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 247 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Israel celebrated yesterday after the IDF announced that it had rescued Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv from eight months of Hamas captivity in Gaza. Horovitz shares his impressions of the mood of the country.

Protesters at rallies in Tel Aviv and across the country on Saturday night called for new elections and the return of the hostages held in captivity in Gaza. The protests at the same time as war cabinet minister Benny Gantz was meant to give a statement at the deadline of his self-imposed ultimatum of whether or not to stay in the government. We hear what may be some of Gantz's considerations.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit the region starting tomorrow, even as Israel awaits Hamas’s response to the hostage deal proposal pushed by US President Joe Biden. Could the rescue operation reframe the negotiations in any way?

On Friday, Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad were added to the United Nations’ so-called “list of shame,” which is attached to an annual report released by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s office that documents alleged rights violations against children in armed conflict, sparking outrage in Jerusalem. Horovitz weighs in.

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Rescue brings rare cause for Israeli joy, before hearts return to 116 hostages still held

Father of hostage Almog Meir Jan died hours before son’s rescue: ‘He died of grief’

Protesters nationwide hail hostage rescue, urge deal to free the rest; 33 arrested

Israelis rejoice over news of successful mission to rescue 4 hostages from Gaza

Blinken to return to Israel next week, as US pushes Hamas to take hostage deal offer

Israel livid as it’s added to UN ‘list of shame’ for wartime children’s rights violations

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: An Israel Air Force CH-53 Sea Stallion military helicopter flies over as people gather with Israeli national flags outside Sheba Tel Hashomer Medical Centre in Ramat Gan on June 8, 2024, where Israeli hostages were transferred after being rescued from captivity in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 attacks. (Jack Guez / AFP)

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