A massive Thursday “Rally of the Many,&#8221; in which nearly a million people attended, ended in tragedy when 20-year-old Menachem Mendel Litzman died after falling from a construction site near the Yitzchak Navon light rail station.



His parents are Chabad Shluchim in South Korea.



Menachem Mendel&#8217;s tragic fall occured in circumstances of great sorrow.



According to Magen David Adom (MDA), emergency teams providing medical coverage for the rally treated 56 participants during the event. Among them was Litzman, who fell from a great height at the “Migdal Merom” construction site on Shazar Boulevard. Despite prolonged CPR attempts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.



ZAKA Jerusalem District volunteers responded immediately. “This is a very difficult incident in the area of the mass rally,” said Haim Weingarten, ZAKA’s Deputy Director of Operations. “The volunteers who were already deployed in the area immediately arrived at the scene and are treating the deceased with respect. We call on the public who are dispersing at this time to adhere to safety rules, and please be very careful for yourselves.”



Initial reports indicate that Litzman had climbed the unfinished building to get a better view of the rally when he lost his balance and fell.



MDA Spokesman Zaki Heller confirmed that, aside from the fatal fall, four other participants required hospitalization for minor conditions, including fainting, a cardiac event, and a light injury.



In a statement, the organizing committee of the “Zakat HaTorah” event expressed “shock and deep sorrow over the terrible tragedy that occurred at the end of the rally,” urging attendees “to act responsibly, with caution and moderation, and to avoid entering dangerous places.”



Out of respect for the tragedy, the committee announced that no music would be played during the dispersal and asked the public to leave the area quietly and safely.

Tragedy Strikes Yerushalayim Rally as 20-Year-Old Menachem Mendel Litzman Falls to His Death

In a historic show of achdus, both Satmar groups met with independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Eric Adams Wednesday night in Williamsburg.



Belaaz has learned that while neither group will issue a formal endorsement, Rabbi Moshe Indig and Rabbi Moshe Dovid Niederman, representing both factions of Satmar Chasidus, greeted Cuomo and Adams warmly and listened attentively to both politicians&#8217; speeches, which warned of the catastrophe of a Mamdani mayorship.



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Askanim assembled described the meeting as a &#8220;family reunion.&#8221;



The meeting was at a small, personal rooftop venue in Williamsburg, and included the mayor&#8217;s Jewish media liasion and esteemed askanim.



Adams said that Satmar comes together when it really matters, such as this election, and cited the murder of Menachem Stark in 2014, which also brought the community together.



Cuomo said that if Mamdani wins, the Democratic Socialists of America will collectively run the city, and will ruin Yeshiva education.



If you&#8217;re thinking, we&#8217;ll make nice to this guy [Mamdani], he&#8217;s ahead in the polls, I saw this DSA movement in Albany. They cannot make nice. There&#8217;s no &#8220;him,&#8221; they&#8217;ll meet with him once a week. They&#8217;re talking about a &#8220;co-governance&#8221; model, where DSA members will meet with him once a week. He&#8217;s a tool of the DSA. I spent 10 years watching them grow. We thought if we give them a little bit, they&#8217;ll be happy. We gave them the hand, but they ate it, then they ate the arm, the shoulder, until the whole body was gone. They will not allow him to help you, because they&#8217;re against everything that you&#8217;re going to need. They don&#8217;t want yeshivos. They have the teachers union, everything should be public; no charter schools, no private schools. It&#8217;s against their religion to help you. They are zealots. Ask Carl Heastie&#8230;you can&#8217;t talk to them. He will not be a friend, he will be an enemy to you.&#8221;



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Cuomo then explained how the turnout for early voting has been 5 times as much as the last election, and that older voters, who he is more popular with, are coming out in much higher numbers than they did during the primaries.



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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">🇺🇸✡️ &#8212; BELAAZ VIDEO: <a href="https://twitter.com/andrewcuomo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AndrewCuomo</a> meeting with representatives of both Satmars ealrier today. CUOMO: &quot;If you’re thinking, we’ll make nice to this guy [Mamdani], he’s ahead in the polls, I saw this DSA movement in Albany. They cannot make nice. There’s no “him,” they’ll meet… <a href="https://t.co/3ELnpCeNu4">pic.twitter.com/3ELnpCeNu4</a>&mdash; Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBelaaz/status/1983732175540220135?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Adams, who exited the race recently and endorsed Cuomo, said: &#8220;I think it&#8217;s imperative that the governor gets in and not allow our city to go backwards.&#8221;



&#8220;This is about the city, and if we like it or not&#8230;I said to Andrew, that families argue, families fight. If we were talking about a Brad Lander, who was a terrible leader, or Scott Stringer, I wouldn&#8217;t be here today. They hate our way of life,&#8221; Adams said, referring to the DSA.

Belaaz Exclusive: Satmar Leadership of Both Groups Meet Cuomo and Mayor Adams in Williamsburg

With one week until the NYC mayoral election, Republican City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov announced Tuesday night that she is withdrawing her endorsement of longtime ally and friend, Republican Curtis Sliwa and throwing her support behind independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Vernikov believes that he is the only person that can defeat Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani.



In an interview with Belaaz moments after the announcement, Vernikov, who represents the 48th District in Brooklyn, cast the move as a painful but necessary decision aimed squarely at preventing Mamdani, who has praised convicted Hamas supporters and has spoken about wanting to, quoting Karl Marx, “seize the means of production,” from winning City Hall.



The endorsement marks a difficult break for the councilwoman, who described Sliwa as a “loyal friend” who has “done a lot for the city and the Jewish community.”



Despite that personal loyalty, Vernikov insisted that political reality dictated the change. Speaking with Belaaz, Vernikov, when asked what ultimately made her switch from supporting Sliwa, replied: “This is not about any single individual. It&#8217;s not about Sliwa; it&#8217;s not about Cuomo. It&#8217;s about saving our city. It&#8217;s about saving the Jewish people from a Hamas-supporting, jihadi-sympathizing mayor, G-d forbid.”



She delivered sharp criticism for the Democratic nominee, slamming Mamdani as “anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-cop” and warning that he poses an “existential threat” to the city.



“As much as it hurts me to say this, a vote for Curtis Sliwa is a vote for Zohran Mamdani,” Vernikov said in a video shared with Belaaz.



Vernikov’s decision follows similar moves by other prominent right-of-center figures, including billionaire John Catsimatidis and 77 WABC host Sid Rosenberg, Sliwa’s own co-host. The growing defections suggest a consolidating effort among some conservatives who fear Sliwa and Cuomo will split the anti-Mamdani vote, allowing the progressive to win.



When asked by Belaaz at what point she realized Sliwa didn&#8217;t have a path to victory, Vernikov cited the data. &#8220;We look at the numbers… but most importantly, the math just isn&#8217;t there,” she explained. “He is consistently polling 11%, 13%, 17%. We&#8217;re seven days before the election, and he just hasn&#8217;t polled to a point where he can win.”



She maintained that her decision was not a personal slight against the Guardian Angels founder. “He&#8217;s a good person. I&#8217;m very grateful for everything he has done for the Jewish community, for the city,” she said, adding, “But unfortunately, this is not about him. It&#8217;s about saving our city.”



With early voting underway, Vernikov noted that turnout appears high in her district, which includes neighborhoods like Midwood and Sheepshead Bay. “Yesterday, one of my poll sites was the busiest poll site in New York City for early voting,” she told Belaaz. “That&#8217;s Council Center, off Quentin Road.”



 Vernikov reiterated the stark choice she believes voters are facing. “The guy we may not like is the only one who has a shot,” she said in her video statement. She expanded on this later on in the interview,, offering a final plea to voters on the fence: “I think that Cuomo has the momentum right now to defeat Mamdani… unfortunately, a vote for Curtis Sliwa is a vote for Zohran Mamdani. So I would just encourage everybody to vote for Andrew Cuomo to beat Mamdani.”



Sliwa had not responded publicly to Vernikov&#8217;s endorsement change by Tuesday evening.

Vernikov Backs Cuomo in Mayoral Race, Calling Mamdani an ‘Existential Threat’

Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben &amp; Jerry’s, says parent company Unilever blocked an attempt by the ice cream brand to release a new flavor expressing solidarity with Palestinians, according to a BBC report.



Cohen announced that he will move forward with the project independently, creating the flavor under his personal brand that promotes social causes which he claims Ben &amp; Jerry’s has been prevented from supporting.



(Belaaz wonders if the Kosher certification would have been the classic Kof-K DE, or would have gone Halal)



Ben &amp; Jerry’s, known for its political activism and extremely anti Israel statements, including its past remarks on the Israel-Gaza conflict, has often clashed with Unilever, which acquired the company in 2000.



According to Cohen, both Unilever and its soon-to-be-separated ice cream division, Magnum, have “unlawfully blocked” Ben &amp; Jerry’s from pursuing its “social mission.”



In a video posted on Instagram on Tuesday, Cohen revealed he is developing a watermelon-flavored sorbet and invited fans to suggest names and ingredients. The watermelon, featuring the same colors as the Palestinian flag, has become a symbol associated with Palestinians.



“I’m doing what they couldn’t,” Cohen said in the video, filmed in a kitchen. “I’m making a watermelon-flavoured ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and for repairing the damage that was done there.”



Cohen added that Unilever had explicitly forbidden Ben &amp; Jerry’s from producing the dessert.



The flavor will be released through his separate venture, Ben’s Best, which focuses on socially driven products. In a press statement, Cohen said the new flavor will be produced independently and will highlight issues that the original company was blocked from addressing.



Ben’s Best was first launched in 2016 to support then-presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the “Bernie’s Back” flavor. Cohen said he plans to continue developing other socially conscious flavors under the brand.



Ben &amp; Jerry’s previously announced in 2021 that it would halt sales in what it called “Israeli-occupied territories.” Unilever later sold the company’s Israeli operations to a local licensee, ensuring that Ben &amp; Jerry’s ice cream continues to be sold across Yehudah and Shomron.



Tensions between the company’s founders and Unilever have intensified in recent months. In September, co-founder Jerry Greenfield resigned, saying Unilever’s control had compromised Ben &amp; Jerry’s independence.



At the time, Cohen commented that Greenfield’s decision came from “a really big heart” and that “this conflict with Unilever was breaking it.” He added, “My heart leads me to keep working within the company to advocate for its independence, so it can continue to live up to its founding values and social mission of more than 40 years.”



Since 2022, Ben &amp; Jerry’s Israel has operated entirely independently. The local branch, owned by Avi Zinger’s American Quality Products Ltd., manufactures ice cream in Be’er Tuvia and employs more than 200 workers, most from Israel’s south. The Israeli company continues to operate nationwide with full autonomy and strong community ties.

Unilever Blocks Ben & Jerry’s Plan for ‘Palestine’ Flavor, Co-Founder Launches It Independently

Former Governor and Independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo has been stepping up his outreach to members of the Jewish community in recent weeks. He received the endorsement of the Queens Jewish Alliance last month, was backed by influential Flatbush askanim last week, and picked up the endorsement of the Bobover kehilah on Sunday.



On the heels of a debate performance celebrated by a diverse array of commentators, Cuomo spoke with Belaaz on Friday about the race and his recent apology for his administration&#8217;s actions taken during the Pandemic. 



&#8212;



Hi, Governor, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us.



Why do you think Mamdani, who to his name, has what critics say, only a lackluster tenure in Assembly and not much else. How has he pulled ahead so far in the race?



I think he&#8217;s very effective on social media. I think he used the anti-Israel policies, which were effective for him politically.



And I think people didn&#8217;t really know who he was in the primary, and now they&#8217;re just really starting to learn. That debate was the first time there was a real, honest exchange, and the more they learn about him, the more troubled they are.



 Polls are showing that Mamdani has about 40% support. But also, aside from him, there are other socialist candidates who are making a lot of waves. You have AOC who&#8217;s touted as a very popular choice for presidential candidate next election. Do you think that the Democratic Party has veered to the far left? There&#8217;s no doubt that there&#8217;s a quiet civil war in the Democratic Party, where the far, the radical left is trying to take over the Democratic Party. It has been building for years. But yes, the socialists are trying to take over the Democratic Party. Do you think that pro-Israel advocacy, which historically has been a bipartisan issue, and of course, you yourself have been staunchly pro Israel. Do you think it&#8217;s no longer a bipartisan issue?



I think the Democrats are much more mixed on Israel than at any time before. The socialist position is basically anti Israel, and my Democratic Party, my father&#8217;s Democratic Party, was 100% supporters of Israel. So, yeah, it&#8217;s one of the key differences between this socialist agenda and the traditional Democratic agenda.



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So I want to speak a little bit about the apology you offered to Jewish community a few weeks ago. Agudath Israel sued the state against the regulations and won, but since then the governor has not issued an apology. What can you tell our our readers to assuage their concern that it&#8217;s not merely a politically expedient move. Remember the facts here. It wasn&#8217;t just Agudah. We got sued by every religious group. We got sued by the Catholic Church, and I&#8217;m Catholic, because they maintained the size restriction was limiting attendance in churches, as well as synagogues, as well as black churches, by the way.



So it was not just the Jewish community. Every religion had the same problem, because we were limiting their attendance, which, by the way, we were limiting their attendance, there&#8217;s no doubt about that, for health reasons. The Hasidic community had a different point, which wasn&#8217;t fully articulated until this election, which is the zone restrictions, the red zones, remember the zone restrictions?



Yes, of course.



The zone restrictions included some Hasidic communities, not all, by the way, some&#8230; red zones were also in upstate New York. There are also black communities in red zones, but the Hasidic community just knew that they were a red zone. And their point, to me was the fact that they were a red zone furthered, or could further a stigma or stereotype of the Hasidic community among the general public, and that was obviously never the intent.&nbsp; 



The zones were not chosen&#8230;they were just done off the infection rate data from the local health department. It had nothing to do with race, religion or creed. That would have been illegal anyway, but their point was, yes, but when a Hasidic community is a red zone that might further the stigma of against the Hasidic community. And I said I never, obviously intended that, and to the extent that was their feeling or that was the occurrence, I apologized. And I should have communicated better at the time, this has nothing to do with religion. Hasidic communities are red zones. Black communities are red zones. Catholic communities are red zones. It had nothing to do with the fact that they were Hasidic community. One more question. Jewish community figure Sol Werdiger of Agudath Israel reports that the governor had called him angrily after he and the Catholic Diocese appealed the court ruling denying the temporary injunction on the restrictions. What do you say to people who say that there&#8217;s a right to appeal state laws using the legal system?



It wasn&#8217;t angry, but there were two sides to the issue. We want to have 300 people in church. I understand that Bishop, but you put 300 people in church, the infection rates may very well go up.



I&#8217;m talking specifically about the the appeal that was made; Sol Werdiger says that the governor called him irate. What does the governor have to say to that? I was saying, I understand your legal argument, that you have the right freedom of religion. I understand the legal argument, but what about the health concern?



 Thank you very much.

Interview: Cuomo Says He Should Have ‘Communicated Better’ With Jews During Covid | Dems Waging ‘Civil War’

Members of the Bobov-45 Chasidish community learned this week of a &#8220;historic letter&#8221; sent by President Donald Trump to their Rebbe, shlita.



The letter, which was sent to congratulate the Rebbe on the inauguration of his massive new Beis Medrash in Borough Park, arrived during Chol HaMoed but was only revealed to the wider&nbsp; public in the last 24 hours. The grand opening of the new center took place just before the Yamim Noraim.



Belaaz has learned that community letters of this sort are frequently written by one of Trump&#8217;s associates, signed with an auto pen, and that the president is sometimes not aware of them. This letter is likely one such case.



In the letter, President Trump mentioned that the new Beis Medrash continues the distinguished legacy of the Rebbe&#8217;s grandfather, the previous Rebbe, Rebbe Shlomo of Bobov, zt&#8221;l.



&#8220;Congratulations on the completion of your new synagogue in Brooklyn, New York,&#8221; the letter began.



&#8220;This building is a powerful testament to the strength and courage of the Bobov-45 community. From the destruction of the Holocaust, the third Bobover Rebbe rebuilt Jewish life in New York, laying the foundation for the dynamic and vibrant community that has flourished for generations. This new synagogue continues that legacy, standing as a symbol of the resilience of the Jewish people and a reminder that even from the ashes of tragedy, great things can grow.&#8221;



The letter was delivered to the Rebbe through Rabbi David Katz, who is close with some Trump staffers. Rabbi Katz also arranged letters sent from the White House to the Skverer and Satmar Rebbes shlita.

Trump Sends Letter to Bobov-45 Rebbe Shlita Congratulating Him on New Beis Medrash

Up to a million people are expected to flood Yerushalayim Thursday for a massive demonstration, according to former MK Yitzchak Pindros of Degel Hatorah, who spoke with Belaaz Wednesday night as last-minute preparations were underway.



The protest, which organizers anticipate will draw 600,000 people from outside the city alone, is a direct response to the ongoing arrest of yeshiva students who have not enlisted in the IDF.



&#8220;I believe there&#8217;s going to be a million people,&#8221; Pindros told Belaaz. &#8220;You&#8217;re talking about 1/8 of the Jewish population. That shows how important the issue is to them.&#8221;



Logistical preparations are massive, with Pindros noting that &#8220;transportation is going to be an issue,&#8221; and many participants are already traveling to the capital. He stressed the demonstration represents an unusually broad coalition within the Charedi community and beyond, with several Religious Zionist figures, including Rabbi Tzvi Thau instructing their followers to attend.



&#8220;Everybody wants to be part of it,&#8221; Pindros stated. &#8220;All parts of the Charedim..from the Edah Charedis until the Mizrachi.&#8221;



While the political debate over the draft has simmered for years, Pindros identified a clear &#8220;tipping point&#8221; for the mass mobilization: the arrests themselves, which he framed as an intolerable desecration.



&#8220;The issue is very simple: that bachurim that are sitting and learning are being arrested,&#8221; Pindros explained. &#8220;Having people that are sitting and learning being arrested, that is a Chilul Hashem . And that Chilul Hashem, we can&#8217;t just sit there.&#8221;



He described a climate of fear among students, stating, &#8220;A bachur doesn&#8217;t know when he&#8217;s going to be arrested, if he&#8217;s going to pass a traffic light or be stopped by a cop&#8230; or they&#8217;re knocking at his door at night. The arrests&#8230; that&#8217;s something that we can&#8217;t agree to.&#8221;



The demonstration was initially hesitated upon, according to Pindros, due to the ongoing war. &#8220;It was in the middle of the war, and we were having funerals every day,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s very difficult for people to absorb a situation like that, and it would be a chillul Hashem in its own right to protest under such circumstances.”



However, he said the community&#8217;s hopes that the situation would &#8220;calm down&#8221; have faded. &#8220;They&#8217;re not calming down,&#8221; Pindros said. &#8220;People are being arrested more and more, again and again, and that&#8217;s the reason [the Gedolim] decided this.&#8221;



Pindros laid blame on the legal system, which he accused of pushing for increased enforcement despite the coalition agreements.



&#8220;We saw Bagatz [the High Court of Justice] today, how the judges were looking,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We saw the [Attorney General] demanding every day that she wants more arresting. The Supreme Court today said it wants more arresting. And that&#8230; we can&#8217;t agree with.&#8221;

Belaaz Interview: MK Pindros on Mass Protest, ‘We Can’t Let a Chillul Hashem Stand’

A Florida caterer served non-kosher food at a private event, including to some frum attendees, while claiming he was certified by the Orthodox Rabbinical Board (ORB), witnesses reported.



The incident occurred at a members-only shooting range in Fort Lauderdale, prompting the ORB to issue a public alert against the caterer, Rachid Zitani.



Rabbi Schneur Cheruti, an ORB rabbinic coordinator, explained that suspicion arose when one guest questioned the caterer about kosher supervision.



&#8220;He asked him, &#8216;Where&#8217;s your mashgiach?'&#8221; Rabbi Cheruti told Belaaz. &#8220;[The mashgiach] is away for a while, the caterer told him. &#8216;This is under ORB? No mashgiach? Can&#8217;t be.&#8217; the guest knew our policies; our mashgichim never leave the area where food is present.&#8221;



Rabbi Cheruti said Zitani had applied for ORB certification in May but did not receive it. &#8220;He asked if he could get kashrus certification&#8230; [he] applied, but&#8230; he didn&#8217;t get it,&#8221; he noted, adding that the ORB maintains strict rules and some businesses are unwilling to comply.



The event’s organizer, a non-Jewish party planner, was unfamiliar with kosher supervision and reportedly accepted Zitani’s claim at face value. &#8220;She asked him, &#8216;Are you kosher?&#8217; He said, &#8216;Yes, I&#8217;m kosher,'&#8221; Rabbi Cheruti said.



