Daily Kickoff
Good Friday morning.
In today’s Daily Kickoff, we report on President Donald Trump’s denial of reports that Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will lead the administration’s Iran file, and spotlight Ken Martin, the front-runner to head the Democratic National Committee. We interview newly sworn-in San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie about how he intends to approach antisemitism in the Bay Area, and report on Ireland’s efforts to walk back its anti-Israel trade policy following Trump’s inauguration. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Ted Deutch, Elizabeth Tsurkov and Jordan Roth.
For less-distracted reading over the weekend, browse this week’s edition of The Weekly Print, a curated print-friendly PDF featuring a selection of recent Jewish Insider and eJewishPhilanthropy stories, including: Koch-affiliated policy advisor playing key role in isolationist Pentagon appointments; Israeli right still hopeful about Trump presidency despite ‘terrible’ cease-fire deal; and Israeli President Isaac Herzog: Oct. 7 a ‘wake-up call’ for limits of two-state solution. Print the latest edition here.
What We’re Watching
- Later today, Israel will be notified of the four hostages slated to be released from Hamas captivity on Saturday. It is expected that those released today will include some of the female IDF observers who were taken hostage from their army base. More below.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) is taking the rare step of keeping the Senate in session through the weekend, aiming to confirm Pete Hegseth, Kristi Noem and Scott Bessent to lead, respectively, the Defense Department, Department of Homeland Security and Treasury before Monday, amid delaying tactics from Democrats.
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog will attend the dedication on Sunday of the Altneu synagogue’s new location on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
- The two-day JLI Leadership Summit kicks off on Sunday in Palm Beach, Fla. A panel Sunday afternoon focused on the world stage will include a slate of former U.S. ambassadors, including former Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Robin Bernstein, former Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks, former Ambassador to France Jamie McCourt, former Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates John Rakolta Jr. and former Ambassador to Romania Adrian Zuckerman.
- Israel is seeking 30 additional days to withdraw its troops from Lebanon, as the Sunday deadline of the 60-day cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah approaches.
- The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, concludes today. Some attendees sticking around for the weekend will be attending the annual Shabbat dinner at the Kurpark.
What You Should Know
The release of the first three hostages last weekend following the implementation of a temporary cease-fire and hostage-release agreement set off what will likely be a grim and anxiety-ridden tradition over the next five weeks: Israelis gathered around their televisions, or in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, or glued to their phones as Hamas releases several hostages who are swarmed by jeering crowds of Palestinian men wearing the terror group’s signature green and black colors as they make their way to Red Cross vehicles.
For many of the hostages, the first moments of their freedom will be the first sign of life since their capture. Of the remaining 30 hostages slated for release over the next five weeks during the first phase of the cease-fire agreement, 22 are believed to be alive, though Hamas has only provided signs of life for a few of those being held.
Israel is pressing for the release of Arbel Yehoud, one of the few remaining civilian women among the hostages. Yehoud was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz, the same community that Shiri Bibas, the other female civilian in captivity, was taken from along with her husband and two young children.
Russian-Israeli hostage Sasha Trufanov will not be released this weekend but is likely to come in the next couple of weeks, Russia’s ambassador to Israel said on Tuesday, citing the 28-year-old Amazon employee’s poor health. (Men who are injured or in poor health are being released in the first phase of the agreement.)
Later today, Hamas is expected to give Israel the list of the four female hostages set for release tomorrow. Sometime tomorrow, Hamas is expected to give Israel a list of the status of the remaining hostages set for release in the first stage, but according to local media, Israeli officials believe the group may only provide the numbers of living and dead.
As we learned last week, when Hamas did not provide the list of names of hostages slated for release until hours before they were freed — as opposed to the night before, as had been agreed by both parties — the situation is fluid and the terror group cannot be relied upon to abide by the rules of the agreement. Earlier this week, a Hamas official said that this Saturday’s release was being moved to Sunday, before another official walked back that statement and said the group would release the hostages as planned on Saturday.
While last weekend’s hostage release was met with celebration — owing in part to the relatively good health of Emily Damari, Doron Steinbrecher and Romi Gonen (save for Damari’s hand, which was badly injured when she was shot on Oct. 7), not every hostage repatriation will be as joyous. Some released hostages will come home to discover that loved ones were killed during Hamas’ attacks; conversely, some families will be welcoming home the bodies of their loved ones who were taken hostage alive.
let’s make a deal
Trump denies Witkoff will lead diplomatic efforts with Iran

President Donald Trump refuted reports that Steve Witkoff, his Middle East envoy, will take over the Iran file, while also lauding Witkoff for his work helping negotiate the cease-fire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, Jewish Insider’s Gabby Deutch reports.
Negotiable: “No,” Trump said on Thursday after signing a series of executive orders, when asked by a reporter whether he would put Witkoff in charge of Iran strategy and speaking directly with the Iranians. “But he’s certainly somebody I would use. He’s done a fantastic job. He’s a great negotiator.”
Read the full story here.
Step towards sanctions: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) took a procedural step on Thursday to set up a vote in the coming days on the House-passed legislation placing stringent sanctions on the International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrants against Israeli officials, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.