On Tuesday, Israel's military seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, warning its military operation in the southern city would move forward, even as ceasefire talks continue. Airstrikes have rocked eastern Rafah, displacing many fearful Palestinians yet again. Israel meanwhile says the terms of a ceasefire proposal accepted by Hamas were "far from" meeting its demands. In this episode, CNN's Jeremy Diamond explains how the military pressure is impacting the ongoing talks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

Around the world, some students have staged protests in solidarity with pro-Palestinian protestors on US college campuses – including in Iran. Anger against Israel and the US is still simmering after an unprecedented aerial attack from Iran on Israel was foiled. In this episode, CNN's Fred Pleitgen joins us from Tehran and explains how Iranian military officials are evaluating the latest escalation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

Hamas is considering a new framework for a hostage release and ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt. It comes amid fears that Israel will launch a ground offensive into Rafah whether or not a deal is reached. In this episode, CNN's Becky Anderson tells us about the parameters and examines a longshot push to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

On Wednesday, Hamas released a video of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, giving his family hope that he is still alive despite being badly wounded when he was abducted on October 7th. However, Israel’s government says at least 129 hostages remain in Gaza with dozens of those feared dead. In this episode, CNN's Jeremy Diamond examines why Hamas released this video now and looks at the state of negotiations over a hostage release and ceasefire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli ministers have lashed out against reported plans by the United States to sanction an Israeli military unit for alleged human rights abuses against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The uproar comes amidst an uptick in violence against Palestinians in the territory. In this episode, CNN's Nada Bashir examines why the reported plans have struck a nerve and gives us an update on the dire situation inside Gaza. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

A US official tells CNN that Israel carried out a military strike inside Iran on Thursday night, the latest dangerous escalation between the two countries. Israel has not commented and Iran has not yet identified the source of the attack. In this episode, CNN's Jeremy Diamond examines what we know and whether this latest round of back-and-forth is over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

While Iran’s air attack on Israel over the weekend was uniquely brazen, experts say the two nations have been engaged in a ‘shadow war’ through proxies and covert actions for decades. In this episode, CNN's Nic Robertson looks at what two past Israeli attacks can tell us about how they may respond in this case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

After Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend, Israeli officials have been debating how to respond. Meanwhile, members of the Biden administration have told Israel that the US will not participate in any offensive action against Iran, according to US officials familiar with the matter. In this episode, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond tells us how the Israeli war cabinet is thinking about this perilous moment. --  Tug of War has been nominated for a Webby Award in the News & Politics category. Please click on the link and vote for us. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choice ..read more

While Israel has recently made efforts to allow more aid trucks into Gaza, humanitarian groups say the need is still extremely far from being met. Hunger is widespread, and medical facilities continue to operate without basic supplies. In this episode, Arwa Damon, the President & Founder of International Network for Aid, Relief and Assistance tells us about her recent trip inside Gaza to help children impacted by the war.  --  Tug of War has been nominated for a Webby Award in the News & Politics category. Please click on the link and vote for us. Thank you! Learn more about ..read more

After months of fighting, the Israeli military said it has withdrawn its ground forces from Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The move follows a frank phone call between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu where Biden told Netanyahu he needed to take meaningful action to address the humanitarian crisis or face consequences. In this episode, CNN’s Nic Robertson examines what the military move could signal for the future of the war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more