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. With phase one of the ceasefire deal still in process, given the 13 bodies of hostages still in Gaza, Magid discusses the US desire to move into phase two of the 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war. The US is trying to create facts on the ground, says Magid, but there are concerns from the other partners regarding some of the decisions, including whether the focus should be on Hamas disarmament or postwar management of Gaza. Following last week's vote in the Knesset on a West Bank annexation bill, and the angry reaction from the US administration over the vote, Magid discusses how the Trump government has shifted its tone since February, when it announced it would back Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank and floated the idea of a Gaza Riviera. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US weighs which side’s red line to cross as it seeks to implement Gaza deal’s 2nd phase Trump says ‘Israel not going to do anything with the West Bank’ as US fumes over annexation vote Subscribe to The Times of Is rael Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves. IMAGE: U.S. Marine soldiers walk past a mural of a coffee shop near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, southern Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
