Day 684 - As 60,000 reservists called up, Haredim step up war on draft

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.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and political correspondent Sam Sokol join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Two Israeli officials said yesterday that Jerusalem is studying the proposal for a phased hostage-ceasefire deal that Hamas on Sunday said it had agreed to. This comes as Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the army’s plans for the takeover of Gaza City yesterday. The plans are set to be presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow, but in the meantime, we hear about the call-up of some 60,000 Israeli reservists and other aspects of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, B.

A group of settler activists, including young children, crossed the border into Syria on Monday in an attempt to establish a new settlement in land currently held by the Israel Defense Forces. The military said troops were dispatched to the scene, across from the border town of Alonei Habashan, after several civilian vehicles were seen crossing into Syria. Fabian fills us in.

Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government voted to approve a NIS 31 billion ($9 billion) increase to the 2025 state budget — NIS 1.6 billion ($473 million) of which will go toward humanitarian aid for Gaza. The money earmarked for humanitarian aid has angered some members of Netanyahu’s cabinet as well as opposition figures like Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman. Will the Knesset ratify these additions?

Ultra-Orthodox leaders have called for an international day of prayer and fasting on Thursday in response to recent government efforts to conscript ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students and arrest those who ignore government orders to enlist. Sokol gives background to the "war" the Haredim have declared on the draft issue and previews what we should expect to see tomorrow.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Israel said reviewing truce deal okayed by Hamas despite PM’s seeming dismissal of offer

60,000 IDF reservists to be called up in coming days ahead of Gaza City takeover

Israeli activists briefly cross Syria border in bid to establish settlement

Government votes to add billions to state budget, including $473 million in Gaza aid

Haredi leaders call for global day of prayer, fasting to protest arrest of draft dodgers

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj.

IMAGE: Haredi men attend a rally against the jailing of Jewish seminary students who failed to comply with an army recruitment order, outside the military prison in Beit Lid, near Netanya, August 14, 2025. (Tal Gal/Flash90)

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