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.

Political reporter Tal Schneider and reporter Canaan Lidor join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

The funeral for the 12th boy killed in a Hezbollah rocket strike on a soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams on Saturday took place this morning. Yesterday afternoon, Israeli ministers authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense chief to decide on the “manner and timing” of a response to the rocket strike. Schneider fills us in on what we know about the security cabinet meeting.

Yesterday, Lidor traveled to the town of Majdal Shams, where 10 of the 12 children had just been buried. We discuss the townsfolks' reactions as well as their special status in Israel.

Mossad director David Barnea met in Rome on Sunday with top negotiators from the US, Egypt, and Qatar for talks on the updated proposal for a hostage release deal with Hamas that Israel relayed to the White House on Saturday. What are the next steps -- if any?

Although 47 Ofakim residents were slaughtered by Hamas on October 7, until recently, the small city some 21 km from the border with Gaza was not included in the government’s broader rehabilitation plan for affected communities. Lidor explains what was the holdup for the community to receive funds.

The Knesset is now officially on recess. What did we see as this summer session wound down for the next three months and how does the country view its lawmakers' long break?

For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Ministers authorize Netanyahu, Gallant to order retaliation for deadly Golan strike

Anger and grief mix as Majdal Shams buries 10 children killed in rocket strike

Government ministers shouted down at funeral for children killed by Hezbollah attack

Mossad chief meets negotiators in Rome after Israel submits new hostage deal draft

Ofakim gets NIS 229m after Oct. 7 massacre, but kept off national recovery plan

Knesset’s summer session ends but parliamentary activity continues

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: Elders and mourners attend the funeral of Gevara Ebraheem, 11, killed in a Hezbollah strike from Lebanon two days earlier, in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan on July 29, 2024. (Jalaa Marey / AFP)

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