A frum guest also contacted Zitani directly to verify certification. &#8220;He asked him, &#8216;Which hechsher do you have?&#8217; He said, &#8216;I&#8217;m under ORB,'&#8221; the Rabbi stated.



When confronted, Zitani offered a different explanation. &#8220;The guy, this chef, said to me&#8230; &#8216;I never said I&#8217;m under ORB. I said that I&#8217;m kosher style,'&#8221; Rabbi Cheruti recounted. &#8220;But,&#8221; he added, &#8220;a few people also in the event said that he told them that he is under [ORB].&#8221;



Rather than using a certified kosher kitchen, Zitani allegedly prepared the food in the club’s non-kosher kitchen.



&#8220;He came himself to a kitchen, to a treif kitchen in the club, and cooked there and did everything there&#8230; it was really treif food.&#8221;



The ORB issued a public warning to prevent further incidents. &#8220;What&#8217;s important for this, for the to&#8217;eles for the tzibbur, is that we want everybody to know about it right away,&#8221; Rabbi Cheruti said. &#8220;Not only not to book him, but also to learn&#8230; people need to learn to check the certificate every time.&#8221;



He encouraged consumers to verify a caterer’s kosher certification online. &#8220;You can go online in a second&#8230; you can click &#8216;View Kosher Certificate.&#8217;&#8230; Cholov Yisroel, Pas Yisroel&#8230; Everything is written on the certificate.&#8221;



The alert has already had an impact, Rabbi Cheruti said. &#8220;There was another event he was supposed to book with, and people canceled it.&#8221;



The rabbi also stressed the confusion caused by vague labels like &#8220;kosher style.&#8221; &#8220;‘Kosher style’&nbsp; is a huge problem,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Many people, they have no idea. They grow up traditional, not being very careful about kashrus; they see &#8216;kosher&#8217; on the door and they think it actually is.&#8221;

Caterer Deceives Frum Guests with False ORB Certification, Served Treif Food in Florida

Belaaz is saddened to inform you on the passing of Rabbi Alvin Kass, the New York City Police Department&#8217;s (NYPD) chief chaplain and its longest-serving member. He was 89 years old and remained the department&#8217;s oldest active member at the time of his passing overnight.



Kass joined the NYPD in 1966 at age 30, becoming the youngest chaplain in its history. A U.S. Air Force veteran and Columbia University graduate, he served nearly six decades as the department&#8217;s &#8220;spiritual heart,&#8221; providing strength, guidance, and faith to generations of officers and their families.



He was among the first to respond after the 9/11 attacks, consoling the families of the 23 NYPD officers lost that day. A fixture at funerals, celebrations, and Police Academy graduations, Kass stood beside members &#8220;through moments of tragedy and triumph alike.&#8221;



At every graduation, he delivered his signature blessing: a prayer that New York be “a place where people of every race, religion, color, and creed can pursue their individual destinies untrammeled, unafraid, and in obedience to Thy will”, NYPD chief Jessica Tisch wrote on social media.



In September 2020, Kass made headlines when he fought off a mugger during his daily walk on the Upper West Side — the second time he had been attacked on his morning route. Undeterred, he vowed to resume his walk the next day.



Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called him “a source of strength, guidance, and faith,” adding: “His loss is immeasurable. His example is everlasting. May his memory be a blessing.”

Rabbi Alvin Kass, NYPD’s Longest-Serving Chaplain, Passes Away at 89

Crowds of Israelis gathered Monday to pay their final respects to Yossi Sharabi Hy&#8221;d, whose levaya procession traveled from Rishon Letzion to Kibbutz Be’eri. The levaya began at a shul in Rishon Letzion, attended by family and friends, including his brother, former hostage Eli Sharabi, who was released from Hamas captivity in January. Eli’s wife and daughter were both murdered by terrorists during the October 7 attack.



Sharabi was kidnapped from his home in Be’eri on October 7, 2023, along with his daughter’s boyfriend, Ofir Engel, and a neighbor, Amit Shani. Engel and Shani were both freed during the November 2023 hostage releases.



His body was returned to Israel earlier this month as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas terrorists.



As the funeral convoy made its way to Be’eri, supporters lined the roads waving Israeli flags and yellow banners bearing the symbol of the hostages, standing in silence and grief as they honored his memory.



President Yitzchak Herzog was scheduled to attend the funeral and deliver a hesped for Sharabi.



During the levaya, Yossi’s widow, Nira Sharabi, spoke tearfully: “In what world should daughters have to bury their father so early? In what world should a mother have to bury her son? In what world should a woman have to bury the love of her life when there was still so much left to do?”



She recalled meeting her husband, saying, “I remember not being able to understand how someone could have such a good heart. Over the years, as I got to know you more and more, I realized there were no hidden sides to you — only more and more of that same goodness. It wasn’t a cliché; it was the real thing.”



“How does one fill this void? How do I gather myself again?”



Nira added that she sees her husband’s presence reflected in their children: “I look at our daughters, and I see you in them. In each one of them, you appear in a different way, and together they complete you — the one I miss so deeply.”



Later, Eli Sharabi, who endured months of captivity before being freed, delivered a moving eulogy to his brother: “Today, after more than two years of waiting, of anxiety, of uncertainty — we finally have the privilege of burying you here, at home, in the soil of Be’eri. This is not the ending we had hoped for, but it is the beginning of a belated justice.”



He described his brother as “an anchor, a man with a huge heart, with quiet devotion, a family man. A father of three daughters who was always there — with a kind word, with a smile, with a generous heart. You never sought the spotlight, only to be good. And you were good — the very best.”



“Yossi, my dear brother, our hearts are broken, but our heads are held high,” Eli said. “Because you were granted the honor of being buried here, in the land you loved, at the heart of your community, among people who have not forgotten. We will carry on in your name, in your memory, in your path, and we promise to remember, to tell, and to love — just as you loved.”

Thousands Honor Slain Hostage Yossi Sharabi Hy’d As He Is Laid to Rest in Be’eri

A Jewish Israeli educator was attacked in midtown Manhattan in what authorities believe was an antisemitic assault, according to police.



The victim, 58-year-old Rami Glickstein, said he was walking toward the kosher restaurant Mr. Broadway on 38th Street when a man confronted him, pointed to his kippa, and demanded, “Tell me about your religion.”



When Glickstein didn’t respond, the assailant allegedly snatched his kippa, threw it to the ground, and spat on it. As Glickstein bent down to retrieve it, the attacker reportedly punched him in the face.



Several Jewish bystanders rushed to call police and medical personnel. Glickstein managed to reach the restaurant before being taken to a hospital, from which he was later released.



Detectives from the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force are investigating and searching for the suspect, described as a man in his 30s wearing a dark hoodie.



According to NYPD statistics, Jews continue to be the most frequent targets of hate crimes in New York City.

Jewish Educator Assaulted in Manhattan Antisemitic Attack

Tarek Bazrouk, a 20-year-old Palestinian and outspoken antisemite in New York City, was sentenced to 17 months in prison for a string of antisemitic assaults committed during anti-Israel protests. The attacks, which took place between April 2024 and January 2025, targeted visibly Jewish individuals in Manhattan and were without provocation.



Bazrouk’s sentencing drew a crowd of about 200 supporters at the federal courthouse in Manhattan. Despite earlier warnings from Judge Richard Berman in June that he could face up to five years behind bars, Bazrouk ultimately received only a year and a half in prison—on the higher end of his plea agreement’s 12–18 month guideline. He will also serve three years of supervised release.



Supporters of the Jew hater and violent attacked included the Palestinian Youth Movement, which lobbied for his release, claiming that he was &#8220;targeted&#8221; because he is Palestinian, ignoring ample evidence of his crimes and plastering social media with pictures of him in peaceful poses, with his hands shaped into a heart.



“If you assault somebody unprovoked just because that random somebody is an actual or perceived Jew,” Judge Berman stated, “because you, the assaulter, hate Jews, you are very likely to go to jail. It’s that simple.” The judge added that his message applied to hate crimes against any group, including Palestinians.



One of the victims, Elisha Baker, expressed appreciation for the court’s decision. “The message that the court sent today is that if you assault Jews on the basis of their Judaism and membership in the Jewish people, you will be held accountable,” he told The Times of Israel.



During his June hearing, Bazrouk had pleaded guilty to three hate crime assaults but offered no apology to his Jewish victims. Instead, he addressed the Palestinian community, saying, “I am sorry. I am Palestinian and I participated in the protest to display my outrage… I should not have used violence. I hope my family and community can forgive me.”



 On April 15, 2024, Bazrouk kicked a man wearing a kippa in the chest while the victim sang a Jewish song and held an Israeli flag near the New York Stock Exchange. He assaulted two others during the same protest. Later that year, he texted that he would “boom boom boom” the next Jewish person he saw, and subsequently punched another Jewish man carrying an Israeli flag during a December 9 protest.



Prosecutors said Bazrouk struck again on January 6, 2025, punching another flag-bearing demonstrator in the face. Although he had no connection to Columbia University, he joined several of its campus protests as an outside agitator.



When federal agents searched Bazrouk’s Manhattan home after his May arrest, they uncovered four knives, brass knuckles, a replica firearm, and $750,000 in cash hidden in a safe. His phone contained messages in which he called Jews “worthless,” referred to himself as a “Jew hater,” and said he was proud that family members were fighting with Hamas terrorists.



Prosecutors revealed that Bazrouk was part of a chat group that received updates from Abu Obeda, spokesman for Hamas’ al-Qassam Brigades. His lawyers denied any link between their client and the terror group. The seized cash was forfeited to the government.



Judge Berman had cautioned in June that Bazrouk could face up to five years in prison, along with a $250,000 fine and restitution payments. Tuesday’s sentence of just 17 months marks a far lighter punishment than the maximum penalty once on the table.

NYC Antisemite Who Called Himself a ‘Jew Hater’ Gets Only 17 Months for Series of Attacks on Jews

Mere days before New Jersey decides who its next governor will be, Belaaz spoke with Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli.



Ciattarelli is a former State Assemblyman and businessman who ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 2017 and was nominated in the 2021 race, before throwing his hat in this year&#8217;s election. He currently faces Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill.



He&#8217;s campaigning on a platform of relieving economic stress for Jersey residents, championing school choice initiatives, and has promised to create a special advisory board to tackle rising antisemitism.



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&#8212; First of all, can you tell our viewers why you&#8217;re running?



I want to fix New Jersey. It&#8217;s broken in so many ways. We have an affordability crisis because of property taxes and now because of electricity rates. Housing is too expensive. Childcare is too expensive. All the insurances are too expensive because we&#8217;re one of the worst places in the country in which to do business. So I have very specific plans on how to fix that. To make New Jersey more affordable.



We have a crisis in public education. We&#8217;ve watered down our public school curriculum. We need to get back on track, teaching critical life skills.



We have a public safety crisis in New Jersey. Nonviolent crime has spiked because of things like cashless bail. We need to reform that, make our community safe again.



And we have a housing crisis in New Jersey. In some areas we&#8217;re overdeveloped, and then other areas we don&#8217;t have enough housing. So those are all the issues that we need to address, and I have very specific plans on how to do that I think Jews realize very well that how extreme and far left the Democratic Party is going, especially when it comes to Israel. And today, people mix antisemitism with anti-Israel sentiment. If someone hates Israel, they&#8217;re pretty much, you know, aiming at the Jews as well. But here in New Jersey, the community has a pretty good relationship with the outgoing governor, Phil Murphy. So what&#8217;s so bad if someone decides to go vote Democrat this time around? Phil Murphy&#8217;s policies have failed New Jersey. It&#8217;s why we have a public education crisis, a public safety crisis, a housing crisis and an affordability crisis. And I&#8217;m not so sure that Phil Murphy has called out antisemitism for what it is, each time he has seen it.



I appoint the Attorney General. I appoint the 21 county prosecutors. I appoint the superintendent State Police. That&#8217;s the hierarchy of law enforcement here in New Jersey, and I&#8217;ll make sure they&#8217;re very sensitive to needs, concerns and worries of the Jewish community.



I&#8217;ll also establish an Advisory Council on Jewish relations.



I very much want to increase bilateral trade with Israel. New York does seven times the bilateral trade with Israel that New Jersey does. That presents an economic development opportunity that we would all benefit from.



But more than anything, I want to certainly attack the antisemitism that we see all throughout New Jersey. New Jersey leads the nation on a per capita basis of anti semitic acts. That needs to change, definitely. This question might be more sensitive, but we see now what it&#8217;s called, far right in the Republican Party, like, you know, Representative Marjorie Taylor green and Matt Gaetz, former representative you know, people that are aligned more with people like Tucker Carlson, who are saying are expressing a lot of anti-Israel views, and it&#8217;s triggering a lot of antisemitism, especially on social media. Do you have a comment on that? I&#8217;m a New Jersey Republican, and I concern myself with our 9.3 million citizens, of which 600,000 are Jews. They make the state more intellectually vibrant, more culturally vibrant, certainly more economically vibrant, and I want to work in partnership with them to make sure their community thrives here in New Jersey.



That&#8217;s exactly what I&#8217;ll do, but I&#8217;ll do that for all minority communities all throughout New Jersey. We need to strengthen our community all throughout New Jersey here, and that&#8217;s one of my goals as governor.



What&#8217;s your message to Jewish community, just days before the election? Come on out and vote. The Democrats have controlled our legislature for 25 years. They&#8217;ve had the executive branch for the last eight years. If you want change, you have to make a change. I know some of the things that are very important in the Jewish community are things like vouchers and certainly charter schools, educational choice. Those are none of the things that the Democrat is ever going to give you, because they&#8217;re owned by the teachers union. Teachers Union doesn&#8217;t support any of those things I do. Thank you so much for your time.



Thank you.

Belaaz Interview: Jack Ciattarelli, GOP Candidate for NJ Gov. Says Jews Make State More ‘Intellectually, Culturally, Economically’ Vibrant

New York City Mayor Eric Adams strongly condemned an art exhibit on Governor’s Island this week that featured pro-Hamas and antisemitic imagery, calling the display “vile” and a warning of how hatred can spread.



Speaking at a press event Thursday evening, Adams described the exhibit, which was unsanctioned and quickly removed, as including images with phrases such as “Hamas lover” a Magen Dovid on a Ku Klux Klan hood, a depiction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a Hitler mustache accompanied by the words “Zionism, Nazism, Fascism,&#8221; and profanity-laced attacks on Israel.



“This right here is beyond the pale,” Adams said. “As questions about where that art came from started to pour in, a shocking number of people were afraid to call this out for what it is, but I am not one of those people. This was a vile, antisemitic exhibit.”



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Adams stressed that activism is no excuse for hatred. “It is a stark reminder of what happens when ignorance and bigotry combine. This incident disturbs me and it should disturb anyone with a conscience,” he said.



The mayor warned that antisemitism is evolving and can appear in new forms. “Antisemitism is a virus that mutates. It comes back in different forms and finds new ways to hide in plain sight,” he said. “Disagreeing with the policies of Israel’s government does not make someone antisemitic, but to openly praise Hamas at an exhibit in a government facility sends a message of institutionalizing hatred.”



Adams, who endorsed former Governor and Independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo after leaving the race last month, slammed far-left, antisemitic candidate Zohran Mamdani. “We will never surrender our city to hate or to those who want to globalize the intifada,” Adams said, referencing Mamdani’s earlier defense of the slogan “Globalize the intifada.”



The speech comes a day after Adams joined Cuomo in meeting leaders of both Satmar communities in Williamsburg, in a display of solidarity.



Noting the prevalence of anti-Jewish hate crimes in the city, Adams said on Thursday, “Jews are targeted in 57% of all hate crimes in New York City. If this were a stat for any group, we would respond accordingly.”



He concluded with a call for unity and tolerance. “We must bring down the temperature. Too many across this country are ready to go to war with one another, to start at a place of disagreement, to believe in only the worst of one another. I know we can change that. I know that we can move forward with love and acceptance.”

Mayor Eric Adams Condemns Antisemitic Art Exhibit on Governor’s Island

Richelle Tzarfati, mother of murdered hostage Ofir Tzarfati Hy’d, says she has been forced to open her son’s grave for the third time.



Ofir Tzarfati, who was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, from the Nova and later killed in captivity, had his body recovered by the IDF in December 2023 and again in March 2024.



Hamas released additional parts that require kevurah to Israel last night.



Speaking at a press conference at the family home in Kiryat Ata, Richelle Tzarfati described the return of more remains as “continuous emotional abuse” by the terror group, saying she is forced again to bid her son farewell.



“For the third time. The third time I’ve been required to bury my Ofir,” Tzarfati said.



She detailed the emotional toll, describing the wound that is reopened each time the grave is opened.



“It’s a punch to the gut, an arrow to the heart, a wound that opens again and again,” she said.



“We thought we had closed the circle, that we were able to lay Ofir to rest, but today we discovered we never received all of him,” she continued. “I can’t grasp this. How can you bury your child in installments? How can you relive this once, and again, and again? Each time the grave is opened, my heart opens too, and another small piece of me is buried inside.”



“And what turns the pain into something unbearable is the way Hamas chooses to play with the bodies of our boys. With our pain. With videos, manipulations, and vile presentations,” Tzarfati added.



She accused Hamas of deceiving the world through “false presentations of ‘searches’ and ‘discoveries,’ when it is completely clear they know where most of the hostages are.”



Amid the grief, she noted “one moment of light,” which is the return of Ofir’s remains. “I choose to remember Ofir not through the horrors, but through his life,” she said.



Tzarfati’s sister, Shoval Tzarfati, condemned Hamas for what she called a cruel manipulation, returning her brother’s body instead of one of the remaining 13 hostages, in violation of the agreement signed and approved by both sides.

‘How Can You Bury Your Child in Installments?’ Family of Ofir Tzarfati Hy’d Slams Hamas’ ‘Continuous Emotional Abuse’

New information was released Thursday evening regarding the failed IDF rescue mission to save hostage Sahar Baruch Hy’d, as his body was returned to Israel under the terms of the latest agreement with Hamas.



The operation took place on December 8, 2023, when members of the elite Sayeret Matkal unit stormed a building in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza in an attempt to rescue Baruch from Hamas captivity.



During the mission, the soldiers faced heavy gunfire from Hamas terrorists, leading to an intense battle in which Baruch was killed. The following day, Hamas announced his death, after which the IDF confirmed the operation and its tragic outcome.



A military investigation launched after the incident has not yet determined whether Baruch was killed by Hamas or by IDF fire during the exchange.



Baruch’s family has asked that the IDF officially recognize him as having been murdered while in captivity.



On Thursday evening, as part of the current agreement with Hamas, Baruch’s body was returned to Israel and transferred to the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification. Experts there are expected to examine the remains to help clarify the exact circumstances of his death.



Baruch, 25, was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, after he and his brother Idan tried to flee their home as Hamas terrorists set it ablaze.

New Details Revealed About Failed Rescue Operation in Which Sahar Baruch Hy’d Was Killed

Israel received, through the Red Cross, the coffin of a possible deceased hostage, which was handed over to IDF and Shin Bet forces within the Gaza area after being located by Hamas. The body will now go through an identification process at the Abu Kabir forensic Institute.



If the body recently received by Israel via the Red Cross is confirmed to be that of a hostage, there will now be 12 hostage bodies remaining in Hamas captivity.

Israel Receives Coffin of Deceased Hostage from Gaza via Red Cross

After identification by the National Center for Forensic Medicine with Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF notified families of hostages Amiram Cooper hy&#8221;d and Sahar Baruch hy&#8221;d that their loved ones were returned from Gaza for burial.



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Based on our information and intelligence, Amiram Cooper hy&#8221;d was kidnapped alive from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz by the Hamas terror organization, the IDF said. The assessment is that he was murdered in captivity during February 2024. 



Amiram hy&#8221;d, 84 at his death, left behind a wife, 4 children, and 11 grandchildren. His wife, Nurit Cooper, was also kidnapped and released from Hamas captivity in October 2023.



Final conclusions will be formulated after completing the examination of death circumstances at the National Center for Forensic Medicine.



Based on IDF information and intelligence, Sahar Baruch hy&#8221;d, was also kidnapped alive from his home in Kibbutz Be&#8217;eri by the Hamas terror organization. The assessment is that he was murdered in captivity on 08/12/23. 



Sahar, 25 at his death, left behind parents and two brothers. His brother, Idan Baruch z&#8221;l, and grandmother, Geula Becher z&#8221;l, were murdered in the attack on the kibbutz.



