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.

Arab affairs reporter Luca Pacchiani and archaeology reporter Gavriel Fiske join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

CIA Director Bill Burns is set to meet the Qatari Prime Minister in Doha today, in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas on a Gaza deal. Pacchiani updates us on what he is reading about the hostage-release talks in neighboring nations' Arabic media this morning.

Recently, the Palestinian Authority seems to be flexing its peace-keeping muscles in the West Bank, perhaps signally that it is ready to take on the challenge of Gaza. We hear about a possible Hamas-Fatah alliance -- and whether Israel would sign on to it.

Syrian Christians currently make up less than 2% of the population and the new HTS rebels regime has repeatedly reassured Syrians and the international community that it will protect all minorities and women. Pacchiani reports on what he is hearing from Syrian Christians.

Likewise,
Alawites, a sect that splintered from Shiite Islam in the ninth century, constitute around 10% of Syria’s predominantly Sunni population. While uncertainty prevails among all of Syria’s religious minorities today, the Alawite community – from which deposed President Assad originates – arguably has the most to fear. Pacchiani weighs in.

In late November, speaking at an academic conference in Boston, veteran archaeologist Prof. Glenn Schwartz of Johns Hopkins University made a startling claim: Four tiny clay cylinder-shaped seals, which had been excavated 20 years ago from an intact Bronze Age tomb in Syria, were engraved with what he asserted was the earliest known examples of alphabetic writing — albeit as yet undeciphered. We talk about why this find is in the news again -- and what it appears to be.

Researchers have deciphered a tiny third-century Christian silver scroll that was found rolled up inside an amulet, at a Roman burial site in Frankfurt, Germany. Could this be “the oldest Christian testimony found north of the Alps,” as the announcement claims?

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

Discussed articles include:

With a show of force in Jenin, the PA tries to prove it can rule Gaza. But can it?

Can Syria’s dwindling Christian community survive under jihadi rebel rule?

A claim that the earliest alphabet was found in Syria sparks a media maelstrom – finally

Amulet found in Germany said to be ‘oldest Christian testimony north of the Alps’

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IMAGE: Palestinians carry UN-donated flour in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Saturday December 14, 2024.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)