Day 108 - Deep under Gaza, hostages held in barbaric conditions

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 108 of the war. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for a one-on-one conversation.

Last night, the Israel Defense Forces announced Sunday the death of soldier Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, 19, who was killed and abducted by Hamas on October 7. Fabian updates us.

Fabian was in the Gaza Strip yesterday. The details of what you saw are under an embargo until tonight, but he shares his impressions of what’s happening on the ground and how the offensive is progressing.

In an eye-opening find, troops of the Israel Defense Forces operating in the southern Gaza Strip recently uncovered a tunnel where Israeli hostages had been held by the Hamas in “inhumane conditions.” We hear some of the sources of intelligence and what the conditions are there.

On Saturday, Israeli air force planes dropped leaflets on the southern area of Rafah urging Palestinians seeking refuge there to help locate hostages held by Hamas, residents said. But do these leaflet campaigns actually lead to intelligence?

The IDF reported three missiles were fired from south Lebanon overnight that landed in open, uninhabited areas near the moshav of Shomera, a community of a few hundreds people near in the Galilee region in northern Israel. But yesterday also saw an alleged IDF strike targeting a Hezbollah commander. We hear what else is happening on the northern border, including a strange alert Friday night that brought Haifa residents to their safe rooms.

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

Discussed articles include:

Live blog January 21, 2024

IDF says soldier held captive in Gaza was killed on October 7, body held by Hamas

IDF finds tunnel in Khan Younis where 20 hostages were held in ‘inhumane conditions’

IDF drops leaflets with pictures of hostages over southern Gaza, seeking info

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: This image released by the IDF on January 20, 2024, shows the inside of a cell from a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza's Khan Younis where hostages were held. (Israel Defense Forces) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.