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.

Reporter Amy Spiro filling in for diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and environmental correspondent Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Spiro says there is optimism that the proposed hostage deal will be signed by Wednesday or Thursday, and reviews the proposed details of the deal that it is very similar to what was proposed last May, with a first stage of 33 hostages to be released in exchange for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and negotiations on a second phase of hostages 16 days into the ceasefire.

Spiro says that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar calls this a gradual deal, not a partial deal.

She reviews the process of approving the deal, which would first go to the security cabinet and then to the entire government cabinet. Spiro remarks that Likud ministers have said the deal will pass, even without right-wing politicians National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir or Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on board, and that opposition leader Yair Lapid has said he will do what is necessary to ensure the deal goes through despite any longer-term political implications.

Surkes discusses the new reforms aimed at changing the range of imported goods from the European Union, intended to lower prices on goods in Israel.

Surkes also looks at a Tel Aviv University study regarding the lack of cave art in the Levant and a bereaved family member's newspaper that looks at how Israel could become a better place.

The printed newspaper, written only by bereaved families, aligns with the latest Yoni Bloch song that Steinberg speaks about briefly, with an AI clip that imagines the hostages released home and peace in the Middle East.

For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Smotrich undecided on hostage deal at this ‘fateful moment’

Gaza ceasefire-hostage deal on brink of finalization, as reports spell out details

Israeli officials: Deal will see 33 hostages freed in 1st stage, most of them alive

Ben Gvir says he repeatedly foiled hostage deals, urges Smotrich to help him stop this one

Along with soaring prices, Israel rings in 2025 with economic reforms, but will they work?

Israeli researchers devise woolly solution to enigma of why Levant has no cave art

AI music clip imagines all hostages released, a new MidEast

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.

IMAGE: Protestors at Begin Gate in Tel Aviv on January 15, 2025, calling for the release of all the hostages and the end to the war (Credit Yoav Loeff)

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