Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

United States correspondent Jacob Magid and New York correspondent Luke Tress join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

We begin with an update on Israel Air Force warplanes that carried out overnight sorties in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket attack on southern Israel, as a new round of rocket alarms sounded in Sderot and nearby towns.

Tress updates on the COI Elimination Act that is being reintroduced to the US Congress. The COI stands for the Commission of Inquiry that the United Nations is carrying out against Israel. Who brought the bill this time?

Magid updates on the last leg of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the region and what came out of his meetings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Tress attended an event with former prime minister Naftali Bennett recently in New York where Bennett officially put his yarmulke back into the circus ring of Israeli politics.

Magid explains how Israel is one step closer to joining the US’s visa waiver program. But celebrations may be premature.

And finally, Tress spoke with former KISS frontman Gene Simmons at a United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day event last week. The glam rockstar had some advice.

Discussed articles include:

Israel bombs Hamas sites in retaliatory Gaza strikes; rocket sirens sound in Sderot

Bill calling to end UN probe into Israel reintroduced to US Congress

US pushing Abbas on plan to boost PA security presence in northern West Bank

In meeting with Abbas, Blinken laments deaths of ‘innocent Palestinian civilians’

Bennett vows return to politics; urges US Jews: ‘Don’t give up on Israel’

Israel clears major hurdle in bid to qualify for US Visa Waiver Program

Kiss frontman Simmons wants to rock Holocaust memorials with Never Again concert

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IMAGE: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken boards the plane to leave Israel on January 31, 2023, stating, 'Concluded another productive trip to Israel and the West Bank, where I met with Israeli and Palestinian counterparts and leaders from civil society. We will continue to support the parties and all efforts to deescalate tensions.' (Twitter) 

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