Final conclusions will be formulated after completing the examination of death circumstances at the National Center for Forensic Medicine.



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IDF Confirms Bodies of Hostages Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch HY”D Returned for Burial

Newrly a million Jews from Israel&#8217;s Charedi community and beyond, led by Gedolei Yisrael, gathered in Yerushalayim on Thursday for a massive rally to protest mandatory IDF conscription and the recent jailing of yeshiva students.



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The demonstration, dubbed the &#8220;Million-Strong Rally,&#8221; brought the capital to a near-total halt but was marred by tragedy when a young man fell from a height at a nearby construction site and was pronounced dead.



The rally, described by organizers as an act of &#8220;tefilah and crying out,&#8221; saw participants from &#8220;all shades and communities&#8221; converge at the entrance to the city. The protest was called in response to the draft decree and specifically &#8220;ignited,&#8221; according to askanim, by the arrests of yeshiva students, particularly Ariel Shamai.



At the demonstration, the &#8220;Za&#8217;akas HaTorah&#8221; movement, which helped organize the event, announced firm resolutions, declaring, &#8220;We will not remain silent in the face of the arrests of the talmidei chachamim.&#8221;



Leading Gedolim in attendance included Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlita, who traveled from Bnei Brak, the Gerrer Rebbe shlita, Belzer Rebbe shlita, and Hagaon Harav Moshe Bergman shlita. Rav Hirsch said, &#8220;We are zocheh to fulfill the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem.&#8221;



Rabbanim and followers of the Edah Charedis attended as well, highlighting the universality of the cause. Hagaon Harav Moshe Shternbuch shlita was among the Gedolei Yisrael who participated. The Edah rabbanim stood on the balcony at the corner of Brinds and Yermiyahu streets.



The event was marked by solemn speeches given by rabbanim. Hagaon Harav Reuven Elbaz shlita, a member of Shas&#8217; Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah, led the massive crowd in the recitation of Selichos. Participants also were mekabel ohl malchus shamayim.



Unfortunately, several medical and safety incidents occurred during the rally. The most severe was the tragic death of 20-year-old Menachem Mendel Litzman, who fell from a construction site on Shazar Boulevard



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Chaim Weingarten, ZAKA&#8217;s Deputy Director of Operations, called it &#8220;a very difficult incident&#8221; and urged the dispersing public to &#8220;adhere to safety rules.&#8221; ZAKA volunteers remained at the &#8220;difficult scene&#8221; to treat the deceased with respect.



Medical teams treated numerous minor injuries throughout the day. United Hatzalah had earlier reported treating 74 participants. Separately, the MDA spokesperson reported that as of 4:45 PM, their teams had provided medical treatment to 56 participants. Of those, four required evacuation to hospitals in minor condition, including two cases of fainting, one cardiac event, and one minor injury.



The warnings about safety risks proved prescient, as authorities had previously issued urgent warnings as young men were spotted climbing tall poles and the top of a construction crane, creating a significant risk of &#8220;danger to life.&#8221;



In response to the tragedy, the Organizing Committee of the &#8220;Za’akas HaTorah&#8221; event issued a statement expressing &#8220;shock and deep sorrow.&#8221; The committee announced that &#8220;in light of the grave disaster, no music will be played during the dispersal, and the public is asked to disperse quietly and safely&#8230; and to avoid entering dangerous places.&#8221;



The rally was no easy feat for organizers and security personnel. Police deployed approximately 2,000 officers as major roads, including Highway 1, were blocked to traffic. Convoys of buses and crowds on foot clogged the main arteries into the city. Jerusalem&#8217;s train station was overwhelmed, forcing organizers to coordinate with Israel Railways to manage the crowds.



MK Yuli Edelstein, who was recently removed from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee over his failures to advance a draft law, attended a counter-demonstration held by military reservists.



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Massive ‘Million-Strong Rally’ Protests IDF Conscription

The IDF said Wednesday that its latest wave of strikes in Gaza targeted senior Hamas and other terror commanders following what it described as “blatant violations” of the ceasefire by the terrorist organization.



According to an IDF and Shin Bet statement, the overnight operation, led by the Southern Command and guided by Military Intelligence, hit “dozens of terrorists in the Gaza Strip, including two battalion-level terrorists, two deputy battalion-level terrorists, and 16 company-level commanders.”



The military said the airstrikes were carried out by the Israeli Air Force in coordination with Shin Bet and targeted “dozens of key terrorists, observation posts, a weapons production site, rocket and mortar launch positions, and underground tunnels.” These strikes were part of what the IDF called a “renewed enforcement” of the ceasefire following Hamas’ violations.



The IDF noted that the operation was designed to further degrade Hamas’ military infrastructure and eliminate key figures responsible for directing terror attacks. “The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to operate with force to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel,” the statement said.



In the past 24 hours alone, the Air Force struck “dozens of terrorists from terrorist organizations across the Gaza Strip,” according to the IDF. Among those confirmed killed were several Hamas operatives who had taken part in the October 7, 2023, massacre.



They included Muhammad Issa Asher, a Nukhba unit commander; Fuaz Awida, head of a Nukhba squad; and two members of the so-called “Desert Lords” terror organization, Muhammad Abu Sharia and Nidal Abu Sharia.



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The IDF also said that in a “precise strike in the southern Gaza Strip,” its forces eliminated Khatam Maher Musa Qadra, a Nukhba company commander in northern Khan Younis, who personally led the murderous raid on Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha on October 7.



While the IDF continues to assess the results of the operation, it said that the strikes were aimed at terror operatives directly involved in Hamas’s military command structure. “Attack attempts were made on two battalion-level terrorists, two deputy battalion-level terrorists, and 16 company-level commanders,” the military said.



The IDF emphasized that it will not allow Hamas to rearm or regroup amid ongoing ceasefire violations, vowing to “continue to operate with determination to remove any threat to Israeli civilians.”

IDF: Latest Gaza Strikes Kill Hamas Commanders Involved in Oct. 7 Massacre

Germany has agreed to allocate more than $1 billion for home care services benefiting Holocaust survivors worldwide in 2026, the organization representing Jewish victims of Nazi persecution announced Wednesday.



The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, known as the Claims Conference, said it reached an agreement with Germany’s finance ministry to extend $1.076 billion (923.9 million euros) for this purpose. The amount marks the largest budget ever dedicated to home care for aging Holocaust survivors.



“This historic increase to home care funding reflects the complex and growing needs of Holocaust survivors worldwide,” said Gideon Taylor, president of the New York-based Claims Conference.



“While we are losing survivors at a rapid pace each year, those who remain are older, frailer and in greater need than ever before,” Taylor said in a statement. “This budget is critical in providing each of them the opportunity to age in place, a dignity that was stolen from them in their youth.”



According to the organization, the average age of survivors receiving home care through its funding has risen from 86 in 2018 to 88.5 in 2024. Data also show that many survivors now suffer from more severe disabilities and health issues, with the number of those requiring full-time assistance for conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and dementia nearly doubling in recent years.



In addition, Germany and the Claims Conference agreed to extend the Hardship Fund Supplemental payments, previously set to continue through 2027, by another year. The annual €1,450 payments will now continue through 2028, benefitting over 127,000 survivors worldwide.



The Claims Conference estimates that roughly 200,000 Holocaust survivors remain alive today, most living in Israel, the United States, and Europe, though many are dispersed across other parts of the world.



The organization also announced that “righteous rescuers” — non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust — who already receive monthly pensions will now be eligible for home care assistance similar to that provided to Jewish survivors.



Colette Avital, a Holocaust survivor and member of the Claims Conference negotiating delegation, welcomed the agreement. “It is deeply meaningful that, 80 years after the liberation, the German government maintains its responsibility to those who suffered and survived,” she said.



“Every survivor — and every rescuer — deserves to live with dignity and to be seen, heard and cared for,” Avital added.



Germany also agreed to extend Holocaust education funding through 2029, pledging €175 million for educational efforts. The programs will support teacher training, academic research, and new media initiatives such as films, gaming, and virtual reality projects to help reach broader audiences amid growing Holocaust ignorance and rising antisemitism.



&#8220;It is imperative that we invest in the future of Holocaust education while we still have living witnesses who can share their firsthand testimonies of survival,&#8221; said Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Claims Conference. “This is our moral obligation to the survivors of the Holocaust and to the 6 million who were murdered.”

Germany Commits Over $1 Billion to Support Holocaust Survivors’ Home Care in 2026

Israel notified the Trump administration of its plan to strike Gaza City only after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had already ordered the operation in response to Hamas’ repeated violations of the ceasefire, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.



“The prime minister made the decision to carry out the strike, gave the order to the military to execute it and afterward informed the United States,” the PMO said.



Officials from both Israel and the U.S. told The Times of Israel that Washington was briefed after Jerusalem finalized its decision, but before the strikes were actually launched.



“We were informed,” a Trump administration official stated, explaining that the U.S.-led Civil-Military Coordination Center in Kiryat Gat—responsible for supervising the ceasefire and monitoring Washington’s Gaza peace framework—served as the channel for communication between the two governments.



An Israeli official confirmed that “there were talks with the Americans” about Israel’s intended response before the military acted.



Both political and defense-level discussions reportedly took place between the allies.



Meanwhile, despite the latest exchange of fire between Israel and Hamas terrorists, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters that the ceasefire would remain in place.



“There are going to be little skirmishes here and there. We know Hamas attacked an IDF soldier. We expect the Israelis are going to respond,” Vance said.

Netanyahu Informed U.S. of Gaza Strikes Beforehand, PMO Confirms: Vance Downplays Escalation

United Torah Judaism MK Yisrael Eichler sharply criticized Opposition Leader Yair Lapid on Monday after Lapid proposed revoking the voting rights of Charedim who do not serve in the IDF.



Eichler issued a biting response, saying he “welcomes MK Yair Lapid’s ‘democratic’ demand to strip citizens of their right to vote, provided that the law applies to every privileged individual who did not serve in a combat role at the front. Additionally, anyone who has not completed their high school matriculation will not be allowed to serve as Prime Minister.”



Lapid, who never completed high school and served as a reporter for the IDF magazine Bamachane during his mandatory service, has long been a vocal critic of the Charedi draft exemptions.



Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Lapid declared that if the government’s proposed legislation to regulate Charedi enlistment passes, “then in the next government there will be a simple law: whoever does not come to [military induction] will not come to the polls. Whoever does not enlist, will not vote in the elections.”

UTJ MK Eichler Blasts Lapid For Proposing To Strip Voting Rights From Non-Enlisted Charedim

Hundreds of educators from schools throughout the country participated in Moldova’s first-ever seminar of its kind, organized in cooperation with leading embassies • “The painful past of the Jewish people is always before our eyes,” said Germany’s Ambassador to Moldova • Chief Rabbi Pinchas Zaltzman: “The way to fight hatred begins with education. At a time when antisemitism is again rearing its head around the world, we must respond with light, with love, with education – and with faith”



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Following the alarming surge in antisemitic incidents across Europe since the October 7 massacre, Moldova’s Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Pinchas Zaltzman, initiated a special seminar for the country’s educators. Its goal: to raise awareness of antisemitism and strengthen the values of tolerance and human dignity.



 The five-day professional seminar, held in Moldova’s capital city of Chișinău, brought together the Ambassadors of Germany and Israel, representatives of the local Ministry of Education, and hundreds of teachers from a wide range of educational institutions. 



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In his remarks, the German Ambassador stated: “The painful past of the Jewish people — men, women, and children who suffered — remains forever before us. The German people feel that pain as well, and we are determined not to allow antisemitism to resurface anywhere in the world.”



Israel’s Ambassador to Moldova, Yoram Elron, praised the initiative and emphasized its critical importance at a time when “the fight against antisemitism must be not only moral but educational, to prevent the next generation of hatred.”



Rabbi Pinchas Zaltzman, Moldova’s Chief Rabbi and the driving force behind the initiative, addressed the participants, saying: “In Judaism, education is a supreme value. I salute every teacher who dedicated their time to join this seminar. In my eyes, you are not only educators; you are mothers. You spend more time with the children than their own parents. Your mission is sacred.”



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Rabbi Saltzman stressed the powerful message at the heart of the seminar: “Precisely now, when antisemitism is once again raising its head around the world, we are duty-bound to respond with light, with love, with education, and with faith. The fight against hatred begins in the classroom.”



At the conclusion of the seminar, the Chief Rabbi and government representatives agreed to continue strengthening international cooperation to advance education in core values and to intensify efforts to combat antisemitism throughout Europe.



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Amid Surging Antisemitism in Europe: Moldova’s Chief Rabbi Heads Teacher Training to Combat the Hatefull Trend

At a conference with senior IDF commanders, Chief Eyal Zamir stated that the war against Hamas will continue until all deceased hostages hy&#8221;d, held in Gaza are brought back home. &#8220;The war is not yet over; we must complete our sacred mission of bringing the fallen hostages home and continue the campaign against Hamas,&#8221; Zamir said.



 The meeting, held today with operational unit commanders ranked lieutenant colonel and above, marked the start of a &#8220;learning process&#8221; for the IDF as it prepares for 2026.



 Zamir further highlighted the importance of learning from past conflicts, stating, &#8220;Drawing lessons and learning constitute our moral and professional duty, and we will do so with courage and determination.&#8221; 



Zamir also stressed the need to strengthen military foundations, support soldiers and their families, and prepare for future challenges across all fronts. The conference included presentations of operational and intelligence data, remarks from Defense Minister Israel Katz, and a panel with released hostages and families of those killed, whose bodies were recently returned.

IDF Chief to Commanders: “From the Big Failure of October 7, We Achieved Tremendous Success”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the IDF to “carry out immediate and powerful strikes in the Gaza Strip,” his office announced Monday evening, following a high-level meeting on Israel’s response to what officials described as repeated and deliberate violations of the Gaza ceasefire.



The directive came shortly after IDF soldiers were attacked in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, marking yet another breach of the truce by Hamas terrorists. The escalation also follows mounting Israeli outrage over Hamas’s handling of murdered hostages&#8217; bodies under the ceasefire agreement.



Earlier in the day, IDF troops stationed in Rafah came under fire from terror operatives, according to The Times of Israel. Soldiers returned fire, and Palestinian media reported subsequent Israeli artillery strikes in the area. The IDF has not yet released an official statement on the incident, which is believed to be a clear violation of the truce by Hamas.



Just last week, two IDF soldiers were killed in the same area. The military blamed Hamas for the deadly attack, though the terror group denied responsibility for its operatives in IDF-controlled zones of Gaza.



Earlier, Hamas’s military wing announced it would return “the body of a hostage that was recovered a short time ago from one of the tunnels in the Gaza Strip.” The statement did not specify the identity of the hostage.



The announcement was met with anger in Israel, where officials have accused Hamas of deliberately stalling the return of abductees’ bodies. The frustration deepened after the terror group returned fragments from a murdered hostage that had already been recovered in December, to the horror of his family, instead of a new person, and following what Israel says was a staged “discovery” of those remains.



Shortly before the announcement, Hamas’ Shehab news agency released footage showing its members near a tunnel entrance in Khan Younis, allegedly searching for hostage bodies.



Later, the IDF published a 15-minute uncut drone video exposing Hamas operatives faking the recovery of a hostage’s remains in Gaza City. The footage showed terrorists preparing and burying remains before summoning Red Cross representatives to stage a false “discovery.”



The IDF identified the remains as belonging to Ofir Tzarfati Hy’d, who was kidnapped and murdered during Hamas’s October 2023 onslaught. His body had already been recovered by the IDF in December of that year.



“Contrary to Hamas’s claims of difficulties locating the bodies of the deceased hostages, yesterday Hamas operatives were documented removing body remains from a structure that had been prepared in advance and burying them nearby,” the IDF said.



“Shortly thereafter, the Hamas terror organization summoned representatives of the Red Cross and staged a false display of discovering a deceased hostage’s body,” it added.



According to the military, the footage “clearly shows that the Hamas terror organization is attempting to create a false impression of efforts to locate the bodies, while in fact holding deceased hostages whose remains it refuses to release as required by the agreement.”



The IDF further noted that Hamas’s excuses about lacking engineering equipment were “clearly unnecessary for the transfer of remains” and therefore did not justify the group’s delays in returning the bodies.

Netanyahu Orders Immediate, Powerful Strikes on Gaza After Hamas Violated Ceasefire, Faked Hostage Recovery

Pro-Palestinian activists in Italy disrupted an event at Venice’s Ca’ Foscari University, preventing former Jewish lawmaker Emanuele Fiano from speaking, according to Italian media reports. Fiano, whose father survived Auschwitz, was scheduled to address prospects for peace in the Middle East.



Fiano, 62, a member of the center-left Democratic Party and current secretary of the organization Left for Israel, had been invited to discuss the two-state solution — a position his group supports.



According to Corriere della Sera, the event was abruptly halted when a group of activists began shouting anti-Israel slogans, effectively stopping the discussion.



Footage shared online by Left for Israel showed demonstrators holding signs declaring, “Zionists out of the university.”



“I tried everything I could to continue, but they kept on talking and telling lies about me,” Fiano told La Repubblica.



“I’m shocked by what happened,” he said. “The last time they expelled a Fiano from a place of study was my father in 1938. We were there to discuss peace between two peoples, injustice, pain, violence and peace. Anyone who doesn’t want to hear about these things doesn’t want peace.”



Fiano’s father, Nedo, was expelled from his school in Florence at age 13 under Italy’s 1938 anti-Jewish laws. He was later deported to Auschwitz in 1944, where both his parents were murdered. Nedo Fiano passed away in 2020.



Politicians from across Italy’s political spectrum condemned the disruption, describing it as an attack on academic freedom and a disturbing display of antisemitism.



Last month, Ca’ Foscari University’s administration voted to suspend all collaborations with Israeli academic institutions, citing the ongoing war in Gaza.

Italian Anti-Israel Activists Silence Jewish Ex-MP, Son of Holocaust Survivor, at Venice University

A young Charedi man from Bnei Brak was arrested on Monday after arriving at a police station in Be’er Sheva to file a complaint — sparking widespread outrage among community leaders who called the move “a serious breach of trust” between the police and the Charedi public.



The man, identified as Yaakov Yisrael Gil, a talmid at the Nachlas Shlomo Yeshiva, came to the station to submit a complaint about a personal matter. According to his family, officers checked his ID information and discovered that he was listed as a military deserter. Instead of taking his complaint, the police handed him over to the Military Police for detention.



Charedi leaders and Gil’s relatives condemned the incident in strong terms. “This is a serious violation of the trust of the Charedi public in the Israel Police,” said one family member. “If a yeshiva student who goes to the station to file a complaint ends up being arrested and transferred to the Military Police, who will now dare to contact the police if he is harmed? This move completely disconnects the Charedi public from the police.”



A well-known community activist told Bechadrei Charedim: “This is an outrageous act that damages the already fragile cooperation between the Charedi public and the police. The Israel Police should have respected the long-standing status quo and not targeted yeshiva students. Instead, they acted with insensitivity and a complete lack of judgment.”



The Azram and Magnam legal aid organization also denounced the police’s actions. “The Israel Police violated the status quo by transferring a yeshiva student to military detention after summoning him for questioning,” the group said in a statement. “The young man, who appeared for questioning at the Be’er Sheva station, is now being held in a military facility in southern Israel. He and his family are receiving legal assistance from attorney Shlomo Hadad and our legal department. We urge the public not to go to a police station before first consulting with aid organizations.”



Charedi officials warned that the incident could have lasting consequences on public trust. “If this is how a law-abiding yeshiva student is treated when he seeks help,” said one community leader, “then it’s clear that the police have alienated an entire sector of Israeli society.”

Outrage After Charedi Man Arrested at Police Station While Filing Complaint

A 29-year-old man from Minnesota has been arrested for allegedly posting a $45,000 bounty on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s life in a TikTok post, federal authorities said.



The FBI reports that Tyler Maxon Avalos was taken into custody on October 16 after a tip alerted law enforcement to what prosecutors describe as an online “murder-for-hire” plot targeting Bondi.



Court documents allege Avalos uploaded a photo of Bondi with a red target icon on her forehead and the caption: “WANTED: Pam Bondi / REWARD: 45,000 DEAD OR ALIVE (PREFERABLY DEAD).” Beneath the image, he reportedly added: “Cough cough. When they don’t serve us, then what?”



Investigators say Avalos, who used the handle “Wacko,” also linked his profile to “An Anarchist FAQ book” on TikTok.



