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 correspondent Tal Schneider and reporter Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Tensions are high in Israel over the possibility of a proposed hostage deal. Schneider discusses the Sunday phone conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden regarding the negotiations. She also reviews which Israeli officials are currently in Doha, along with Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy.

Schneider says Netanyahu met with coalition leaders Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, as the prime minister needs those two powerful coalition partners on board to approve any hostage deal.

Bletter talks about her visits to two northern kibbutz communities where residents have been evacuated for more than a year and now have to decide what the future holds for them. 

She also discusses a Weizmann Institute study about ants, and their ability to work well as a team, unlike their human counterparts.

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

Discussed articles include:

Biden stresses ‘immediate need’ for hostage-truce deal in call with Netanyahu

Netanyahu dispatches top negotiators to Qatar talks amid push to seal hostage deal

PM to meet with Smotrich to gauge support for a potential hostage deal — report

Inside the Lebanon-border closed military zone, kibbutz members prepare to start over

Ants have more ‘group smarts’ than humans, Israeli study finds

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IMAGE: People walking next to a poster of Israelis held hostage by Hamas in Gaza, 'We won't stop until they're all released!' in Jerusalem, January 12, 2025 ( Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

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