Day 187 - Biden again puts onus on Israel to pause the war

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 187 of the war with Hamas. Editor David Horovitz and military reporter Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

US President Joe Biden told Spanish television in an interview that he’s urging “the Israelis to just call for” a six-to-eight-week ceasefire. Since most other demands made by the US last week in a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been implemented, is this one-sided pause also on the horizon?

This week, Netanyahu said that he has circled a date in his calendar for the Rafah operation. But, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US counterpart Lloyd Austin during a call on Monday that Israel has not set a date. Why the conflicting information?

In a statement marking Eid Al-Fitr, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the plight of Palestinians in the West Bank alongside Muslims suffering in some of the world’s worst conflicts. And last week, United States Sen. Elizabeth Warren told a Boston mosque that Israel will be found guilty of genocide in the International Court of Justice. Do these remarks painting Israel as the oppressor represent mainstream Democrat thinking today?

The IDF said this morning that Nahal Brigade soldiers are still battling Hamas gunmen in the central Gaza corridor. We hear how the massive troop drawdown is playing out on the ground in the Gaza Strip and are updated on large-scale humanitarian aid efforts.

Early this morning, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Tehran will retaliate for Israel’s alleged bombing of a building in Damascus earlier this month. Among the threats that Israel is taking seriously are cyberattacks, drone strikes and long-range missiles. Fabian explains.

Fabian takes a look at the use of drones in the war so far, as well as a ship-mounted version of the Iron Dome missile defense system that intercepted a drone that entered Israeli airspace near the southernmost city of Eilat shortly before midnight on Monday.

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

Discussed articles include:

Live blog April 10, 2024

Biden urges Israel ‘to just call for’ 6-8 week ceasefire, slams PM’s handling of Gaza war

Contradicting Netanyahu, Gallant told Austin no date set for Rafah op — source

US Sen. Warren: World Court has ‘ample evidence’ to find Israel guilty of genocide

Cyberattacks by Iran, Hezbollah have tripled during the war, says Israel cyber czar

In first, IDF says ship-mounted Iron Dome downs hostile drone over Eilat

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

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IMAGE: Israeli soldiers gather around army tanks stationed in an area along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on April 10, 2024. (Jack Guez / AFP) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.