Authorities noted Avalos’ history of violence and prior convictions. The affidavit states: “[Avalos] has a multistate conviction history including a July 2022 felony stalking conviction from Dakota County, an August 2016 felony third-degree domestic battery from Polk County, Florida, and an April 2016 misdemeanor domestic assault from Dakota County, which appears to have been reduced from a felony domestic assault by strangulation charge.”



Avalos now faces a federal charge of interstate transmission of a threat to injure another person, which carries a potential prison sentence under federal law.



The FBI has not commented on a possible motive, though court filings describe Avalos as having “anarchist ties.”



Avalos’ attorney, Daniel Gerdts, told Law &amp; Crime he had no comment, “except to note that” his client “is not guilty of any crime.”



Bondi has not made a public statement regarding the alleged threat.

Minnesota Man Arrested for Allegedly Posting $45K Bounty on Pam Bondi’s Life

The IDF and Mossad are on alert for an emerging threat from Iraq, as Iran continues to expand its network of pro-Iranian terror groups and infrastructure there, Maariv reported Friday. 



According to Northern Command sources, Tehran has been heavily investing in these groups to enable potential attacks on Israel—both by air and on land—should the order be given. Reports indicate that Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, recently visited Iraq to meet with senior militia leaders and advance operational coordination.



Iran has seen its axis of regional terror groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, crumble at the hands of the IDF ever since the Oct. 7 massacre.



The report states that the Iraqi terror groups’ main method of attack would likely involve missile and drone launches from Iraqi territory, following a pattern similar to that seen during the Iron Swords War against Israel. A secondary option reportedly being considered is a coordinated ground maneuver starting in Iraq, moving through Syria, and potentially approaching the Israel–Jordan border. 



Meanwhile, Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced progress on plans to reinforce the nation’s eastern border. The ministry confirmed that the first tenders have been completed, and construction of a new border barrier will begin in the coming weeks. The initial phase will cover two sections in the northern sector, with early work focused on the valley area stretching from Hamat Gader to Jordan. Additional companies will later join to extend the project from Machsom Tzafo to Yafit.



The project will include earthworks, drainage, road and highway rehabilitation, as well as the installation of water, sewage, electrical, and communication infrastructure. The Defense Ministry said the initiative is a key component of its national security strategy, spearheaded by Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, aimed at strengthening strategic control over Israel’s eastern border.



Major General Eran Ofir, head of the Borders and Seam Directorate, is leading the establishment of a comprehensive operational system that integrates barriers, intelligence collection, technology, sensing, reconnaissance, and maintenance teams. As construction proceeds, the Defense Ministry and IDF will continue planning the next sections and refining the broader border defense concept.



The total cost of the project is estimated at approximately 5.5 billion shekels. Once completed, it will form a multi-layered security system spanning 425 kilometers—from the southern Golan Heights to the Samar Sands, north of Eilat.



Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram stated, “Looking ahead to the emerging threats, we must act with a sense of urgency and strengthen the strategic grip on the eastern border. This is not just a physical obstacle, but a complete multi-layered system that will include the deployment of flexible and mobile forces, appropriate to the topography and changing threats. This is alongside encouraging Zionist-security settlement, investing in security-civilian infrastructure, and creating industrial growth engines. This is a national mission to which we must enlist all government ministries and the civilian and business sectors.” Maariv reported.

IDF And Mossad Warn Of Growing  Iraqi Terror Threat Toward Israel

President Trump on Monday signed an executive order restricting federal funding for “gain-of-function” research, believes by many scientists as responsible for the pandemic.



The type of research involves genetically manipulating viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens to render them more dangerous and infectious. The goal is to be able to predict and prepare for situations in which the micro-organisms may naturally become more virulent in the future.



The research is very controversal. Many scientists say that GofF viruses in a Wuhan, China lab were accidentally released in early 2020, causing the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.



Dr. Anthony Fauci, who was director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022, and medical advisor to then-President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2022, was an early advocate of GofF research, describing it “a risk worth taking.”



The problem is, there has been virtually no evidence over the years that GofF research has yielded any preventive measures or treatments of viral infections.



Physician Laura Kahn, a biodefense expert, said that as far as she knows, GofF research “has not directly led to vaccines or therapeutics.”



Trump&#8217;s executive order stops all present and future federal funding of gain-of-function research in countries deemed to have a lack of enough oversight of the research. The order also enables U.S. agencies to block federal funding of any other biological research that might pose a threat to American public health and safety or national security.



—&#8212; David J. Glenn

Gen4EEmXAAAqHO8

MORE FROM BELAAZ

Trump Restricts Gain of Function Research Thought to Possibly Lead to Covid

Russia announced the successful testing of a new nuclear-capable, powered cruise missile that could bypass existing defenses, with President Vladimir Putin signaling its impending deployment to the Russian military.



The statement, following years of development of the Burevestnik missile, is part of the Kremlin’s ongoing nuclear messaging. It comes amid Moscow’s rejection of Western calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine and stern warnings to the U.S. and NATO allies against striking deep inside Russia using long-range Western weaponry.



In a Kremlin-released video, Putin, wearing camouflage military fatigues, is seen receiving a briefing from Gen. Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s chief of general staff. Gerasimov reports that the Burevestnik traveled 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) in a critical test conducted on Tuesday.



Gerasimov adds that the Burevestnik, whose name translates as “storm petrel” in Russian, remained in flight for 15 hours powered by nuclear energy, noting, “that’s not the limit.”

Russia Tests Long-Range Nuclear-Capable Cruise Missile, Putin Says

On the one-year anniversary of Operation ‘Days of Teshuva,’ the IDF has released new footage showing Israel’s strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile sites, highlighting the operation’s impact on Tehran’s military capabilities.



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The operation, carried out by the Israeli Air Force one year ago, targeted key Iranian military installations in response to attacks by the Iranian regime against Israel. Strikes focused on ballistic missile production facilities intended to hit Israeli cities, as well as advanced surface-to-air missile systems. These actions expanded Israel’s aerial freedom of action over Iranian territory.



The IDF said the success of these strikes provided an operational advantage for the later launch of Operation ‘Rising Lion’ in June 2025. The newly released footage and documentation commemorate the anniversary, showing how Israel significantly degraded Iran’s missile capabilities and strengthened its strategic position in the region.

Israel Marks Anniversary of Strikes on Iran With New Footage of Missile Site Operation

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Freed hostages Eitan Mor, Evyatar David, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal returned home Sunday, two weeks after their release from Hamas captivity, as communities across Israel celebrated their long-awaited homecoming.



The three men were kidnapped from the Nova festival on October 7, 2023, and held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza for two years. Upon their release on October 13, they were admitted to Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson) for medical care and rehabilitation. On Sunday, the hospital confirmed they were discharged and will continue outpatient treatment in its returned hostages unit, with ongoing support for them and their families.



At Eitan Mor’s homecoming, supporters surrounded the van carrying him, waving Israeli flags and banners, singing “Am Yisrael Chai,” and cheering at the sight of his face in the window.



In Kfar Saba, released hostage Evyatar David arrived wrapped in an Israeli flag, greeted by a street packed with neighbors and friends. Residents danced, sang, and held up phones to capture the moment as police escorted the convoy through the cheering crowd. David waved and blew kisses from inside the van, as well-wishers attached balloons and threw flowers through the open windows. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett joined the celebration to greet David at his family’s apartment building.



Guy Gilboa-Dalal was welcomed home in the town of Alfei Menashe, where residents lined the streets waving flags and cheering. Gilboa-Dalal leaned out of his van, wrapped in an Israeli flag, hugging friends and telling the crowd, “Thank you to everyone, it’s incredible. I’m going to be with my family now.”



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3 Freed Hostages Return Home From Hospital

Former Vice President Kamala Harris suggested Sunday she might run for office again while defending her handling of former President Joe Biden’s health during his 2024 reelection campaign in a Sunday interview with the BBC.



Harris, who has previously ruled out running in 2028, told BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg, “I am not done. I have lived my entire career as a life of service, and it’s in my bones,” hinting at a potential future campaign.



The interview also focused on Harris’s reflections about Biden’s capacity to seek reelection. She said she had concerns about the demands of a political campaign on the then-president but maintained that she never doubted his ability to serve as president. “There is a very serious difference between capacity to be president of the United States and the capacity to run for president of the United States,” she explained.



Harris added, “It is on that latter piece that I talk about in the book, about my concern about his ability, with the level of endurance, energy that it requires, especially running against now the current president. But let’s be clear, my question was never about his capacity to be president.”



Kuenssberg pressed Harris on whether her distinction sent a confusing message to the public. Harris responded that her concern was about the campaign itself and the level of stamina it demands from any candidate, regardless of age.



The former vice president also criticized President Donald Trump, calling him a “tyrant” and accusing business leaders and institutions of accommodating him.

Kamala Harris Signals Possible Presidential Run, Addresses Biden’s Health in  Interview

Mrs. Adele Samuelsen A”h, recognized as the oldest woman in Israel, passed away on Shabbos at the age of 111. A longtime resident of Moshav Mikhmoret, she was admired for her remarkable longevity, strength of spirit, and devotion to her family. Her son-in-law is Harav Yaakov Drutman, Rosh Kollel and dayan in Netivot.



Adele was born in October 1914 in Johannesburg, South Africa, as the eldest of seven siblings. In 1945, she married Yechezkel (Skea) Samuelson, and together they raised two daughters, Ilana Gorfil and Gail Drutman.



In 1979, the Samuelson family made aliyah to Israel, settling in Moshav Mikhmoret, north of Netanya. Despite relocating, Adele maintained a deep connection with her family in South Africa and traveled back frequently to visit them. Her final trip, in her mid-90s, was to celebrate what would have been her late sister’s 98th birthday.



In October 2024, Adele celebrated her 110th birthday surrounded by generations of descendants. She is survived by twelve grandchildren, as well as numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Oldest Woman in Israel, Mrs. Adele Samuelsen A”h, Passes Away at 111

US President Donald Trump met Saturday with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani aboard Air Force One during a refueling in Doha, praising the Gulf leader for helping maintain “a safe Middle East” while underscoring ongoing US efforts to stabilize Gaza. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, said he does not foresee a permanent division of Gaza and outlined plans for an international stabilization force alongside Israeli-led reconstruction efforts.



Trump called the emir “one of the great rulers of the world, not just the Middle East,” and praised Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani as “a friend to the world.” “We have done a lot together, especially in the last year… Peace to the Middle East, and they were a very big factor in it,” Trump said.



Rubio, speaking from the Civil-Military Coordination Center in southern Israel, noted that Israeli troops have withdrawn to a “Yellow Line,” leaving them in control of roughly half of Gaza. Reconstruction aid will initially focus on that area. An international stabilization force, which the US and regional mediators are working to establish, would enforce security across Gaza. “I think, ultimately, the point of the stabilization force is to move that line until it covers hopefully all of Gaza, meaning all of Gaza will be demilitarized,” Rubio said. “Ultimately, the more of Gaza is demilitarized, the more of Gaza terrorism is removed from, the more of it is going to look like that green zone — and that line will move as a result of it. That’s the long-term plan.”



Rubio emphasized that Israel has no interest in permanently occupying Gaza and that Hamas, which governed the Strip before the war, will have no role in future governance. Despite the ceasefire, Hamas has resisted disarmament calls, cracking down on rival Palestinian groups since the truce began two weeks ago. Moussa Abu Marzouk, Hamas’s head of international relations and legal affairs, warned that excluding Hamas from Gaza’s stabilization could “lead to chaos and a security vacuum.”



Leaders of anti-Hamas militias in Gaza’s Israeli-controlled areas voiced opposition to any Qatari or Turkish involvement in post-war Gaza. Hussam al-Astal, leader of a militia in Khan Younis, accused Turkey of supporting and protecting Hamas and labeled both Turkey and Qatar as “war criminals.” “Anyone who helps us against Hamas will be welcomed,” he said, emphasizing that Hamas, not Israel, is responsible for civilian deaths in Gaza.



Rasan al-Dahini, a senior figure in Yasser Abu Shabab’s militia in Rafah, echoed al-Astal’s criticism, saying Turkey “openly and explicitly supports Hamas” and denying that his militia would flee Gaza once the IDF withdraws, as some militias did in Lebanon in 2000. He also stressed that weapons obtained by his group will not be used against Israel in the future.



Palestinian factions, including Hamas, have agreed to form a technocratic committee to oversee Gaza alongside the international ceasefire and reconstruction effort. Rubio said he expects General Dan Caine, the top US military officer, to visit Israel next week to further the process.



Rubio’s visit follows US Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Israel last week.

Trump Pushes Gaza Stabilization With Al Thani, Local Militias Reject Qatari, Turkish Role

Early voting for New York City’s mayoral race began Saturday with an unprecedented surge in participation,more than five times higher than four years ago.



According to the city’s Board of Elections, 79,409 voters cast ballots on the first day of early voting, compared to just 15,418 on the same day in 2021—a 515 percent increase. Manhattan led with 24,046 voters, followed by Brooklyn (22,105), Queens (19,045), the Bronx (7,793), and Staten Island (6,420). Brooklyn saw the sharpest rise in turnout, up 589 percent from 2021, followed by Queens (+553%) and Manhattan (+527%).



The record turnout comes as the mayoral contest enters its final stretch, with polls showing communist anti-Israel Democrat Zohran Mamdani holding a steady lead over former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa.



Across ten major surveys since early September, Mamdani has maintained support in the low-to-mid 40s, solidifying his status as the race’s frontrunner.



The latest Patriot Polling survey (October 18–19) places Mamdani at 43 percent, Cuomo at 32 percent, and Sliwa at 19 percent. A Gotham Polling survey from October 14–15 shows nearly identical numbers, while Quinnipiac University’s October 3–7 poll puts Mamdani at 46 percent, Cuomo at 33 percent, and Sliwa at 15 percent.



Mamdani’s support base is anchored among younger, progressive, and foreign-born voters. According to Fox News, he commands 78 percent among very liberal voters, 67 percent among those under 30, and 63 percent among Democrats. Women under 45 favor him by 62 percent, and Patriot Polling shows he draws 62 percent of foreign-born voters compared with just 31 percent among American-born New Yorkers.



His strongest showings come from Brooklyn and among Muslim, Hindu, and atheist voters, while he trails among Catholic and Jewish constituencies. Mamdani holds 49 percent among women overall but just 36 percent among men, and a majority among nonwhite voters—51 percent of Black voters and 52 percent of Hispanic voters.



Cuomo’s appeal skews older and more moderate. Fox News found he leads among moderates and voters over 65, both at 44 percent, and women over 45 at 42 percent. He attracts 35 percent of independents and holds a narrow edge among Jewish voters, 42 to 38 percent, according to Patriot Polling.



Sliwa’s support is concentrated among Republicans and Trump-aligned voters, winning 60 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of Trump supporters. White voters without college degrees are evenly divided among all three candidates, each hovering around 30 percent. Cuomo and Sliwa perform strongest in Staten Island, while Mamdani dominates in Brooklyn.



With early voting already shattering records, both Cuomo and Sliwa are scrambling to close the gap before Election Day, while Mamdani’s campaign looks to convert its polling strength into turnout.

Early Voting Surges 500%, Mamdani Maintains Lead in NYC Mayoral Race

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday formally endorsed Zohran Mamdani, the far-left socialist who shocked Democrats earlier this year by winning the party’s nomination for New York City mayor.



In a statement to The New York Times, Jeffries, D-N.Y., acknowledged “areas of principled disagreement” with Mamdani but said the candidate has “relentlessly focused on addressing the affordability crisis and explicitly committed to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy.”



“In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election,” Jeffries said, lending his backing to a figure whose record of praising Hamas sympathizers and refusing to denounce violent rhetoric has alarmed many Jewish voters.



Jeffries’ endorsement follows months of hesitation and evasion. Since Mamdani unexpectedly defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in June’s primary, the Democratic leader had repeatedly avoided saying whether he would support him. Cuomo, now running as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa will face Mamdani in next month’s general election.



Even as recently as Sunday, Jeffries told ABC News’ “This Week” that he and Mamdani had “good conversations” but declined to endorse him. “We’ve had very good conversations… focused on, in particular, his efforts to make New York City more affordable,” Jeffries said. “That’s the right issue to focus on.”



Speaking to reporters Friday at the Capitol, Jeffries denied claims that he had refused to take a position. “I have not refused to endorse. I have refused to articulate my position, and I will momentarily,” he said, just one day before early voting begins.



Back in June, Jeffries admitted that he and Mamdani “don’t really know each other well.” At the time, he also addressed widespread concerns in the Jewish community over Mamdani’s refusal to condemn the slogan “Globalize the Intifada” — a chant associated with waves of deadly uprisings against Jewish and Israeli civilians. “With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in antisemitism,” Jeffries told ABC News then.



Mamdani, who has openly expressed solidarity with anti-Israel protesters and socialist groups that glorify Hamas supporters, and expressed love for jailed Hamas donors, has stood by his refusal to denounce that chant. After his primary win, he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that mayors shouldn’t “police speech.” Later, The New York Times reported that Mamdani quietly told business leaders he would “discourage” use of the phrase — an apparent attempt at damage control.



Many prominent Democrats have similarly hesitated to align with Mamdani’s extreme positions. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has so far withheld his endorsement, while Governor Kathy Hochul only came around in September after “months of deliberation.” In her New York Times essay announcing her support, Hochul wrote, “I’ve had frank conversations with him. We’ve had our disagreements,” and said she emphasized the “need to combat the rise of antisemitism urgently and unequivocally.”

Top House Dem Hakeem Jeffries Endorses Mamdani Despite Refusal To Call Terrorists to Disarm

American Airlines will resume daily flights between New York (JFK) and Tel Aviv in early March, after over a two-year pause in the aftermath of the evil October 7 attack. 



Using Boeing 777-200 aircraft with business, premium economy, and economy cabins, flights depart JFK at 11:25 PM, landing in Tel Aviv at 5:00 PM the next day. Return flights leave Tel Aviv at 12:35 AM, arriving in New York at 5:25 AM. 



Ticket sales will reportedly begin October 27, 2025, boosting competition with Delta, United, and Israeli carriers.

American Airlines to Resume Daily New York-Tel Aviv Flights in Early March

Michael Smuss a&#8221;h, the last remaining fighter from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, passed away in Israel at the age of 99, the World Jewish Congress announced Thursday night.



“Michael Smuss, who was part of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising during WWII against the Germans, has passed away in Israel at the age of 99. May his memory be a blessing,” the WJC said in a statement honoring his legacy.



Born in 1926 in Danzig, today Gdansk, Poland, Smuss was just a teenager when the Nazis forced him, along with hundreds of thousands of other Jews, into the Warsaw Ghetto in 1940. There, he joined the Jewish resistance, determined to fight back against the Nazi regime.



According to the WJC, Smuss was assigned to work restoring Nazi helmets, a job that gave him access to chemical substances that could be used to create Molotov cocktails. “He stole and passed on the materials to the resistance,” the organization said, adding that Smuss himself took part in the 1943 uprising.



Eventually captured, Smuss was sent to the Treblinka death camp but was later diverted for forced labor. As the war neared its end in 1945, he endured and survived a death march. After the war, he immigrated to the United States before settling in Israel, where he took up painting to help process his wartime experiences.



The WJC paid tribute to Smuss’s courage and the importance of preserving his memory. “We continue to tell the stories of survivors, especially as so many are no longer with us, so that this history is never forgotten,” the organization said.

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Hero Michael Smuss a’h Passes Away in Israel at 99

Millions of Americans who depend on federal food programs are now at risk of losing essential support due to the ongoing government shutdown.



The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) warned state agencies in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital on Thursday that roughly 42 million individuals enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may not receive aid starting Nov. 1, when program funding is expected to be exhausted.



Over two dozen states have already notified residents about potential interruptions. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency on Thursday regarding SNAP benefits.



&#8220;It requires about $8 billion each month to fund SNAP benefits nationwide. When there’s no funding it impacts not just pockets of people, but it&#8217;s going to impact people all around the country,&#8221; said Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World, a nonprofit hunger advocacy organization that works with local partners to educate recipients about access to food.



Cho told Fox News Digital that the impact of shrinking federal funding will vary between states.



&#8220;Yes, funding comes from the federal government, but the administration of it happens through local states,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And so, when it comes to SNAP, states are on a little bit of a different rhythm in terms of how they’re conveying the reduction or the elimination of SNAP benefits. It is playing out a little bit differently from state to state.&#8221;



The extended shutdown also threatens the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program, which serves nearly 7 million pregnant women and children under age five.



It presents a political challenge for Democrats, who have resisted Republican proposals for federal funding for more than a month, seeking major healthcare concessions in exchange for their support.



