Hostage talks in Paris * PM presents ’Day after Hamas’ plan * Festival massacre film debuts * Op-ed: Who rules the UK? * Ritchie Torres’s war * Israel in Eurovision storm

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Friday, February 23, 2024 Live updates [LIVE: Israeli delegation departs for Paris hostage summit, amid cautious optimism]( By ToI Staff Families block Ayalon with Shabbat table, urging hostage deal * IDF strikes Hezbollah posts in southern Lebanon * Gantz says decision to return to border towns rests with residents [Netanyahu presents post-war plan to cabinet, aims for ‘local officials’ to govern Gaza]( By Jacob Magid ‘Day after Hamas’ paper sees Egypt cooperation to end smuggling; Arab countries funding reconstruction; no unilateral Palestinian state; no UNRWA; Gaza ‘de-radicalized,’ demilitarized [War cabinet votes to dispatch Israeli team to Paris for fresh try at hostage talks]( By Lazar Berman and ToI Staff [Israeli official confirms plan for locals to run ‘humanitarian pockets’ in Gaza]( By Reuters and ToI Staff [Army okays return to many communities near Gaza, including some where Hamas attacked]( By Canaan Lidor and Emanuel Fabian IDF says no security impediment to evacuees going back home to 18 communities very close to the border with the Strip, and to all others 4-7 kilometers away [Israel agrees to finally release American flour shipment for Gaza, says US official]( By Jacob Magid Interview Rich Tenorio ['Hardest film I ever made': Documentary on October 7 Supernova festival massacre makes US debut]( Days after the Hamas onslaught, filmmaker Duki Dror headed to the devastated rave site near Re’im. It is now his mission to show the world ‘Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre’ [Survivors, families of those killed at Nova festival on Oct. 7 file suit against AP]( By ToI Staff [Risking spat with US, Israel to advance thousands of settler homes after W. Bank attack]( By Jacob Magid Smotrich says over 3,000 units will be green-lit in Ma’ale Adumim, Kedar, Efrat as ‘an appropriate Zionist response’ to deadly terror shooting, sure to anger US amid Gaza war [US fundraisers for violent West Bank settlers raise thousands, despite sanctions]( By Julia Frankel Op-ed Robert Philpot [Who rules the UK, parliament or the mob? Intimidation over Gaza threatens British democracy]( There were a number of troubling things about Wednesday night’s debate on a Gaza ceasefire in the House of Commons – but most alarming is the fear for MPs’ safety [UK Parliament speaker under fire as shambolic ceasefire debate exposes threats to MPs]( By AP and ToI Staff [Israeli Navy carries out ‘extensive’ drills in preparation for potential war in north]( By Emanuel Fabian Israel warns it won’t ‘be patient much longer’ for diplomatic solution on northern border after sending report to UN Security Council detailing Iran’s arming of Hezbollah [Reported IDF strike kills 2 Hezbollah members after anti-tank missile attack on home]( By Emanuel Fabian, Michael Horovitz and AFP [Discord with Eurovision over song choice could risk Israel’s spot in contest]( By Amy Spiro Kan public broadcaster says it will refuse to switch songs if EBU disqualifes ‘October Rain’ from submission amid charges that its references to Hamas massacre are too political Inside story [They may cry ‘shame!’ at PM, but hostage families’ group says it has no partisan agenda]( By Jessica Steinberg ‘They’re speaking out against the person in charge,’ explains families’ forum member; ‘When hostages were seized, no one asked about their families’ political stance,’ says another [Protesters rally outside lawmakers homes to demand elections, return of hostages]( By Michael Horovitz Interview Jessica Steinberg [As Israel tussles with UN, hostage’s father says maintaining talks best way forward]( US-born Jonathan Dekel-Chen, whose son Sagui was kidnapped on October 7, sees little benefit in shutting out foreign officials with power to help bring home captives alive [British grandparents of slain Be’eri teens hope their father will return home soon]( By AP and ToI Staff Analysis Ron Kampeas [Ritchie Torres left the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Or did it leave him?]( Pro-Israel rep, under fire for stance that includes opposition to permanant ceasefire, removed from largest subgroup among Democrats in US House, with over 100 members Top Ops Nada Higuera and Heidi Basch-Harod [A plea from the daughters of Abraham]( We both have deep ties to this tragic land, and we have discovered that the way to reclaim our lost humanity is to listen Michael G. Gold [It won’t end with Ukraine]( Yes, Putin misjudged his target, but now, with global interest in the war waning, he’ll bide his time, and then, look out world ToI podcast [What Matters Now to Ksenia Svetlova: Russia’s new position on the global ‘Risk’ board]( By Amanda Borschel-Dan Two years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the former MK – an expert on her native Russia and the Middle East – weighs in on the Red Empire’s growing reach [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Civilians and soldiers who have fallen since Oct. 7]( [Read Here]( [AG warns High Court: If Haredi draft exemption expires, so does yeshiva funding]( By Jeremy Sharon and ToI Staff Gali Baharav-Miara notes that the looming expiration of deferral in dealing with ultra-Orthodox enlistment ‘affects the legality of providing support for those students’ [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Feb. 23: Day 140 – Knesset chaos over Haredi draft, MK impeachment]( By ToI Staff [In breakthrough, Bar-Ilan University scientists form artificial lab-grown testicles]( By Renee Ghert-Zand Creation of male gonad organoids using mice could lead to similar work using human tissues that could support advancements in infertility treatments [Those We Are Missing]( [The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown]( [Read Here]( [IDF says Jenin drone strike kills Islamic Jihad terrorist behind string of shootings]( By Emanuel Fabian Yasser Hanoun struck in northern West Bank while ‘en route to carry out another attack,’ according to military; second operative also killed [Troops raid West Bank hometown of terrorist in deadly checkpoint attack]( By Emanuel Fabian [Defying their government, South African Jews honor compatriots who fell for Israel]( By Canaan Lidor Communal leaders’ ceremony in the Galilee follows Pretoria’s threat to prosecute citizens who served in Israel’s army, amid its petition to ICJ accusing nation of ‘genocide’ [Day 140 – Knesset chaos over Haredi draft, MK impeachment]( [listen to the podcast]( [Economic downturn, tech slump send commercial real estate prices tumbling]( By Shoshanna Solomon Rental prices for office space in Israel plunged by 16% last year, as technology firms downsize and drive down demand [Housing snapshot: Home sales and rentals across Israel]( By Shoshanna Solomon More Headlines [Houthi chief vows to step up Red Sea strikes as group confirms Eilat attack]( By Reuters and ToI Staff [Israeli-US ex-FBI informant accused of making up claims behind Biden impeachment bid]( By AP and ToI Staff [Argentina Jewish umbrella group denounces decision to shut anti-discrimination office]( By Juan Melamed [Putin rides nuclear-capable bomber as relations with West take nosedive]( By Reuters [After absence from Dubai, Israeli defense firms make return to Singapore Airshow]( By Reuters and ToI Staff [US alleges Japanese crime boss tried to send weapons-grade uranium to Iran]( By AP [The daily edition]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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