In what may be the darkest week since October 7th, Israelis and Jews worldwide were left reeling by the tragic news of the execution by Hamas of six young Israeli hostages, none more than 40, after nearly a year in captivity. As protests sweep through Israel, demanding an immediate hostage deal, the way forward remains painfully unclear and progress ever more elusive as Benjamin Netanyahu insists on a new red line that cannot be crossed. In this episode, Yonit and Jonathan talk of grief and uncertainty - and look for consolation amidst the anguish.

Watch the full episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iemPbAK930o

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Israel’s war on three fronts intensifies, with a preemptive strike on Hezbollah in the north, escalated operations in the West Bank, and a rescue operation of an Israeli hostage from the tunnels in Gaza. As headlines focus once again on the chances of a hostage deal, we felt it essential to re-air the deeply moving stories of two mothers caught in this harrowing reality. In their interviews on Unholy, Ayelet Levy Shachar and Rachel Goldberg-Polin share what it means to fight relentlessly for the return of their children from captivity.

You can watch the interviews with Ayelet and Rachel on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGlvtS7As7WHh7YtmU5SMUQ

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This week, we’re stepping away from the immediate headlines to do something a little different. Instead of our usual deep dive into the news of the hour, we’re dedicating this episode to you—our listeners. Your questions have been piling up in our inbox, and it’s finally time to tackle them. From the personal to the political, and everything in between, we’re here to explore the topics that matter most to you.

Read Yonit's book recommendations here: https://unholypodcast.substack.com/p/yonits-literary-escapes-essential

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As the high-stakes summit in Doha is framed as the final chance to secure a hostage release, tensions over a possible response from Iran and Hezbollah are mounting. This week, alongside our deep dive into those unfolding events, we’re putting our listeners in the spotlight, addressing the pressing questions you’ve sent in. From global conflicts to personal perspectives, we’re tackling the issues that matter most to you.

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After a week in which Israelis held their breath, waiting for a potentially lethal response from both Hezbollah and Tehran to last week's assassinations, Yonit and Jonathan talk to Suzanne Maloney, one of America's foremost analysts of Iran: how do the country's leaders see their confrontation with Israel playing out now and in the future? Plus, as the war in Gaza enters its 11th month, the wait for a hostage release grows ever more desperate; how the Jewish factor might have played a role in Kamala Harris's choice of running mate - and riots in the UK stir thousand year old memories.

Read highlights from our interview with Suzanne Maloney on our blog.

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Israel braces itself for what feels like an inevitable, lethal response from Iran and its proxies, following not one but two assassinations – one of them in Tehran itself. Meanwhile, Israelis are shaken by a moment some describe as the country’s January 6. Yonit and Jonathan discuss it all with author and journalist Matti Friedman, one of the sharpest observers of Israeli society and history. Plus: a chutzpah award for the Americans weighing into the Veepstakes with an effort to block one potential running mate for Kamala Harris in particular.

Send in your listener questions at: https://www.speakpipe.com/Unholy or via our social media.

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This week- New Yorker editor David Remnick partners up with Yonit as guest co-host.

They discuss President Biden's decision to drop out of the race, Democrats’ newfound affection for Vice President Harris, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech in front of Congress. Plus - a conversation with Haaretz military analyst Amos Harel, on what’s next in the war in Gaza and why the hostage negotiations have yet to produce a deal.

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This week - CNN’s Bianna Golodryga joins Yonit as guest co-host.

In the US - mere days after shots were fired towards him in a failed assassination attempt, former President Donald Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention - and introduced a running mate. Former Trump administration official now turned critic of the 45th president, Alyssa Farah Griffin, weighs in on J.D. Vance and on Trump’s potential new inner circle – and on why she feels politically “homeless”.

Meanwhile, in Israel, mounting pressure on Netanyahu, ahead of his speech to Congress, as a hostage deal appears yet again within reach. Yonit and Bianna speak to Ayelet Levy Shachar, mother of kidnapped soldier Naama Levy, about the decision to publish harrowing images of her daughter in captivity - and her nine months-long fight to bring Naama home.

*This episode was recorded before the drone attack in Tel Aviv early Friday morning.

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