&#8220;We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Continue to hold out for healthcare for illegals or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments,&#8221; a USDA spokesperson told Fox News Digital.



The House passed a seven-week extension of FY2025 funding largely along party lines on Sept. 19. The continuing resolution (CR) aimed to give lawmakers more time to negotiate a long-term FY2026 budget deal.



However, progress has stalled in the Senate, where the legislation has already failed 12 times due to insufficient Democratic support to overcome a filibuster.



Democrats are insisting that any spending bill include an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of 2025, as well as a repeal of Medicaid cuts enacted earlier this year under the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).



&#8220;Millions of American families are about to lose access to food assistance because Democrats are openly admitting to being afraid of their far-left base and refuse to reopen the government,&#8221; House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., told Fox News Digital.



Thompson emphasized the urgency of reopening the government to support families and farmers.



&#8220;We need to reopen the government, so we can put Americans first by making sure families can put food on the table and our farmers are supported,&#8221; he said.



Democrats now face a political dilemma: having previously opposed Republican efforts to expand SNAP work requirements under the OBBBA, they risk being blamed by the right for the looming shortage of federal food benefits.



The Trump administration does have limited authority to reallocate existing funds to ease shortages during the shutdown. On Oct. 15, it shifted research and development funds at the Pentagon to cover active-duty military paychecks and earlier reallocated roughly $300 million from tariff revenues for WIC.



However, these measures are temporary and insufficient for long-term relief.



Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, urged the USDA to tap into emergency SNAP reserves.



&#8220;It’s time the administration do right by seniors, children and veterans and utilize the SNAP contingency fund to ensure benefits can be provided for November,&#8221; Craig said.



The SNAP contingency fund currently holds around $5 billion—enough to cover only part of the month’s benefits.



House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., expressed confidence that the White House could access these funds if needed.



&#8220;As has been the case in prior government shutdowns, the money can be found by the administration if they chose to do so. In fact, there&#8217;s about $5 billion available in a contingency fund for emergency circumstances just like this,&#8221; Jeffries said. &#8220;But the administration refuses to agree to use it. Why? Because they want to starve the American people as part of their continuing effort to visit cruelty on everyday Americans.&#8221;

Democrats Face Backlash as 42 Million Might Lose SNAP Benefits Due to Gov. Shutdown

A Jewish Israeli professor teaching at City St George’s, University of London, says he was threatened with beheading by a pro-Palestinian agitator who stormed his lecture earlier this week.



Professor Michael Ben-Gad, an economics lecturer and former IDF soldier who served from 1982 to 1985, told Sky News that masked activists barged into his classroom, shouting insults and calling him a “war criminal” and “Nazi.”



“They refused to leave. They were masked. One of them made a threat about having my head chopped off,” Ben-Gad recounted.



The demonstrators, who identified themselves as members of City Action for Palestine, accused Ben-Gad of being part of the “genocide in Gaza.” They also shouted slogans such as “Shame, this lecturer served in the IOF [Israel Occupation Forces]” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”



Protesters claimed the university should not employ anyone who served in the Israeli military, particularly during the 1982 First Lebanon War.



Ben-Gad, who has been teaching at the university since 2008 and formerly chaired his department, made clear that he will not be silenced. “These modern Brownshirts are not going to send me into hiding. I’m an unapologetic Israeli patriot, and no one is going to intimidate me,” he said.



He added that while living in Britain is a privilege, “these people hate Britain’s civility, freedom and tolerance as much as they hate Israel and Jews.”

Jewish Professor Threatened With Beheading During Class at London University

Israeli defense officials reportedly informed U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday that Hamas is capable of handing over the bodies of at least 10 of the 13 murdered hostages still in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported Thursday.



During a meeting at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and other senior officials briefed Vance on the IDF’s intelligence assessment of Gaza. According to the Kan public broadcaster, they “stated unequivocally” that Hamas could return the bodies of at least 10 of the remaining hostages even before international recovery teams enter the Strip.



Previous reports indicated that Hamas may be unable to locate all of the deceased hostages — a situation Israeli officials have long been aware of.



An Israeli official quoted by CNN earlier this month estimated that between seven and nine bodies might never be found, while another assessment placed the number between 10 and 15.



Before the current ceasefire, Hamas was believed to be holding the bodies of 28 murdered hostages. The terrorists have since returned 15 of them, along with releasing 20 living captives.

Israeli Officials Tell Vance Hamas Can Return Bodies of 10 Murdered Hostages

New York City: Mayor Eric Adams endorsed independent candidate Andrew Cuomo for NYC mayor on Thursday, an expected move to challenge Democratic frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.



 “I’m fighting for the family of New York, that’s why I’m here today to endorse Andrew Cuomo,” Adams said. 



“Am I angry I’m not the one taking down the socialist, this communist? You&#8217;re darn right I am. But this city means more to me than anything. New York can’t be Europe…You see what&#8217;s playing out in other countries because of Islamic extremism,” Adams added. 



The alliance, signaled by their Knicks game appearance on Wednesday night, aims to rally moderates against Zohran Mamdani’s lead in a race.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Backs Cuomo in NYC Mayoral Race

With less than two weeks until Election Day, the final New York City mayoral debate Wednesday night left many observers declaring former governor Andrew Cuomo the clear winner.



Political analyst J.C. Polanco called Cuomo’s performance “a masterclass on governance,” crediting him with laying out his experience project by project and showing how he’s prepared to take the reins if elected. “Cuomo was not going to allow Mamdani to walk out of the debate without feeling the heat,” Polanco told CBS.



While praising Republican Curtis Sliwa as commanding and passionate, Polanco said Cuomo “won the debate” outright. He also noted that frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, despite being “a masterful orator,” appeared overconfident. “Mamdani was knocked off his pedestal tonight for the first time all year,” Polanco remarked, describing the Democratic nominee as “on cruise control.”



“Cuomo won the debate,” Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist University Institute for Public Opinion, told the New York Post after the 90-minute debate, hosted by Spectrum NY1.



Ben Max, host of the Max Politics podcast, offered a similar take on FOX 5 NY Thursday morning, calling it “by and far Andrew Cuomo’s best debate performance, primary and general combined.” Max said Sliwa was “solid” and Mamdani “got some of his licks in,” but that overall, the night belonged to Cuomo.



The three candidates sparred intensely over housing, the MTA, Rikers Island, and the city’s minimum wage. Cuomo and Sliwa repeatedly pressed Mamdani over what they described as his limited experience, with Cuomo arguing, “You have never had a job. You’ve never accomplished anything.”



During one of the night’s most charged exchanges, Mamdani insisted he would “protect Jewish New Yorkers like any other community” and dismissed the recent open letter signed by more than 650 rabbis and Jewish clergy condemning his record as “several.” Cuomo immediately corrected him, saying, “It wasn’t several — it was 650 rabbis.” Cuomo went on to note that Mamdani still refuses to denounce the call for “Intifada,” which Cuomo said “means killing Jews,” drawing loud applause from the audience.



Sliwa, known for his sharp one-liners, said, “Zohran, your resume could fit on a cocktail napkin. And, Andrew, your failures could fill a public school library in New York City.” Despite the jab, commentators said the night’s dynamic placed Cuomo in command, positioning him as a serious contender in a race still dominated in the polls by Mamdani.



The debate also highlighted Cuomo’s willingness to take on both rivals. On housing, he supported all six upcoming ballot proposals to speed up construction, while Mamdani declined to take a position, prompting jeers from the audience. On Trump, Cuomo reminded voters of his record managing crises during the pandemic, declaring that a Mamdani win would be “a dream for the president.”



With early voting beginning this weekend and Election Day on November 4, analysts said Cuomo’s strong debate showing could tighten the race’s late momentum. As Polanco put it, “Cuomo came to remind New Yorkers what experience looks like — and he did exactly that.”

Commentators Say Cuomo Won Final NYC Mayoral Debate

Shas announced Thursday that it is relinquishing all of its Knesset committee chairmanships in protest of the government’s failure to pass a draft exemption law for yeshiva students.



Former Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli emphasized that despite the move, the Sephardic Charedi party remains firmly within the right-wing bloc.



“We are in the coalition,” Malkieli said. “Shas is a party that is in the right-wing bloc, built the right-wing bloc, and will maintain the right-wing bloc.”



Speaking at a Makor Rishon conference, Malkieli explained that the resignations were intended as a signal to the government. “There was a decision to resign from the government and this morning we resigned from the committees because there was no progress, and we hope that a way will be found to return,” he said.



Shas’ announcement increases pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move forward with legislation clarifying the exemption status of yeshiva students. The proposed law has faced criticism from the opposition, which derides it as an “evasion law” enabling Charedi men to avoid IDF service.



While Shas has stepped back from its parliamentary roles, it has stopped short of quitting the coalition or seeking to topple the government.



The latest move follows Shas’ withdrawal from the government in July over stepped-up enforcement against draft evasion and the continued failure to advance the conscription bill. That decision came after United Torah Judaism also exited the coalition entirely, leaving Netanyahu’s government under growing strain from its Charedi partners.

Shas Says it’s Still in Right Wing Bloc After Quitting Knesset Committee Posts

President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Israel not to move ahead with annexing Yehudah and Shomron, declaring that such a step would cost the Jewish state “all support” from the United States. His remarks, made during an interview with TIME Magazine, came amid deepening tensions over a Knesset vote advancing what are understood to be symbolic annexation bills and just days after Trump claimed credit for forcing an end to the war in Gaza.



Trump told the magazine that annexation “won’t happen” because he had given his word to Arab allies. “It won’t happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries,” he said. “And you can’t do that now. We’ve had great Arab support. It will not happen. Israel would lose all of its support from the United States if that happened.”



Vice President J.D. Vance, speaking at Ben Gurion Airport at the end of his two-day visit, said the Knesset’s preliminary vote to apply Israeli sovereignty to Yehudah and Shomron settlements was “very stupid” and personally insulting. “The West Bank is not going to be annexed by Israel,” he said. “That will continue to be our policy, and if people want to take symbolic votes, they can do that, but we certainly weren’t happy about it.”



The remarks underscored the administration’s frustration after two opposition-backed annexation bills passed initial votes in the Knesset. One sought to annex all Jewish communities in Yehudah and Shomron, while the other focused on Ma’ale Adumim. Despite Netanyahu’s opposition, both bills passed due to support from far-right MKs and the abstention of many in Likud. Netanyahu’s office later denounced the votes as “a deliberate political provocation by the opposition to sow discord during Vance’s visit.”



Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also condemned the bills as “a political move of the opposition to try to embarrass the government.” Likud called the legislation “trolling,” stressing that the government “strengthens settlement every day with actions, budgets, construction, industry, and not with words.”



U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that any attempt to annex Yehudah and Shomron could endanger Trump’s newly brokered Gaza ceasefire. “They passed a vote in the Knesset, but the president has made clear that’s not something we’d be supportive of right now,” Rubio said. “We think there’s potential for [it to be] threatening to the peace deal.”



Trump, meanwhile, told TIME that it was he who compelled Netanyahu to halt the Gaza war. “Bibi, you can’t fight the world,” Trump said he told the Israeli leader. “You can fight individual battles, but the world’s against you.” He said that without U.S. intervention, the fighting might have continued “for years.”



The President’s envoys had brokered a sweeping ceasefire agreement through mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. According to Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, “It was a very blunt and straightforward statement to Bibi that he had no tolerance for anything other than this.”



Trump sharply criticized Israel’s earlier strike on Hamas operatives in Doha, calling it “a tactical mistake.” Yet he acknowledged that the attack had inadvertently helped push regional leaders toward the peace table. “This was one of the things that brought us all together,” he said. “If you took that away, we might not be talking about this subject right now.”



The resulting ceasefire marked another chapter in Trump’s effort to recast the Middle East’s balance of power. Over the past nine months, he has struck Iranian nuclear sites, weakened Tehran’s influence, and overseen the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. “Trump is coming back and saying: We’re going to re-establish America’s hegemony here. And he’s done it—so far,” said former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren.



Despite the fragile calm, Hamas has yet to return the bodies of all murdered Israeli hostages, leading Israel to restrict aid into Gaza. New clashes have already tested the truce, prompting Trump to send Vice President Vance back to the region to help preserve the deal.



The next challenge, Trump officials acknowledge, will be determining who governs Gaza and how to disarm Hamas. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro warned that the outcome could be “a frozen conflict…with Israel controlling half of Gaza, Hamas controlling the other half, suppressing its own people, and no real reconstruction.”



Trump insists that his leadership—and willingness to use force—made all this possible. “It would have been impossible to make a deal like this before,” he said, referring to his strikes on Iran. “No President was willing to do it, and I was willing to do it. And by doing it, we had a different Middle East.”



The President predicted that Saudi Arabia would normalize ties with Israel by the end of the year, saying the kingdom “had a Gaza problem and an Iran problem. Now they don’t have those two problems.”



Looking ahead, Trump envisions a more connected Middle East, with new trade routes, shared energy infrastructure, and even Saudi tourists visiting Tel Aviv. But he said one factor remains essential: “The most important thing is they have to respect the President of the United States. The Middle East has to understand that. It’s almost the President more than the country.”



Asked whether Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas might take charge of Gaza, Trump replied, “I’ve always found him reasonable, but he’s probably not… I’d really have to find out.” He added that Gaza currently “doesn’t have a leader,” since “every one of those leaders has been shot and killed. It’s not a hot job.”



The annexation debate, Netanyahu’s domestic pressures, and Trump’s push to cement a new regional order have now converged into a defining test of his second term—one that could determine whether the Gaza ceasefire endures or collapses under political strain.

Trump Warns Israel Against Yehudah and Shomron Annexation, Says It Would Lose ‘All U.S. Support’

Amid the recent wave of arrests of yeshiva students for refusing to enlist, Degel Hatorah, under the joint direction of Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlita and Hagaon Harav Dov Lando shlita, has announced a major public demonstration. The atzeres, set for this Sunday on a to-be-determined central city street, marks a coordinated response after previous attempts to organize protests were prevented by activists.



Tens of thousands, if not hundreds, are expected to protest.



Harav Lando, currently in Los Angeles on a special trip for the Keren Olam Hatorah, received an extensive briefing on the arrests following Shacharis. Upon hearing the news, he requested the recitation of Tehillim dedicated to the welfare of the detained yeshiva bachurim.



Following this, Harav Lando spoke with Harav Hirsch, who arrived later in the day, which was Rosh Chodesh, to deliver a special pesichas ha&#8217;zman shiur to the protesting students at the gates of Prison 10.



During their discussion, Harav Lando emphasized that holding a large public asifa would be the proper step to express solidarity and strengthen the community’s resolve. Harav Hirsch and Harav Lando together instructed that the mass rally move forward, underscoring the Torah world’s opposition to the arrests.



Harav Hirsch also addressed the students at the prison gates, stating, “They need to understand that it is impossible for them to arrest young men who are studying Torah. I hope that those in the government will understand that.” Thousands are expected to attend the rally, which organizers say will be peaceful yet firm, demonstrating the community’s unwavering support for Torah study in Eretz Yisrael.

Massive Protests Against Draft Arrests, Led by Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch and Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, Planned for Sunday

Democrat candidate for New Jersey Governor, Mikie Sherrill, is scheduled to attend a Jewish fundraiser to take place at Tomahawk Steakhouse in Lakewood, NJ at 3:00 PM today.



Meanwhile: New Jersey Gubernatorial Race Tightens: Sherrill Leads By 5 Points.



With just three days before early in-person voting will begin on Oct. 25 and two weeks before Election Day on Nov. 4, according to a Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Tuesday — the New Jersey’s race for governor continues to tighten. Democrat Mikie Sherrill holds a narrow 5-point lead over Republican Jack Ciattarelli among likely voters.

SCOOP: Mikie Sherrill to Attend Jewish Fundraiser in Lakewood

At an emotional event on Wednesday organized by askan Shay Graucher, twins Gali and Ziv Berman, recently released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, put on tefillin together for the first time in years.



The brothers were visibly moved as they put on the tefillin, recited “Shema Yisrael” aloud, and then joined attendees in a spirited dance to “Am Yisrael Chai.&#8221;



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Ziv shared that it was his first time laying tefillin since his bar mitzvah, while Gali recalled having put on tefillin previously at a Chabad House abroad.



The twins and Graucher met with members of the Palm Beach Jewish community and Rabbi Moshe Shiner.



Graucher also presented both brothers with silver Menoras and Kiddush cups, and they sang Eishes Chayil in front of their mother.

Video: Twins Freed From Hamas Captivity Put On Tefillin, Receive Menoras and Kiddush Cups

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a non-binding advisory opinion declaring that Israel is legally obligated to permit United Nations agencies, including the controversial UNRWA, to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza.



“The court considers that Israel is under an obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemes provided by the United Nations and its entities, including UNRWA,” stated ICJ President Yuji Iwasawa. He added that Israel must meet the “basic needs” of Gaza’s population, saying that “as an occupying power, Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of the local population, including the supplies essential for their survival.”



The ruling follows Israeli legislation passed last year that sharply curtailed UNRWA’s activities, as well as a request from several UN member states seeking clarification from the ICJ on the legality of those restrictions.



In a separate finding, the court said that Israel had failed to substantiate its claims that a significant number of UNRWA employees are affiliated with the Hamas terror organization. “The court finds that Israel has not substantiated its allegations that a significant part of UNRWA’s employees are ‘members of Hamas… or other terrorist factions,’” Iwasawa said.



Israel had banned UNRWA from operating on its territory after accusing some of its staff of involvement in the Hamas atrocities of October 7, 2023. Subsequent investigations, including one led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna, cited “neutrality-related issues” within the agency but concluded in April 2024 that Israel had “yet to provide supporting evidence” that large numbers of employees belonged to terrorist groups.



UNRWA fired some of its terrorist employees.



The group also was responsible for Gaza&#8217;s educational program, textbooks of which were found to contain calls for violence and praise of terrorism, including suicide bombing. UNRWA also operated in close quarters with Hamas command centers.



Israel’s Foreign Ministry sharply rejected the ICJ’s position, accusing the court of ignoring substantial evidence of UNRWA’s deep infiltration by Hamas. “This is yet another political attempt to impose political measures against Israel under the guise of international law,” the ministry said in a statement.



“Hamas terror activity within UNRWA took place before the October 7 massacre, during the massacre, and after the massacre,” the statement continued. “Israel will not cooperate with an organization that is infested with terror activity.” The ministry further condemned what it described as “the politicization of international law, which seeks to produce political outcomes and impose measures intended to harm the State of Israel.”



Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon likewise blasted the ICJ’s opinion, calling it “shameful.” “They are blaming Israel for not cooperating with UN organs,” Danon said. “They should be blaming themselves. Those organs became breeding grounds for terrorists. Take for example UNRWA—an organization that supported Hamas for years.”

Israel Rejects World Court’s Call to Cooperate With UNRWA, Citing Hamas Infiltration

In a political setback for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right-wing lawmakers pushed through the preliminary reading of a bill to apply Israeli sovereignty to Jewish communities in Yehudah and Shomron, despite firm opposition from Netanyahu and his Likud party.



All but one Likud MK boycotted the vote. MK Yuli Edelstein broke ranks to back the measure, casting the decisive vote that allowed the bill to narrowly pass 25-24.



The vote comes during the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to Israel and could trigger tensions with the Trump administration, which has opposed annexation efforts.



The legislation still faces three more readings before becoming law. It will now be sent to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for further review.



The bill, proposed by MK Avi Maoz of the Noam party, declares that “the State of Israel will apply its laws and sovereignty to the settlement areas in Yehudah and Shomron, in order to establish the status of these areas as an inseparable part of the sovereign State of Israel.”



In an accompanying statement, Maoz said: “Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave the people of Israel the Land of Israel. Settlement in the Land of Israel is the redemption and national revival, settlement is what makes the Land of Israel flourish after two thousand years of exile. In applying sovereignty to Yehudah and Shomron, we are making a correction that is long overdue. Since the government has been procrastinating, our job as members of Knesset is to do this.”



The bill received backing from the Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism parties, as well as United Torah Judaism’s Agudas Yisrael faction.



Separately, a narrower annexation proposal from opposition leader Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu — focused on applying sovereignty to Ma’ale Adumim — also passed a preliminary reading by a 32-9 margin.

Right-Wing MKs Defy Netanyahu, Advance Yehudah and Shomron Sovereignty Bill

Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), has withdrawn his nomination following the release of racist and antisemitic messages he allegedly sent in a private group chat, CNN reported.



Two White House officials confirmed Tuesday that Ingrassia was no longer under consideration for the post.



