ukraine still ‘crucial’
Trump berates Zelensky in shocking Oval Office scene: ‘Either make a deal or we’re out’
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.
Illustrative: Palestinian Hamas fighters and people gather in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, as preparations take place for the release of three Israeli hostages as part of the seventh hostage-prisoner swap on February 22, 2025. (Bashar Taleb / AFP)
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Times of Israel's daily briefing. |
| 0:11.8 | Today's Sunday, March 2nd, Day 513 of the war. |
| 0:16.5 | Amanda Borschelle, Dan, here in our Jerusalem office with our diplomatic reporter, Laser Barman. Hi, Laser. Thanks for joining me today. Hello, Amanda, Shavua Tov, |
| 0:25.1 | good to see you. Wow, that's a lot to digest all at once. So we're saying a good week and a good |
| 0:31.7 | month. And it's the month of a dar, so we're supposed to be happy all the time, right, Laser? |
| 0:36.5 | I am happy all the time, so I'm good. |
| 0:39.1 | You certainly are. |
| 0:40.2 | So the first phase of the hostage-release ceasefire proposal ended yesterday. |
| 0:45.5 | And this morning we're hearing that Israel is stopping aid into Gaza over Hamas' refusal to extend the ceasefire. |
| 0:53.7 | Laser will fill us in on Israel's newest proposal and Hamas's refusal to extend the ceasefire. Laser will fill us in on Israel's newest |
| 0:56.1 | proposal and Hamas's stated reasons for rejecting it. We're also hearing that Prime Minister |
| 1:01.8 | Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yusselaakats are instructing the IDF yesterday to prepare |
| 1:09.0 | to defend the Druze majority city of Jaramanah, which is on the outskirts |
| 1:14.8 | of Damascus in Syria. What does this mean exactly? And as the U.S. expedites delivery of |
| 1:22.0 | approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel,er will speak about the recent brush-up between |
| 1:29.9 | U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Vlodemir Zelensky and whether Israel should be |
| 1:36.1 | concerned. All of this and much, much more when we're back. |
| 1:51.2 | Israel's IDF reservists are the heart of the nation's strength and security. |
| 1:59.0 | Leaving behind their homes, families and livelihoods, they answer the call to defend their country without hesitation. |
| 2:03.5 | But reserve duty often comes with overwhelming financial and emotional challenges. That's where Ogen steps in. Through its Yuval Fund, Ogen provides interest-free |
| 2:12.3 | loans and essential support programs to help reservists and their families navigate these difficulties |
| 2:18.3 | with dignity. Right now, during one of Israel's most critical times, we have the opportunity |
... |
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