As Israel’s war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues, we're coming to you on Sundays with a weekly roundup. This week: A sixth exchange of captives and prisoners took place between Hamas and Israel. It is unclear what will happen to the next phase of the ceasefire plan. Israel is expected to extend its occupation of parts of southern Lebanon. It is day 499 of the war in Gaza, where more than 48,239 Palestinians have been killed.

In this episode:

• Tareq Abu Azzoum, (@TareqAzzom) Al Jazeera Correspondent 
•  Mohammed Haji, (@hxji99) Al Jazeera Producer
• Hamdah Salhut, (@hamdahsalhut) Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Zeina Khodr, (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) Al Jazeera Correspondent

This episode was produced and mixed by David Enders. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.

At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on April 7th, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

Ukraine might not look like a good financial investment after a year at war with no end in sight, but Harvard, Saudi Arabia, a handful of oligarchs, and Vanguard Group see it differently. They are just a few of the investors who have been buying up Ukrainian land – and its rich, fertile soil – en masse, while many Ukrainian farmers argue it should stay in Ukrainian hands.

In this episode: 

• Frederic Mousseau, Policy Director, Oakland Institute 
• Anuradha Mittal (@Mittaloak), Founder, Oakland Institute
• Lorina Fedorova, an expert on sustainable agriculture, Ekodiya
• Roman Gryshyna, CEO of Travelite MICE&Travel Ukraine

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Amy Walters. The original production team was Amy Walters, Chloe K. Li, Miranda Lin, Khaled Soltan, and our host, Malika Bilal. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Mohammed el-Kurd was first known for defending his home against Israeli settlers in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem. Now, he’s known globally for his writing about how the rest of the world perceives Palestinians. In his new book, he breaks down the ‘perfect victim’ myth and how it seeks to control the Palestinian narrative. 

In this episode:

• Mohammed el-Kurd (@m7mdkurd), Author of ‘Perfect Victims: And the Politics of Appeal’

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Amy Walters with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Khaled Soltan, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.  

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is the Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. We’ll be back.

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@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Seizing land of its white citizens without compensation – that’s the claim US President Donald Trump has used to justify cutting off aid to South Africa, pointing to the recently passed Expropriation Act. His South African-born advisor, Elon Musk, has added fuel to the fire, accusing the country of having openly racist laws. But what’s really behind South African land reform?

In this episode:

• Lebohang Pheko (@Liepollo9), Political Economist

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Tamara Khandaker, Sonia Bhagat and Ashish Malhotra, with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Chloe K. Li, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, Khaled Soltan and our host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

King Abdullah II of Jordan met United States President Donald Trump at a critical moment. With Jordan hosting more than two million Palestinian refugees, Trump’s plan to “own” Gaza and relocate its population puts the kingdom in a tough spot. Abdullah calls displacement a red line – but how much can he push back?

In this episode:

• Nour Odeh (@nour_odeh), Senior Correspondent

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Amy Walters, Sonia Bhagat, and Sarí el-Khalili with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Melanie Marich, Hanah Shokeir, Khaled Soltan and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Iran is facing a changed Middle East as it marks the anniversary of the Islamic revolution. With weakened allies and growing tensions with Israel and the United States, how will Iran’s leadership approach the year ahead?

In this episode:

• Dorsa Jabbari (@DorsaJabbari), Al Jazeera Correspondent

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and Chloe K. Li, with Amy Walters, Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Hanah Shokeir, Melanie Marich, and our host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. 

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. 

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Bad Bunny’s new album, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, became the number-one streamed album worldwide. It mixes different Puerto Rican music genres and touches on themes of gentrification and a loss of cultural identity. How is the album bringing the Puerto Rican fight for survival to the world?

In this episode:

• Jorell Meléndez-Badillo (@jorellmelendezb), Author of “Puerto Rico: A National History”  

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Marcos Bartolomé with Hanah Shokeir, Hagir Saleh, Melanie Marich and our guest host, Natasha Del Toro. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.

The Take production team is Marcos Bartolomé, Sonia Bhagat, Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, Phillip Lanos, Chloe K. Li, Ashish Malhotra, Khaled Soltan, and Amy Walters. Our editorial interns are Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh and Hanah Shokeir. Our guest host is Natasha Del Toro. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

As Israel’s war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues, we're coming to you on Sundays with a weekly roundup. This week: An exchange of captives and prisoners took place between Hamas and Israel, but not all Palestinians were allowed to return home. Israeli troops began what is expected to be a full withdrawal from the Netzarim Corridor. It is day 492 of the war in Gaza, where more than 48,181 Palestinians have been killed.

In this episode:

• Hind Khoudary, (@Hind_Gaza), Al Jazeera Correspondent 
• Nour Odeh, (@nour_odeh) Al Jazeera Correspondent
• Hani Mahmoud, Al Jazeera Correspondent

This episode was produced and mixed by David Enders. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik and Adam Abou-Gad is our engagement producer. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.

At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on November 6, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed.

On the coast of the Mediterranean Sea lies Gaza, a land that insists on living. Gaza is currently facing a war like nothing its people have seen before, but its history stretches far longer. Today, a brief history of Gaza and its people, on its worst and best days.

In this episode:

• Jehad Abusalim (@JehadAbusalim), The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development Executive Director

Episode credits:

This episode was updated by Chloe K. Li and Tamara Khandaker. The original production team was Chloe K. Li, David Enders, Miranda Lin and Sarí el-Khalili, with our host Natasha Del Toro, in for Malika Bilal.

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our engagement producers are Adam Abou-Gad and Vienna Maglio. Aya Elmileik is lead of audience engagement. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, and Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Link mentioned in episode:

The Take: The past, present, and future of Hamas

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

President Trump has again restated his plans of turning Gaza into a new Riviera. Where did this idea come from – and how feasible is it?

In this episode:

• Sharif Abdel Kouddous (@sharifkouddous), Journalist and Editor at Drop Site News

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Sonia Bhagat, and Amy Walters with Phillip Lanos, Spencer Cline, Khaled Soltan, Melanie Marich, Hagir Saleh, Hanah Shokeir, and our host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz.  

Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad Al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads and YouTube