Ingrassia announced his decision in a social media post Tuesday evening, writing, “Unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time.” He expressed gratitude for the “overwhelming support” he had received and promised to “continue to serve President Trump and this administration to Make America Great Again!”



His withdrawal came just hours after Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that the White House was expected to withdraw the nomination. “I think they’ll have something official to say about that,” Thune remarked.



Ingrassia, nominated in May to head the independent agency tasked with protecting federal whistleblowers, had been scheduled to testify before the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Thursday. His prospects faded Monday night after Senator Rick Scott of Florida publicly announced his opposition, saying, “No, I do not support him.” With Scott’s stance and united Democratic opposition, the nomination appeared certain to fail.



The controversy began after Politico published messages allegedly written by Ingrassia in which he described himself as having “a Nazi streak” and said the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell.”



Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, challenged the authenticity of the texts and insisted that, even if real, they were meant as humor. “They clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor making fun of the fact that liberals outlandishly and routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis,’” Paltzik said.



Paltzik further claimed that “Mr. Ingrassia has incredible support from the Jewish community” and accused unnamed figures of trying to undermine his client’s nomination through deliberate smears.



Ingrassia, admitted to the bar only last year, previously interned at the White House during Trump’s first term and briefly worked as a liaison at the Justice Department before being reassigned to the Department of Homeland Security.



His nomination had already raised concerns due to earlier statements in which he promoted conspiracy theories, supported calls for martial law after the 2020 election, and made remarks critical of Israel.

Trump Special Counsel Nominee Withdraws After Antisemitic Messages Resurface

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has announced significant changes to how it applies earned time credits under the First Step Act — a move that comes as a result of years of lobbying on the part of Tzedek Association, who praised the change as a long-awaited shift toward fairness and consistency in the federal prison system.



When Congress passed the First Step Act in 2018 with bipartisan support, it aimed to reward genuine rehabilitation by allowing inmates to earn time off their sentences through productive, evidence-based programs. As Senator Dick Durbin recently noted, “The First Step Act acknowledges the obvious—the vast majority of people who are incarcerated will someday be released, so we must prepare them to successfully return to their communities.”



Under the law, inmates who complete 30 days of approved classes or activities can earn up to 15 days of credit, depending on their risk level. These credits can reduce their time in secure custody or allow earlier transition to community-based programs like halfway houses or home confinement.



The reform differs from traditional “good conduct time,” which merely rewards compliance. Earned time credits instead recognize effort and engagement — turning education and rehabilitation into real incentives for personal growth.



Now, the BOP is changing how it calculates those credits. Instead of relying on a static “Projected Placement Date,” the agency will use a “Conditional Placement Date” (FCPD) that reflects the full impact of earned time credits across an inmate’s sentence. This adjustment will guide key management decisions, such as reclassification and facility transfers, making the earned credits central to prison operations.



Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, President of the Tzedek Association, called the development a “truly monumental” moment for prison reform. “This reform will change thousands of lives—allowing men and women who have worked hard to better themselves to move into lower-security settings and reconnect with their families much earlier,” he said in a statement shared with Belaaz. Rabbi Margaretten thanked BOP Director William Marshall III, Deputy Director Josh Smith, and Rick Stover for their leadership in bringing the reform to fruition.



For those incarcerated, the new policy provides a clearer roadmap. By reviewing their “time credit worksheet” and engaging in approved programs, inmates can now track precisely when they become eligible for prerelease custody. This predictability helps families plan for reunification and encourages inmates to invest meaningfully in rehabilitation.

Major Bureau of Prisons Reform After Years of Advocacy by Tzedek, ‘Monumental Step’

The bodies of slain Hostages Aryeh Zalmenovitz, hy”d, and Tamir Hadar, hy”d, were returned to Israel tonight, Israel’s Prime Minister’s office announced early Wednesday morning.



Zalmanovitz, 85 at the time of his murder, was kidnapped alive from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz and filmed being beaten on a motorcycle, surrounded by evil Hamas terrorists, en route to Gaza. The Prime Minister’s office said that, “It is assessed that Zalmanavitz, hy”d, was murdered in captivity on November 17, 2023.”



Tamir Hadar hy”d served as a deputy security coordinator, and emergency squad member of Kibbutz Nir Oz. Tamir was murdered on the morning of October 7, while risking his life to defend the kibbutz and its residents.



Tamir was 38 at the time of his death. He left behind his wife, two children, parents, and three siblings.



There are 13 hostages left in Gaza. 



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Israel PMO Announces Return and Identification of Hostage Aryeh Zalmanovitz’s Body:



The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that the body of Aryeh (Zalman) Zalmanovitz, hy”d, has been returned to Israel “following the completion of the identification process by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, in cooperation with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF representatives informed the family of hostage Aryeh (Zalman) Zalmanovitz, z”l, and the family of another slain hostage that their loved ones have been returned to Israel and identified,” the PMO stated.



The IDF released this statement about Hadar; “Following the completion of the identification process by the National Center of Forensic Medicine in collaboration with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, representatives of the IDF notified the family of the abducted Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tamir Adar z&#8221;l that their loved one has been returned for burial.



According to the information and intelligence available to us, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tamir Adar z&#8221;l, deputy chief security coordinator and member of the emergency squad at Nir Oz, fell in the battle to defend the kibbutz on the morning of October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted by the terrorist organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Tamir z&#8221;l, aged 38 at the time of his falling, was declared dead on 04/01/2024. He is survived by his wife and two children, parents, two brothers, and a sister. His grandmother, Yaffa Adar, was also abducted and returned in the &#8220;Gates of Heaven&#8221; deal in November 2023.



The IDF shares in the family&#8217;s grief, continues to invest all efforts in returning the abducted fallen, and is preparing to continue implementing the agreement.



Hamas is required to fulfill its part in the agreement and make all necessary efforts to return the abducted fallen to their families for a proper burial.”



Yehi Zichram Baruch

Bodies of Slain Hostages Aryeh Zalmenovitz and Tamir Hadar Returned to Israel.

A small team of British military planning officers has been dispatched to Israel to join a US-led task force working to stabilize Gaza, the UK defense ministry confirmed Tuesday.



The deployment comes as mediators of the Gaza ceasefire, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, intensify efforts to secure the early stages of the truce between Israel and Hamas and advance US President Donald Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan.



The US-backed stabilization force, operating from the Civil Military Coordination Center (CMCC), is tasked with maintaining security in Gaza. Impatient details regarding its composition, role, chain of command, and legal status are still being finalized.



The US has pledged up to 200 troops to support the force, though they will not be deployed inside Gaza itself. US officials are also in talks with Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Azerbaijan for possible contributions.



A UK Ministry of Defense spokesperson said a “small number of UK planning officers” have been embedded within the CMCC, including a two-star deputy commander, to ensure Britain remains part of US-led planning for post-conflict stability in Gaza.



“The UK continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the UK can best contribute to the peace process,” the spokesperson added.



British media reported that Defense Minister John Healey said on Monday that Britain has “specialist experience and skills that we have offered to contribute,” emphasizing that while the UK will not lead the effort, it will play a supporting role.



Healey noted that the deployment was carried out at the request of the United States.

UK Sends Military Officers to Israel to Support US-Led Gaza Stabilization Effort

IDF forces in the Gaza Strip have received two caskets, reportedly containing the bodies of two murdered hostages Hy&#8217;d, from the Red Cross earlier Tuesday evening.



The Red Cross collected the caskets from Hamas-controlled areas in southern Gaza before transferring them to the IDF.



The Israeli military will first inspect the caskets, after which they will be draped in Israeli flags and a brief ceremony will be held under the guidance of a military rabbi.



The bodies will subsequently be transported to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for official identification.



If confirmed as hostages, this would leave 13 Israeli captives still deceased in Gaza.



&#8220;The IDF requests that the public act with sensitivity and wait for the official identification, which will first be provided to the families of the hostages. Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages,&#8221; the army said in a statement.



The Prime Minister&#8217;s Office said in a statement: &#8220;Israel has received, through the Red Cross, the coffins of two dead hostages who were handed over to the IDF and Shin Bet forces inside the Gaza Strip.&#8221;

IDF Receives Two Caskets From Gaza, Likely Containing Murdered Hostages Hy’d

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has removed Tzachi Hanegbi from his role as National Security Adviser.



The move comes after Hanegbi opposed an attack on Qatar and the Gideon’s Chariots II operation. &#8220;Prime Minister Netanyahu informed me of his intention to appoint a new head of the NSC.&#8221;



“Prime Minister Netanyahu informed me today of his intention to appoint a new head of the National Security Council (NSC). Accordingly, my tenure as National Security Advisor and head of the National Security Headquarters will conclude today. I will, of course, be available to assist my successor as needed”, Hanegbi said in a statement on Tuesday evening.



“I expressed my gratitude to the Prime Minister for the privilege of contributing to shaping Israel’s foreign and security policies during challenging years, for the opportunity to express independent views in sensitive discussions, and for the professional dialogue we maintained, even during disagreements.”

Hanegbi Fired as NSC Head After Opposing Qatar, Gideon’s Chariots II Operations

Dozens of Jews gathered on a seemingly desolate plot of land in New Moscow for a moving ceremony to lay the cornerstone of what will become the largest Jewish center in the region, serving thousands of Jews. The area, annexed to the Russian capital about a decade ago, has made Moscow two and a half times larger and now ranks as the sixth largest city in the world.



“This is a moment of joy and significance for every Jew in New Moscow,” said Harav Yisrael Aryeh Leib Lazar, Shliach and Rabbi of the district. Rav Lazar, who has lived in the area for several years with his family, leads the vibrant local Jewish community, which includes an active shul with daily minyanim, Torah and Chassidus shiurim, and extensive youth programs.



Rav Lazar invited his father, Harav Berel Lazar Shlita, Chief Rabbi of Russia, to deliver his blessings and personally lay the first cornerstone. “May this center become a spiritual home for every Jew in the region, a place of learning, tefilah, and chesed,” Harav Lazar Shlita said during the ceremony.



The event was part of a larger chain of celebrations for the community. The day began with an Upshernish for Rav Lazar’s son, followed by the commencement of a new Sefer Torah, written for the benefit of the region’s Jews, and concluded with the cornerstone laying.



Senior government officials, the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia Rabbi Alexander Boroda, Rabbi Getzel Itzinger of London, rabbis, public figures, and community supporters were in attendance, many pledging their support for the center.



“This project is not just a building; it is the heart of Jewish life in New Moscow,” Rav Lazar said. He emphasized that the center will serve as a focal point for both residential and business neighborhoods, offering a space for tefilah, Torah learning, community events, and youth programs.



The ceremony also marked the opening of the winter season, which promises a full calendar of Torah classes and community activities. “The growth we are witnessing testifies to the vitality of Russian Jewry and their deep thirst for Yiddishkeit,” Rav Lazar added.



The planned center reflects the rapid development of the New Moscow region, which is bustling with construction, apartments, business centers, and wide, modern roads, and will serve as a central hub for the hundreds of thousands of Jews in the expanded capital.



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Cornerstone Laid for Grand Jewish Center in New Moscow

A 34-year-old man fell approximately three meters (over 9 feet) on Tuesday afternoon while dismantling a sukkah on Reish Lakish Street, Level 4, in Beit Shemesh. He sustained serious injuries to his limbs.



Rescue teams at the scene provided immediate medical care, including bleeding control, immobilization, and dressings, before transporting him to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. Upon arrival, his condition was reported as moderate.



Rescue Team volunteer Yehoshua Gottlieb told reporters: &#8220;When I arrived at the scene, I was directed to the balcony, where I saw a 34-year-old man suffering from severe limb injuries after falling from a height of about 3 meters while dismantling a sukkah. Together with other MDA paramedics and medics, we provided him with initial medical assistance, including stopping bleeding, immobilization, and dressings, and he was evacuated by an MDA intensive care unit in moderate condition for further treatment in the trauma room at Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Yerushalayim.&#8221;

34-Year-Old Charedi Man Seriously Injured in Beit Shemesh Sukkah Accident

Avinatan Or, who was recently freed after two years in Hamas captivity in Gaza, returned to his home in Shiloh on Tuesday and was greeted by a cheering crowd and a wave of support from across Israel.



“After a very long period in the tunnels in Gaza, in the dark, I am finally here with all of the people of Israel, surrounded with love,” Or said, addressing supporters and reporters. “We came home eight days ago, the rest of the hostages and I. From that moment, we’ve been flooded with love from all sides of the nation of Israel and from every possible source, whether it’s soldiers or doctors or the Israel Police or citizens, private people who came, supported, and showed love.”



Or, who was taken hostage at the Nova festival during Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, endured solitary confinement and harsh conditions throughout his two-year captivity in Gaza. On Monday, he was discharged from the hospital and traveled home to Shiloh, where he was met by well-wishers along the way.



“I was cut off for two years,” he said. “I am slowly hearing stories about what happened, and all of the unity and love that was here in the nation. That really makes me happy. I want to thank the Israel Defense Forces, who are the real heroes here in this story. Because of them, we came home. Because of them, I am here today and can say thank you, and can see you, and receive all your love.”



He concluded with a message of hope: “I wish for us to know how to take this love and unity and carry it forward for years to come, without needing wars to do so. Our unity is our strength. Only with love will we win.”

Ex-Hostage Avinatan Or Returns Home: ‘Our Unity Is Our Strength. Only With Love Will We Win’

Hamas responded to U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s sharp warning to Hamas Tuesday, saying that they would release two murdered hostages, conveniently &#8220;finding&#8221; them at an opportune time once again.



Trump declared that several regional powers were ready to move into Gaza “to straighten Hamas out” if it continued violating the ceasefire agreement.



“There is still hope that Hamas will do the right thing,” Trump posted on X. “If they don’t, the end of Hamas will be fast, furious, and brutal.”



Within minutes of the statement, Hamas announced it would transfer the bodies of two kidnapped Israelis to the Red Cross at 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night. This brings the total number of bodies handed over in recent days to nine.



When Israel began airstrikes earlier this week in response to terrorist fire, Hamas also &#8220;found&#8221; a hostage.



Meanwhile, Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, addressed his parliament and condemned what he called “Israel’s violations” of the ceasefire. He alleged that both Iran and Israel had violated Qatari sovereignty and claimed that recent strikes targeted members of Hamas’s negotiation team. “The entire world condemned the attacks,” he said.



Israeli Channel 12 reporter Almog Booker noted that &#8220;If the pressure were heavier,” he wrote, “Hamas could have released ten victims today. They simply don’t want to. They’re stalling for time and testing the limits.”



Trump’s statement and Hamas’ immediate reaction highlight the mounting international pressure on the terror group and the decisive role Washington and regional partners are playing in enforcing the agreement’s terms.

Hamas to Return Two Bodies After Trump’s Ultimatum: ‘The End Will Be Fast and Furious’

Colombian President Gustavo Petro sparked outrage after suggesting in a televised interview that the world should “get rid of” President Donald Trump and that in Columbia, such &#8220;kings&#8221; are gruesomely killed, an alarming remark against a president who endured two assassination attempts amid a deepening standoff over the U.S. crackdown on narcotics trafficking in South America.



The comment came shortly after Trump vowed to shut down the “killing fields” in Colombia and slash U.S. funding for the country, following Petro’s accusation that the U.S. committed “murder” during a Sept. 15 strike on a suspected drug boat.



“Humanity has a first offramp, it is to choose to change Trump in various ways,” Petro told Univision’s Daniel Coronell when pressed about his strategy for improving U.S.–Colombia relations. “The easiest way may be through Trump himself,” he added. “If not — get rid of Trump,” he said, snapping his fingers dramatically.



Petro later insisted that his objective was not to personally “change Trump,” despite Coronell’s suggestion that his main “mission” was to achieve a favorable deal for Colombia.



The Colombian leader acknowledged his nation’s turmoil but dismissed Trump’s claim that Colombia was “out of control.” “Of course, it is out of his control. In a democracy, a government is under the control of the people, not Trump. He is not a king in Colombia; we do not accept kings here, period,” Petro said.



“In the 21st century, some believe they can become kings and viceroys, but in republics, it is not possible,” he added. “Here, the heads of kings are cut off if they come with a king’s attitude.”



Tensions between the two presidents have mounted since Trump’s administration authorized a September strike on an alleged drug vessel. Trump maintained that those killed were “confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela” operating in international waters.



Petro rejected that claim, alleging the targeted boat was Colombian and engaged in fishing, not smuggling. “U.S. government officials have committed a murder and violated our sovereignty in territorial waters,” Petro wrote on X. “The Colombian boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure. We await explanations from the U.S. government.”



A subsequent CNN report cited Pentagon sources who said another U.S. strike in the Caribbean had killed Colombian nationals. Trump then fired back on Sunday, calling Petro “a very unpopular leader, with a fresh mouth toward America” and “an illegal drug leader strongly encouraging the massive production of drugs.”



In addition to cutting off foreign aid, Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Colombian goods beyond the current 10 percent rate. The U.S. has already provided more than $207 million in assistance to Colombia this year, according to federal data.



Petro’s combative rhetoric drew condemnation from U.S. lawmakers. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), a member of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, warned on X, “In an interview with [Univision Noticias], Colombia’s narcoterrorist-in-chief, Gustavo Petro, has just threatened to ‘overthrow’ President Trump. Petro threats must be taken seriously, he is a genuine threat to the safety &amp; security of our hemisphere.”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>

Colombian President Says World Must ‘Get Rid Of Trump,’ Referenced Killing ‘Kings’ As Feud Over Drug War Escalates

A French human rights group, the Ligue des droits de l&#8217;Homme, has filed a criminal complaint in Paris against Airbnb and Booking.com, accusing the two massive companies of complicity in &#8216;war crimes&#8217; by advertising vacation rentals in Israeli communities in the Yehudah and Shomron, Channel 12 reported.



The organization claims the platforms promote what it calls “occupation tourism,” arguing that they mislead users and contribute to the growth of Israeli settlements. It alleges that Airbnb lists properties without clarifying that they are in Palestinian territory, while Booking.com marks them as being in Israeli settlements but also describes them as located in “Palestine.”



No such lawsuits have been brought about other contested territories.



The United Nations has previously criticized both companies in this context. In a September 2024 report, the UN included Airbnb and Booking.com among 158 businesses operating in the settlements. Airbnb had initially pledged in 2018 to remove listings in the “West Bank,” but reversed the decision a year later after facing a series of lawsuits.



Experts estimate that short-term rentals in the area generate more than three million euros in annual revenue. Both companies have declined to comment on the latest complaint.

French Rights Group Files ‘War Crimes’ Complaint Against Airbnb And Booking.com

The Prime Minister&#8217;s office announced that the body returned from Gaza tonight, Monday, is identified as that of Hostage Tal Chaimi hy&#8221;d.



Tal left behind his wife Ella and 4 children—including one he never met.



 On October 7, he fought bravely against Nukba terrorists at Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak&#8217;s gate. Tal fell in battle and was abducted to Gaza. Initially, his family believed he was alive, but after two months, his family learned he was taken deceased.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="563" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1007533257.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-18658" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1007533257.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1007533257-300x188.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1007533257-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The IDF receiving the Body of Hostage Tal Chaimi hy&#8221;d.</figcaption></figure>



IDF Statement: &#8220;After completing the identification process by the National Center for Forensic Medicine in collaboration with Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF representatives informed the family of Hostage Master Sergeant Tal Chaimi, z&#8221;l, that their loved one has been returned for burial. Based on available information and intelligence, Master Sergeant Tal Chaimi, z&#8221;l, commander of the emergency response squad in Nir Yitzchak, fell in battle defending the kibbutz on the morning of October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted by the Hamas terrorist organization. Tal Chaimi, z&#8221;l, aged 41 at the time of his death, was declared deceased on December 13, 2023. He is survived by his wife, four children, father, and sister. The IDF shares in the family’s grief and continues to invest all efforts in recovering the bodies of hostages while preparing to implement the agreement further. Hamas is required to fulfill its part in the agreement and make all necessary efforts to return the deceased hostages to their families for a proper burial.&#8221;

Body of Hostage Tal Chaimi HY”D Returned to Israel.

A federal appeals court on Monday cleared the Trump administration to send members of the Oregon National Guard to Portland, even as legal challenges over the deployment continue.



The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, in a split decision, overturned a lower court ruling that had barred the administration from mobilizing the troops. The Guard’s deployment is intended to protect federal immigration personnel and property in the city.



The decision comes amid ongoing disputes over federal authority and state objections to the use of military forces in domestic law enforcement operations.

