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.

Today is day 164 of the war with Hamas. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

The IDF released footage of what it says are Hamas operatives opening fire at troops from Shifa Hospital in Gaza City this morning as the army carried out a fresh raid on the medical center overnight. Why has the IDF returned to the medical compound now?

Israel’s negotiating team is expected in Doha today for some two weeks of indirect negotiations. Berman weighs in on what we possibly can expect.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in Israel for the second time during the war with Hamas and he expressed concern for protecting civilians and providing humanitarian aid. How did Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respond?

Thursday’s speech by US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is continuing to see ripples both in Israel and abroad. Berman weighs in with some Israeli responses and how this speech may affect US Jewry at this fraught time.

For the latest updates, please review The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Live blog March 18, 2024

Israeli delegation to head to Doha for hostage talks Monday after security cabinet ok

As ministers meet, protesters block roads in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, urge hostage deal

‘We’re not a banana republic’: Netanyahu denounces Schumer’s call for Israeli elections

Germany’s Scholz meets PM, calls for hostage deal with ‘longer-lasting ceasefire’

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

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: File: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, meets with Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, March 23, 2010, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.