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.

It is day 227 of the war with Hamas. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Police and anti-government demonstrators clashed this morning near the Sha’ar Hagai Junction on the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway as demonstrators from the Brothers in Arms group calling for a hostage release deal tried to block the highway and were dispersed by police. Several groups are heading to Jerusalem to demonstrate outside the Knesset as it resumes today. Berman explains what we know about hostage talks. 

The Iranian Red Crescent said this morning that the bodies of President Ebrahim Raisi and others who died in a helicopter crash have been recovered, and search operations have ended. What happens now for Iran?

Visiting US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan laid out to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday the opportunity currently available for Israel to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia if Jerusalem agrees to a pathway to a future Palestinian state. Berman weighs whether there is a realistic chance for normalization during the ongoing war.

Last week, all eyes were on the Israel-Egypt relationship as the country sounded fury when the IDF continued pinpoint operations in Rafah. What's happening now?

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

Discussed articles include:

Netanyahu said to reject negotiators’ bid to formulate new hostage deal proposal

Iran’s Raisi confirmed dead in helicopter crash near Azerbaijan border

Raisi’s death doesn’t change Iranian policy, but will spark fight for power

Saudi ties in reach but hinge on path to Palestinian state, Sullivan tells reluctant PM

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: A woman reads a newspaper with a front-page report on the crash of the Iranian president's helicopter outside a kiosk in Tehran on May 20, 2024. (Atta Kenare / AFP)

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