Appeals Court Allows Trump Administration to Deploy Oregon National Guard to Portland

President Donald Trump warned Hamas to halt killings in Gaza and observe the ceasefire, saying that while United States would not send forces into the enclave, a broad international coalition stands ready to act militarily if the terrorists fail to comply.



Asked who he meant by “we,” when he said &#8220;we are ready,&#8221; and whether that included American troops, Trump responded: &#8220;No, it won&#8217;t be on the ground at all. We don&#8217;t need to, because we have many countries, as you know, signed on to this deal. The way I view it, 59 countries&#8230;nobody ever believed it was countries that, four months ago, didn&#8217;t like each other, and now they&#8217;re all aligned together. 



&#8220;We&#8217;ve had countries calling me when they saw the some of the killing with Hamas, saying we&#8217;d love to go in and take care of the situation ourselves. In addition, you have Israel would go in in two minutes if I asked him to go in. I could tell him, go in and take care of it. But right now, we haven&#8217;t said that. 



We&#8217;re going to give it [Hamas] a little chance, and hopefully there will be a little less violence. But right now, you know, they&#8217;re violent people. Hamas has been very violent, but they don&#8217;t have the backing of Iran anymore. They don&#8217;t have the backing of really anybody anymore. They have to be good, and if they&#8217;re not good, they&#8217;ll be eradicated.&#8221;



Trump’s remarks come amid fragile ceasefire and hostage-negotiation efforts that Washington and regional mediators have been leading. Officials and outside analysts say the president’s public threats are meant to pressure Hamas to comply with the terms of the deal — including disarmament and the return of hostages.

Trump Issues Stern Warning to Hamas To Stop Killings, Gives Short Deadline

French authorities are investigating whether the masked thieves who pulled off a daring jewel robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday were hired by a private collector, officials said Monday.



Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told local media that the robbers, who executed the heist in just seven minutes during broad daylight, may have been acting on commission or were simply motivated by the high value of the jewels and precious metals, according to Reuters.



“We’re looking at the hypothesis of organized crime,” Beccuau said on BFM TV, adding that the suspects may be professional thieves working for a buyer.



Beccuau noted that if a collector ordered the theft, there is hope the jewels will remain intact and recoverable. However, if the thieves acted independently, they may have planned to melt down the items or use them to launder criminal proceeds.



“Nowadays, anything can be linked to drug trafficking, given the significant sums of money obtained from drug trafficking,” Beccuau said, according to Reuters.



While investigators are pursuing several leads, they have largely ruled out foreign involvement.



The Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum, was closed on Monday as police continued their investigation. The masked robbers, dressed as construction workers, struck in front of both visitors and staff, using a basket lift to access a window before smashing it open with an angle grinder. They then used a disc cutter to slice through the glass protecting the jewels.



Authorities said the thieves targeted nine objects, managing to steal eight. The ninth, the crown belonging to Empress Eugenie—the wife of Napoleon III—was dropped during their escape. The crown alone is worth tens of millions of euros.



Former jewel thief Larry Lawton told Fox News that the operation “had to be an inside job” or at least involved “inside information.”



“How did they know how thick the glass was, whether there was an alarm on there?” Lawton asked.



He added that professional thieves would likely avoid selling the stolen items immediately. “I might put them and stash them somewhere no one knows, wait a year or two,” he said, suggesting that museums or insurers might eventually offer a reward “with no questions asked.”



“They’ll put up a million dollars for this … obviously they want their jewels back,” Lawton added.



Authorities said the robbers fled the scene on motorbikes and have not yet been identified.

Investigators Suspect Private Collector Behind Bold Louvre Jewel Heist

Three frum hikers were rescued on Monday afternoon after getting stuck on a steep cliff in the Dead Sea area. Fire crews from the Tamar Station, along with the shift commander and the area commander, were dispatched following a report to the Israel Fire and Rescue Service’s 102 hotline.



When the teams arrived, the area commander led an initial assessment and decided to call in the Lehba Special Rescue Unit and IDF’s Unit 669 for assistance.



After both units reached the scene, all forces held a joint evaluation and, working together, formulated a plan for a careful and complex rescue. The hikers, who were in danger of falling, were safely brought back to stable ground.



Medical personnel treated the three at the scene before transferring them to a hospital. They were all listed in mild condition.

3 Hikers Rescued After Getting Trapped On Cliff Near Dead Sea in Bein Hazmanim Trip

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth (Likud) announced that discussions on the government’s controversial Charedi conscription bill will be delayed until next week. The postponement will allow the committee’s legal adviser additional time to produce a revised draft of the legislation.



“In light of the fact that the legal adviser requires additional time to prepare a draft of the conscription bill for discussion based on the summary document that was submitted, the committee chair has decided to postpone the discussions that were planned for the coming week, in order to ensure that the next stage of deliberations will take place only on the basis of a consolidated legal draft as part of an efficient and focused legislative process,” a spokesman for the committee said in a statement.



Last Thursday, Bismuth submitted a paper outlining key principles for a potential Charedi draft framework to the committee’s legal adviser, Miri Frenkel Shor.



According to Bismuth’s office, “based on the document, a draft law will be formulated in the coming days that will guide the committee in the continuation of the legislative process to regulate the issue of conscription.”



Israeli media reported that the proposal envisions conscripting 50 percent of the annual Charedi draft cohort within five years, while keeping the exemption age at 26. Cuts to yeshiva funding would only be imposed one year after unmet enlistment targets, and personal sanctions would take effect after two years if national quotas are still not met.



The plan also specifies that individuals penalized for draft evasion will not have their driver’s licenses revoked, though new restrictions will be introduced to prevent draft evaders from obtaining licenses.



Speaking to the Knesset on Monday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the legislation, declaring that in the new session, the government will pass a bill requiring 10,000 Charedim to enlist in the military within two years.



Charedi politicians, directed by Gedolei Yisrael, have unanimously opposed the conscription bill.

Defense Committee Delays Debate On Charedi Draft Bill As New Version Under Review

Iran has officially voided a cooperation agreement it signed with the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September, according to state media reports quoting the Secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council.



The announcement follows comments made three weeks earlier by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who warned that Tehran would terminate the arrangement if Western nations reinstated UN sanctions. Those sanctions were reimposed last month.



The move marks a significant blow to the IAEA’s efforts to restore monitoring access and rebuild trust with Iran. The agency had been attempting to reestablish oversight since Israel and the United States bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in June.



“The agreement has been cancelled,”Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran said during a meeting with his Iraqi counterpart in Tehran, according to state media.



“Of course, if the agency has a proposal, we will review it in the secretariat,” he added.

Iran Confirms Cancellation of Nuclear Cooperation Deal With UN Watchdog

Tonight, Sunday, Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva, Hagaon Reb Dov Landau Shlita, took off to the United States, for a fundraising trip for Karen Olam Hatorah, to raise much needed funds for Yeshivos in Eretz Yisroel.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="600" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/91c8f67f-349c-4325-a56b-e8330c383ff0.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-18611" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/91c8f67f-349c-4325-a56b-e8330c383ff0.jpeg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/91c8f67f-349c-4325-a56b-e8330c383ff0-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/91c8f67f-349c-4325-a56b-e8330c383ff0-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reb Dov Landau at the Fatal lounge in Ben Gurion airport, before heading to the US. </figcaption></figure>



The Rosh Yeshivah will begin with a 24 hour visit to Cleveland, Ohio, and will after head to Los Angeles, California, where he will attend several fundraising events to benefit the Karen Olam Hatorah. 



Reb Dov is scheduled to head back to Eretz Yisroel on Thursday, where he will then return to his Bnei Brak residence at 15 Rabbi Sher Street. 



The Los Angeles visit was planned a number of months ago, however, it was delayed due to the 12 day Iran conflict. Now, American Tomchei Torah urged and insured for this important visit to take place, in order to support Limud Torah amid ongoing challenges from the Israeli government.

Reb Dov Landau Heads to Cleveland and Los Angeles

<h3 class="wp-block-heading">President Donald Trump appeared uncertain about Israel&#8217;s airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday during a press exchange en route to Washington, deferring comment on their justification amid the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire.</h3>



The strikes targeted Hamas terror positions in northern Gaza after Hamas terrorists killed two IDF soldiers near Rafah. Israel called it a response to a &#8220;blatant violation&#8221; of the truce, signed just days ago in Egypt as part of President Trump&#8217;s peace plan, which included hostage releases, phased IDF withdrawals from Gaza, and Hamas disarmament.



Pressed by a reporter on the flight back to Washington, Trump was shaky on Israel’s right to defend it self:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>REPORTER: “Do you feel Israel was justified with striking when it did?”</li>



<li>TRUMP: “Striking where?”</li>



<li>REPORTER: “In Gaza. Today. And overnight.”</li>



<li>TRUMP: “I&#8217;d have to get back to you on that.” </li>
</ul>



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Trump Hesitates on Israel’s Gaza Strikes: ‘I’d Have to Get Back to You’

Former Congressman George Santos pushed back sharply during a CNN interview Sunday after being asked whether President Donald Trump showed him favoritism by commuting his prison sentence, practically pardoning the disgraced GOP representative and pathologial fraudster and liar. Santos dismissed the criticism as politically driven, accusing his detractors of hypocrisy and pointing to President Joe Biden’s controversial pardons of his family members before leaving office.



Trump announced the commutation last week, praising Santos for his loyalty to the Republican Party, saying he would “ALWAYS VOTE REPUBLICAN,” while acknowledging he was “somewhat of a rogue.” The move drew sharp rebukes from opponents who claimed the decision was an overt display of partisan bias.



CNN host Dana Bash pressed Santos on the criticism, telling him, “There are a lot of people who are really unhappy about your commutation because they see it as President Trump giving favorable treatment to you because you’re a loyal ally of his.”



Santos fired back forcefully, saying, “You know what? I say this, and I hate that we have to go down this road. And then there’s a lot of people who were upset with President Biden who pardoned his entire family before he left office in an unprecedented move. So pardon me if I’m not paying too much attention to the pearl-clutching of the outrage of my critics and of the people, predominantly on the left, who are going to go out there and try to make a big deal out of something like this.”



Santos had been sentenced to 87 months in jail in April for fraud and falsifying records.

Disgraced Rep. George Santos Clashes With CNN Host Over Trump Commuting Jail Sentence

More than 100,000 Jews filled Second Avenue in Manhattan on Sunday, gathering outside the Israeli Consulate to denounce Israel’s proposal to draft Charedim into the IDF.



The massive demonstration marked a moment of unity between the two rival Satmar factions, led by Harav Aharon Teitelbaum shlit, the Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, and Harav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum shlita, the Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg. It was the first joint Satmar protest of this scale since 2013, when tens of thousands gathered in Foley Square to oppose a similar draft initiative. That protest was attended by many in the Litvishe Yeshiva world as well.



Satmar traditionally refrain from organizing public demonstrations against Israel during times of war. With the current fighting in Gaza paused under a ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump, the community’s leadership determined that this was an appropriate time to renew their public objection to the government&#8217;s designs on Charedi youth and the spiritual pitfalls inherent in Israeli military service.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201465.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-18616" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201465.jpg 900w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201465-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201465-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></figure>



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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="1024" src="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201461-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-18614" srcset="https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201461-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201461-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.belaaz.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/1000201461.jpg 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>

Over 100,000 Jews Rally in Manhattan Against Charedi Draft Law

Shots were fired in Chadera, Israel moments ago, with bullets hitting a Chabad House where people were present at the time. 



According to eyewitnesses, the shots were aimed at a passing vehicle, with bullets hitting the Chabad House instead.







B&#8221;H, nobody was injured. A source told Belaaz that the incident is most likely criminal-related.

Gunshots hit Chabad House in Chadera, Israel, No Injuries

Two IDF soldiers were killed and three wounded this morning when Palestinian terrorists attacked troops in southeastern Rafah, near the Salah a-Din road.



The fallen soldiers are Maj. Yaniv Kula, 26, and Staff Sgt. Itay Yavetz, 21, both from Modiin and serving in the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion.



Terrorists emerged from a tunnel east of the Yellow Line, firing RPGs at an excavator, killing the two troops, before additional sniper fire wounded three others.



The IDF says the forces were operating in an area under Israeli control as part of the ceasefire deal to clear Hamas infrastructure.



In response, the Israeli Air Force and round troops launched airstrikes in southern Gaza, including on a tunnel system once used to hold hostages.

Two Soldiers Killed in Gaza Despite Ceasefire

The IDF resumed its ceasefire in Gaza Sunday night, following Hamas’s deadly attack on Israeli troops earlier in the day, which was met with a wave of fierce airstrikes targeting terrorists.



“In accordance with the directive of the political leadership and following a series of significant strikes, the IDF has resumed enforcement of the ceasefire after it was violated by the Hamas terrorist organization. The IDF will continue to uphold the terms of the ceasefire and will respond forcefully to any further violations of the agreement,” Channel 12&#8217;s Amit Segal reported.



According to the report, in consultations with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and senior security officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided that Israel will respond “fiercely” to Hamas’s attack while maintaining the necessary momentum to secure the return of the remaining slain hostages from Gaza under the first phase of Washington’s ceasefire framework.



A security official told the network that “Israel does not want to bring about the collapse of the ceasefire… There is simply a straightforward equation of a violation and a response — and this will continue as long as Hamas keeps violating the agreement.”



The official warned that the area between the yellow line, to which the military withdrew under the terms of the ceasefire, and the Egyptian border remains “a hotspot for potential escalation.”



“It is ostensibly under Israeli control, but [in underground tunnels that remain operative] Hamas terrorists are hiding — trying to harass Israeli forces under cover of the ceasefire, even without explicit orders from their commanders,” the official added.



Meanwhile, an Israeli security official said the transfer of aid into the Gaza Strip has been halted “until further notice” following the morning’s deadly attack on Israeli soldiers, which prompted a wave of retaliatory airstrikes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity, pending a formal announcement, noting that the move comes just over a week after the start of the US-proposed ceasefire aimed at ending two years of war.



Axios cited a US official saying that Israel told Washington it will reopen aid crossings tomorrow morning, after Jerusalem did not inform the White House in advance of the decision to close them.



An Israeli official cited by several outlets said, “Due to the intensive bombings and dozens of casualties on the Hamas side, Israel halted truck movement today, which will resume once the bombings end.”



Another official told Kan news that “due to American pressure,” the political leadership has instructed that humanitarian aid enter Gaza tomorrow, saying that “official directives on the matter have not yet been updated, but this is the emerging direction.”

IDF Resumes Ceasefire After Hamas Attack; Aid Transfer Temporarily Halted

Hamas terrorists fired on Israeli forces in the Rafah area of southern Gaza on Sunday morning, an attack the IDF says included RPGs and sniper fire against soldiers positioned along the yellow line. Israel is responding with a series of airstrikes on terror targets, both at the site of the shooting, Khan Younis and parts of Nuseirat, an area previously not touched due to hostages being held there.



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“In the wake of repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement and the criminal attack carried out by Hamas terror elements this morning, the IDF will respond with great force against terror infrastructure and Hamas elements,” the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee warned, adding: “The IDF reiterates its warning: For your safety and due to the ongoing airstrikes, remain only on the west side of the yellow line,” and attaching a map showing the areas in Gaza under IDF control. The IDF also issued an urgent warning to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to avoid entering areas under Israeli control and not to approach Israeli troops.



The IDF stated that it is &#8220;now attacking an underground route that was used by the Hamas terror organization in the past to hold hostages.&#8221;



As the IDF pummeled Hamas, the terrorists said they had suddenly “found” another murdered hostage and offered to hand over the body if Israel eases operations. “We will transfer the body today if the conditions on the ground are suitable,” the group said, adding that “any Zionist escalation will complicate the search and digging operations and the recovery of the bodies, which will lead to a delay in the occupation’s receipt of the bodies.”



The attack prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to tell the IDF and the security services “to take firm action against terror targets in the Gaza Strip,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office. Netanyahu gave the instruction during a meeting with Defense Minister Yisrael Katz and the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, the PMO said.



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According to a military source who spoke with Channel 12, more than 100 targets have been struck so far since the attack in Rafah on Sunday morning.



“Hamas will learn today the hard way that the IDF is determined to protect its soldiers and to prevent any harm to them,” Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said, adding that he has instructed the IDF to “act forcefully against Hamas terror targets in Gaza.” Katz warned: “Hamas will pay a heavy price for any shooting and violation of the ceasefire, and if the message is not understood, the intensity of the responses will increase.”



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While President Trump informed Hamas terrorists he would forcibly remove them from power in Gaza if they do not disarm and step away themselves, saying, “At a certain point, if they don&#8217;t do what they&#8217;re supposed to do, then we&#8217;ll have to do it for them,&#8221; the US is reportedly demanding restraint from Israel. According to Channel 12, the Israel was cautioned to &#8220;respond in Gaza proportionately &#8211; but show restraint.&#8221;



US mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump advisor Jared Kushner spoke with Minister Ron Dermer about the situation and urged him that Israel respond in a calculated manner and avoid a response that could collapse the continuation of the Trump plan, according to journalist Danny Zaken.



According to journalist Barak Ravid, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey are working with Hamas in an attempt to prevent further escalation in Gaza.



The Saudi Al-Hadath channel reported that the target of one Israeli strike in central Gaza earlier on Sunday was Yahya al-Mabhouh, described as a commander in the Nukhba forces, the elite unit of Hamas’ military wing, in northern Gaza. Al-Mabhouh’s name appeared earlier in Palestinian reports as one of six people killed in a strike west of Deir al-Balah.



The strikes on Nuseirat and Khan Younis are notable because the IDF largely avoided targeting Nuseirat and other areas of central Gaza during the war due to Hamas holding living hostages there. Hamas last week released all 20 remaining living captives.



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Hamas terrorists’ military wing denied responsibility for the Rafah incident, saying it had no connection to the attack and asserting it was committed by operatives not following orders. “We are committed to the ceasefire in all areas of the Gaza Strip,” the military wing’s statement reads. “We have no information about incidents or clashes that took place in the Rafah area, which is under occupation control.” The statement added that “our connection with the groups located there has been severed since last March. We have no link to any events occurring in that area and we have no way to communicate with our fighters there, if any of them are still alive.”

Israel Retaliates With Massive Airstrikes After Hamas Shoots at Soldiers, Terrorists Suddenly ‘Find’ Murdered Hostage

A heartbreaking tragedy occurred early Sunday morning when four yeshiva bachurim were niftar in a massive car crash on the New Jersey Turnpike, hit by a driver going the wrong direction on the highway.



The fatal accident took place at about 1 a.m. on the southbound side of the Turnpike near Exit 1 in Carneys Point, just past the Delaware Memorial Bridge, according to NBC10. 



The driver of the struck car, 19-year-old Yaakov Kilberg z&#8221;l, from Lakewood, and passengers Aharon Lebovits z&#8221;l, Shlomo Cohen z&#8221;l, Chaim Grossman z&#8221;l were killed in the crash. The passengers were all 18 years old; Aharon and Shlomo were from Lakewood and Chaim was from Fallsburg, NY.



NJ State Police told Belaaz that the driver who crashed into the car carrying the bachurim is Christopher Neff, a 41-year-old male from Westminster, CO, who &#8220;was operating a Dodge pickup truck northbound in the southbound lanes of the NJTPK.&#8221;



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&#8220;The crash remains under investigation, and no additional information is available at the moment,&#8221; police added.



The bachurim were traveling on a Bein Hazmanim trip.



Neff was taken to the hospital.



Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but four of the young men were tragically pronounced dead at the scene.



Many askanim, including from Misaskim, ZAKA, Hatzolah and others were on the scene.

BDE: 4 Yeshiva Bachurim Niftar In Tragic New Jersey Turnpike Crash, Driver Was Going in Wrong Direction

Abakar Abakarov, a 49-year-old Dagestani activist known for his opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was discovered dead in Istanbul with multiple stab wounds, according to Turkish and Russian reports on Sunday. Abakarov, who had been wanted in Russia for allegedly organizing antisemitic and anti-government riots, was found in a rented villa after being missing for more than a week.



A cleaner reportedly found the body on Friday. Sources said Abakarov had been living under a false identity due to fears that Russian agents were pursuing him. Turkish authorities have opened an investigation, though no official statement has yet been released.



Abakarov was known as the operator of the Telegram channel “Morning of Dagestan” (“Utro Dagestan”), a strongly anti-Kremlin, antisemitic and Islamist outlet that routinely published content hostile to Moscow. In October 2023, the channel called on Dagestani residents to protest at Makhachkala Airport after rumors circulated that a plane from Israel had arrived. The protests quickly turned into violent antisemitic riots in which dozens of demonstrators clashed with police and sought to murder Israeli passengers. At least 20 people were injured, including nine officers.



