Tug of War

Latest Episodes:

Israeli Military Kills 3 Hostages. What Happens Now? Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

On Friday, three Israeli hostages in Gaza tried to make contact with their country’s military, waving a white flag and yelling in Hebrew. In response, troops mistakenly shot and killed them. Now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is dealing with the fallout – and the continued anger from released hostages and the families of those still held in the strip. In this episode, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond breaks down how Israelis are reacting, and where hostage talks might go from here.

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Witnessing Gaza's Reality: Hospitals Filled with Children Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

As Israel continues its military campaign across the Gaza strip, humanitarian groups say children are being disproportionally killed and injured. Field hospitals have been struggling to keep up as more evacuees make their way to southern Gaza. In this episode, CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward tells us about her rare access inside a Gaza field hospital, where doctors are working with limited supplies to treat injured civilians.

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Inside the Antisemitism Debate on Campus Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

The presidents of three Ivy League universities have been criticized for their congressional testimony, in which they failed to condemn calls for the genocide of Jews as explicitly against campus harassment and bullying codes. In fact, University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill recently resigned over the issue. In this episode, CNN’s Gabe Cohen explains how the debates over free speech on campus that have erupted since October 7th are forcing some Jewish students and parents reconsidering college choices.

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Containing the Clashes at the Israel-Lebanon Border Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

Israel’s military and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have been trading fire since October 8, causing global anxiety that these clashes could spread into a larger war. In this episode, CNN’s Ivan Watson takes us to Lebanon’s border with Israel to get a sense of how UN peacekeepers and Lebanese civilians are coping.

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Two Months Later, Has Israeli Sympathy Run Out? Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

More than a week after the truce with Hamas ended, the Israel Defense Forces continue to strike hundreds of targets in Gaza daily. Meanwhile, prominent voices continue to speak out against Israeli military tactics as civilian deaths and humanitarian concerns rise. In this episode, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond explains why former hostages are speaking out against the Israeli government, and how Israelis view civilian deaths in Gaza.

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What We Know About Sexual Violence on October 7th Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

Note: this episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence and war.

Nearly two months after the deadly Hamas terror attacks on Israel, more prominent voices are speaking out against sexual violence allegedly committed by Hamas on October 7th. Advocates say some groups have been slow to forcefully criticize the acts by Hamas for fear of appearing to side with Israel in its retaliation in Gaza. In this episode, CNN Senior Global Affairs Analyst Bianna Golodryga explains what we know about the claims, and why women’s groups say the initial silence was so enraging.

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No Food, No Safety: Gaza’s Humanitarian Disaster Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

The restart of war in Gaza has left humanitarian aid hanging in the balance. Israel is expanding its ground operation into southern Gaza, placing civilians’ access to food and other necessary items at risk. In this episode, CNN International Correspondent Larry Madowo breaks down what aid is making it in, and the harrowing experiences of refugees leaving the strip.

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War Returns to Gaza. Will It Look Different This Time? Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

A seven-day truce between Israel and Hamas has come to an end, as Israel has resumed combat operations against Hamas in Gaza. Negotiations with Qatari and Egyptian mediators over the release of hostages continues, but the fighting will put millions of Gazan civilians at risk yet again. In this episode, CNN Pentagon Correspondent Oren Liebermann explains why the Biden administration is pressing Israel to conduct this next round of fighting differently.

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Why the Release of Palestinian Prisoners Looks Different Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

As part of the hostage deal with Hamas, Israel has released over 100 Palestinians prisoners and detainees being held in Israeli jails. However, thousands remain behind bars – some of whom are detained without a trial or formal charges. In this episode, CNN Chief International Investigative Correspondent Nima Elbagir explains why the reunions in the West Bank look very different from the Israeli homecomings.

Correction: This episode has been updated to correct that CNN contacted the Israeli Prime Minister's Office for response, not the IDF. The IDF offer of a briefing came in response to a separate CNN piece about released Palestinian prisoners.

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What It’s Like to Survive Hamas Captivity Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

For weeks, Thomas Hand has been pushing for the release of his daughter Emily from Hamas captivity after initially being told she was killed during the October 7th terror attack. On Saturday, Emily was part of a group released from Gaza and finally reunited with her father. In this episode, Thomas speaks to CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward about the conditions Emily faced, her long road to recovery, and why he feels guilty about not being able to help her more.

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