Russian authorities identified Abakarov as one of the key figures behind the riots, alongside ex-MP Ilya Pomaryov and Muslim preacher Israil Akhmedanyev. All three were charged with incitement and tried in absentia in Dagestan’s Supreme Court. In November 2023, Russia placed Abakarov on its international wanted list.



The independent Telegram outlet SOTA later reported that “Morning of Dagestan” had initially been established by Pomaryov, who is now a Ukrainian citizen and the head of the “Freedom for Russia” Legion, which fights with Ukrainian forces. Pomaryov denied any recent connection to the channel, saying he had severed ties long before the riots. Telegram founder Pavel Durov eventually shut down the channel after the violent unrest.



Abakarov&#8217;s killing adds to growing fears among Russian enemies abroad, including those who are not spreading hate. Just days earlier, French authorities announced the arrest of suspects accused of plotting to assassinate Vladimir Uschakin, a Russian human rights activist who fled Kremlin persecution.



Turkish authorities are investigating the murder.

Islamist Putin Rival Who Incited Antisemitic Riots in Dagestan Found Stabbed to Death in Istanbul

Tal Shoham, who endured nearly 500 days in the brutal Hamas captivity within Gaza&#8217;s tunnels, shared harrowing insights in an interview with The Times of Israel. 



Shoham revealed that the hostages&#8217; guards included not just armed terrorists but also radicalized civilians deeply embedded in Gazan society, such as a first-grade teacher, a university lecturer, and a doctor, demonstrating Hamas&#8217;s reach into everyday life, transforming people into active participants in terrorism.



Shoham described the guards&#8217; erratic behavior, some exhibited fanatical cruelty, while others showed some compassion, with treatment varying wildly based on who held authority at the moment.



 He recounted a brutal execution of a suspicious Palestinian man shot in the knees by a Hamas operative; when medics arrived, the injured man was killed on the spot, as &#8220;they decided he needed to die.&#8221;Amid the horror, Shoham noted rare acts of humanity, like one guard who smuggled extra food and a secret note from Shoham&#8217;s wife—&#8221;the only human act I saw in 500 days.&#8221; 



He said that observed that many Hamas members were driven less by religious aim than by desires for power, popularity, and survival. Shoham also witnessed guards looting international humanitarian aid convoys from Egypt, Turkey, and the UAE, treating the theft as a triumph while starving the Hostages.

Shocking: Hamas Captivity Survivor Tal Shoham – ‘Among the Captors Were Teachers, Professors, and Doctors’

One of the hostage bodies returned tonight, Saturday, has been identified as Ronen Engel hy&#8221;d, 54, from Kibutz Nir Oz, who was abducted to Gaza on October 7 and brutally murdered in Hamas captivity. 



Ronen left behind a wife and 3 children. He served as nn emergency medic and Magen David Adom volunteer in the Negev region.



As of now, the bodies of 15 slain hostages remain held in Gaza.

Body of Ronen Engel HY”D, Hero Medic Murdered in Hamas Captivity, Returned to Israel

Harav Tuvia Goldschmidt z”l, who served as a Rosh Chaburah at Mir Yeshiva and as a Dayan at the Yerushalayim Beis Din, passed away on Shabbos afternoon at the age of 67 after years of illness and great suffering.



Rav Goldschmidt was the son of Harav Moshe and his mother, Miriam Goldschmidt of Antwerp. In his youth, he learned at Yeshiva Ketana Or Yisrael and later at the Ponevezh Yeshiva, where he remained steadfastly devoted to his rebbeim.



Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his Rebbetzin, from the Feldinger family of Basel-Beit Vagan.



He served as a dayan at the Beis Din under Harav Avraham Dov Levin zt”l. Known as a massive talmid chacham, he learned Torah day and night with hasmada and was a baki in Choshen Mishpat.



He is survived by children and grandchildren, leaving behind twelve sons and daughters, sons- and daughters-in-law who continue his legacy as talmidei chachamim and yirei shomayim.



The levayah took place motzoei Shabbos at 11:30 p.m. from the Shamgar Funeral Home to Har Hazeisim&nbsp; for kevurah.



Yehi zichro baruch.

BDE: Harav Tuvia Goldschmidt zt”l, Dayan and Mir Rosh Chaburah, Niftar at 67

On Shabbos afternoon, a 3-year-old boy fell from a second-story window in the Pisgat Ze&#8217;ev neighborhood of Yerushalayim, sustaining only injuries to his limbs but miraculously surviving.



Emergency teams quickly arrived at the scene, providing initial medical care before evacuating the child to Shaare Tzedek Hospital in mild to moderate condition.



MDA emergency medical technician Shalom Sagi told Bechadrei Charedim: &#8220;We received a report of a child who fell from the second floor. We arrived at the scene and saw the child being held by his parents, conscious and suffering from minor injuries to his limbs. They told us that he fell out of the window. After initial treatment on the spot, we put him in an MDA intensive care unit and evacuated him to the hospital in stable condition. The incident ended miraculously and could have ended…&#8221;

3-Year-Old Falls from Second-Floor Window in Yerushalayim, Miraculously Survives

Several Israelis recently released from Hamas captivity have begun recounting the torture they endured during their imprisonment in Gaza, as well as stories of emunah that kept them going through their unfathomable nightmare.



Among them is Matan Angrest, who shared his experiences in an interview with askan Shai Graucher.



&#8220;I sang songs to myself, prayed three tefilot a day with a siddur I found, and we had a Chumash that I read at least twenty times,&#8221; Angrest said, reflecting on what helped sustain him through captivity.



He described how his Bar Mitzvah parshah, Mikeitz, took on deeper meaning during his captivity. &#8220;Mikeitz sh&#8217;natayim yamim,&#8221; [at the end of two years, when Yosef was in jail], became a personal mantra for him during those difficult times.



Angrest also recounted how, upon his release, Hamas refused to let him take his siddur and the Chumash with him. &#8220;I wanted to take them with me &#8211; but they wouldn&#8217;t agree,&#8221; he said.



Matan is relearning everyday tasks at Beilinson Hospital. His mother said he is slowly adjusting to simple routines, &#8220;like sitting down to eat with a knife and fork.&#8221;



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Eitan Horn, released after two years in captivity, lost about half his body weight and was forced to walk for 12 hours through tunnels when being moved, his sister-in-law Dalia Koznir told The New York Times. Elkana Buchbut returned with severe stomach pains after captors attempted to fatten him following months of near-starvation.



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Yosef Chaim Ochana had been so isolated that he was unaware of major world development, including ChatGPT, upon his return. Many of the 20 survivors freed were held in damp, dark tunnels with little food, sometimes shackled, according to family accounts.



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Alon Ohel, a gifted pianist injured while trying to escape, lived for two years with shrapnel in his right eye and head. His mother, Idit Ohel, said he returned exhausted but immediately sat down to play the piano &#8220;after more than 700 days in the silence of the tunnels.&#8221;

Released Hostages Share Harrowing Stories of Emunah and Suffering in Gaza

Millions of people took to the streets Saturday in “No Kings” demonstrations opposing President Donald Trump, with events reported in more than 2,500 cities across all 50 U.S. states and several European capitals.



In Washington, D.C., organizers said roughly 200,000 people gathered near the National Mall. New York City police estimated over 100,000 demonstrators marched across all five boroughs, with no protest-related arrests. Tens of thousands were reported in Boston, and large crowds also gathered in Chicago, San Diego, and San Francisco.



Democratic leaders joined several rallies. Sen. Bernie Sanders told the Washington, D.C., crowd they had gathered “because they love America,” rejecting House Speaker Mike Johnson’s description of the protests as “hate America&#8221; rallies. Sanders added, “There are more people out on the streets in more communities all over our country than we have ever seen in American history.”



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Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said in D.C. that “we are not on the verge of an authoritarian takeover. We are in the middle of an authoritarian takeover. But Trump has not won. Our democracy is in peril, but it can be saved — but no one’s riding to our rescue.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer marched in New York City, posting on X, “We have no dictators in America. And we won’t allow Trump to keep eroding our democracy.”



Protests also spread internationally, with gatherings outside U.S. embassies in London, Madrid, Berlin, Stockholm, and Rome. Demonstrators held signs reading “Make America sane again” and “Stop making war on your own people.”



In several U.S. cities, signs associated with Antifa were visible. The organization has been recently designated a domestic terror group by the U.S.



Trump’s campaign responded on social media with memes. The official Trump War Room account posted images including one showing Trump wearing a gold crown and another depicting his crowned face as a rising sun over a field of people mid-scream.



Across California, demonstrations were held in San Diego, San Francisco, and other cities. Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff said, “There is nothing more American than standing up… we have no kings in America.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom urged protesters to “stay safe and demonstrate peacefully.”



In Las Vegas, police temporarily closed part of Las Vegas Boulevard to ensure safety. In Boston, Sen. Elizabeth Warren told the crowd, “Donald Trump is not a king. Donald Trump is a bully,” calling the protests “deeply American” and an expression of “patriotism.”



The demonstrations were largely peaceful, and authorities reported minimal incidents throughout the day.

Millions Join ‘No Kings’ Protests Across U.S. and Europe, Trump Campaign Responds With Memes

President Donald Trump expressed his condolences to the Orthodox Union following the sudden petirah of Rabbi Moshe Hauer z&#8221;l, the organization’s executive vice president and former Rav of a Baltimore shul.



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In a letter, Trump wrote, “The First Lady and I send our deepest condolences to the Orthodox Union on the passing of Rabbi Moshe Hauer.” He highlighted Rabbi Hauer’s lifelong dedication, noting, “Rabbi Hauer was a man of deep faith, wisdom, and compassion whose life reflected an unwavering devotion to the Almighty, to his family, and to the Jewish community.”



Trump praised Rabbi Hauer’s role as a mentor and advocate, writing, “As a teacher, counselor, and friend, he dedicated his life to helping others and stood as a fierce advocate for the Jewish people. His influence endures through the countless lives he uplifted and the communities he helped strengthen.”



Concluding his message, Trump affirmed his solidarity with the Orthodox Union, saying, “We join the Orthodox Union community in mourning Rabbi Hauer and celebrating his remarkable legacy. May the Almighty bless him and may his memory be a blessing to the countless lives he inspired.”

Trump Sends Condolences on Passing of Rabbi Moshe Hauer z”l

The Israrli government is set to approve on Sunday the official renaming of the “Iron Swords War” to the “War of Revival” (Milchemet Tekuma).



The change, proposed by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, aims to mark “the beginning of a new era” and reflect the war’s expansion to seven fronts and its role as “a milestone in Israel’s national revival.”



It is expected to cost the state around 2 million shekels.

Israel to Rename “Iron Swords War” to “War of Revival,” Signaling New Era at a Cost of 2 Million Shekels

The United States has warned that Hamas is preparing an imminent attack targeting Palestinian civilians in Gaza, an act Washington says would violate the ceasefire agreement and threaten recent diplomatic progress.



According to a weekend statement from the State Department, the U.S. has informed Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt, key mediators in the truce, of “credible reports indicating an imminent ceasefire violation by Hamas against the people of Gaza.”



“This planned attack against Palestinian civilians would constitute a direct and grave violation of the ceasefire agreement and undermine the significant progress achieved through mediation efforts,” the statement said.



While the State Department did not specify the nature of the alleged Hamas attack, the warning follows over a week of reports that Hamas operatives have executed dozens of members of rival clans and other Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel.



“The guarantors demand Hamas uphold its obligations under the ceasefire terms,” the statement continued.



It remains unclear how internal attacks by Hamas on other Palestinians would directly violate the ceasefire, which primarily governs hostilities between Israel and Hamas. Leaked portions of the agreement do not explicitly address Hamas’s treatment of Gazan civilians.



Still, the U.S. cautioned that “should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire.”



Earlier this week, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump said that the U.S. and Israel were working to establish safe zones inside IDF-controlled areas of Gaza to shelter Palestinians fleeing Hamas retribution. Israel has not publicly confirmed the initiative.



“The United States and the other guarantors remain resolute in our commitment to ensuring the safety of civilians, maintaining calm on the ground, and advancing peace and prosperity for the people of Gaza and the region as a whole,” the State Department added.

US Warns Hamas Planning Attack On Palestinians in Gaza, Violating Ceasefire

Two caskets containing the bodies of two hostages Hy’d have been brought to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv, the Health Ministry confirmed Friday.



Officials said the identification process could take as long as two days.



Hamas did not disclose the identities of the hostages whose bodies it handed over.



The IDF draped the caskets in Israeli flags and held a brief ceremony led by a military rabbi before transferring them to the institute.



If confirmed to be hostages, the discovery would reduce the number of bodies of captives still held in Gaza from 18 to 16.



Meanwhile, Hamas claimed that the continued closure of the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza is causing major delays in the transfer of hostages’ bodies.



In a statement, the terror group said the closure “blocks the entry of specialized equipment needed to search for those missing under the rubble and prevents forensic teams and tools required to identify bodies,” resulting in “significant delays in the retrieval and transfer.”

Bodies Of Two Hostages Hy’d Brought To Abu Kabir For Identification

75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit HY”D was the body received from Gaza for burial yesterday, Friday night.



Margalit was murdered by Hamas on October 7, and his body was taken into Gaza after being abducted from the horse stables in Kibbutz Nir Oz.



He leaves behind his wife, three children, and three grandchildren. His daughter, Nili Margalit, was also abducted and was released in November 2023 as part of the hostage release agreement.



18 Israeli hostages’ bodies remain in Gaza.

Body of 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit HY”D Returned From Gaza

Israel&#8217;s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced tonight on Channel 14 that he will run for another term in Israel’s next elections, scheduled for November 2026.



Asked if he expects to win, Netanyahu replied simply: “Yes.”



Netanyahu has held the office for a total of more than 18 years.



He first from 1996 to 1999, then from 2009 to 2021, and currently since December 2022. Now Netanyahu will be aiming for his seventh overall term as prime minister .

Netanyahu Vows to Seek Re-Election in 2026:

A Gaza-born terrorist who participated in Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre in Israel was arrested this month in Louisiana after entering the United States as a legal permanent resident under the Biden Administration last year, according to a federal criminal complaint issued October 6 and publicized Friday by the New York Times.



The complaint identifies the suspect as Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, a member&nbsp; of the Communist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (DFLP) military wing, the National Resistance Brigades (NRB)—also known as the “Martyr Umar al-Qasim Forces.” The FBI says Al-Muhtadi joined Hamas during the invasion of southern Israel, where thousands of civilians were murdered and kidnapped.



“Evidence shows that the morning of October 7, 2023, Al-Muhtadi armed himself, gathered others, and crossed into Israel with the intention of assisting in Hamas’s terrorist attack,” the complaint states. Investigators determined his cellphone connected to a tower near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the communities where some of the worst atrocities occurred.



According to the FBI, Al-Muhtadi’s online communications showed that he was alerted to Hamas’ assault at 6:34 a.m., and by 8:12 a.m., he was coordinating a group of armed men to cross into Israel. “He spent the next two hours coordinating a group of armed fighters to join him in traveling from Gaza into Israel to participate in Hamas’s attack,” the filing says. By 9:33 a.m., his group had breached the border; within half an hour, his phone was pinging inside Israeli territory.



The criminal complaint includes detailed evidence linking Al-Muhtadi to the NRB dating back years. One message from April 2019 shows him wearing a red NRB headband alongside other militants. Another message from December 2019 contains a photograph of an official NRB weapons form, signed by Al-Muhtadi himself. The document reads, “I, the Comrade: Mahmud Amin Ya&#8217;qub Al-Muhtadi&#8230; pledge to take all legal responsibility for the weapon in my trusteeship&#8230; property of the National Resistance Brigades.”



In September 2020, he boasted in a social media message, “This is my group,” while sharing a photograph of armed NRB fighters. When asked how many men were under his command, he replied, “I have 15 young men,” and sent a photo of himself posing with the group.



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Despite these clear links to a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, Al-Muhtadi was able to enter the United States in 2024 under the Biden Administration and obtain Legal Permanent Resident status. “Evidence further shows that Al-Muhtadi provided false information in his U.S. visa application relating to his involvement with a paramilitary organization, connection to Hamas, participation in a terrorist attack, and military training,” the complaint states.



Once in the U.S., he settled in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he found employment and continued using social media. The FBI says he even warned other extremists inside the United States to conceal their support for Hamas, writing that they should not post pictures of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar or other leaders because “the U.S. considers this terrorism.”



Federal agents also discovered that Al-Muhtadi had posted pictures of himself holding firearms while living in America.



The investigation was led by Special Supervisory Special Agent Alexandria M. Thoman O’Donnell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who concluded that Al-Muhtadi was “an operative for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s military wing” directly involved in the October 7 invasion.



If convicted, Al-Muhtadi could face federal charges for immigration fraud, false statements, and providing material support to a designated terrorist organization.

Gaza Terrorist Who Joined Oct. 7 Attack Arrested in Louisiana After Entering U.S. Under Biden Administration

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly preparing to move Israel’s next election forward by four months, from October to June 2026, according to a report by Kan.



The report says Netanyahu aims to enter the campaign with major diplomatic achievements, specifically new normalization agreements with Saudi Arabia and Indonesia under the Abraham Accords framework.



Kan described the chance of a Saudi deal by June as “reasonable,” while saying prospects for an agreement with Indonesia were “weaker.” Both countries have long resisted formal ties with Israel, but recent U.S.-backed efforts have sought to expand the accords.



Saudi Arabia has signaled it could consider normalization if progress is made toward a Palestinian state, a condition that remains a sticking point. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has no official relations with Israel and faces strong domestic opposition to such a move.



If Netanyahu finalizes either agreement, it would mark a major diplomatic win ahead of a high-stakes vote, as the prime minister faces pressure from both internal coalition tensions and ongoing security challenges.



The next election is currently scheduled for October 27, 2026, but Netanyahu has the authority to dissolve the Knesset and call early elections with presidential approval.

Report: Netanyahu Planning Elections 4 Months Early, Hopes to Have Deals With Saudis and Indonesia

The IDF says that several Hamas terrorists were identified exiting a tunnel shaft earlier today in the Khan Yunis area and approaching IDF troops operating in the area, causing an imminent threat to them.



The IDF said in the statement &#8211; “The terrorists were struck, in accordance with the agreement.”



Additionally, earlier today, several Hamas terrorists were identified exiting a tunnel shaft in the Rafah area and opened fire toward IDF troops in the area, no injuries to IDF troops were reported.

IDF Strikes Hamas Terrorists Emerging from Tunnels in Khan Yunis and Rafah

Pro-Palestinian activists on Wednesday forcibly entered a memorial at Pomona College organized by Claremont Hillel and the Haverim Jewish student union, interrupting a talk by Yoni Viloga, a survivor of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in which his neighbors were murdered, the college&#8217;s student newspaper reported Friday.



A one-and-a-half-minute video shared by the Claremont Independent student newspaper shows four activists wearing keffiyehs, breaking through a locked door at the California university and shouting slogans such as “Zionism is still a colonial ideology” and “you’re all complicit in genocide” as they barged into the room.



“The fact that they burst into the room mere minutes after we had watched graphic and disturbing video footage of similarly dressed Hamas terrorists committing horrific atrocities made the moment incredibly frightening and all the more shocking,” a member of Haverim told the Independent.



Another student present described the terrifying scene: “Me and a bunch of the other kids were crying and shaking when it happened.”



Despite the disruption, the event continued with a candle-lighting ceremony, student speeches, and poetry readings, the Independent reported.



The identities of the intruders remain unknown. Pomona College President Gabrielle Starr issued a statement Thursday calling on the campus community to submit photos, videos, or other evidence that could help identify the individuals.



“Last night, a memorial on our campus to honor the victims of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was disrupted by four masked and disguised individuals who burst through a locked fire door, shouting,” Starr wrote.



“…It is both outrageous and cruel to interrupt a space where members of our community come together to mourn. Antisemitic hate cannot be tolerated here. Our community is better than this.”



The Independent noted that those familiar with the situation said the protesters accessed the locked fire door via a stairway that was supposed to be blocked.



Attendees told the Independent that the intruders carried a video recorder, possibly avoiding phones to prevent tracking through the campus Wi-Fi, which Pomona previously used to identify students involved in disruptions at Carnegie Hall.



Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have a history of disruptions at Pomona. In August 2024, they blocked the entrance to the college’s convocation, preventing attendees from entering.



In October 2024, anti-Israel protesters occupied Carnegie Hall at Pomona, forcing class cancellations or relocations and prompting some students to flee through windows. One employee was injured, and the building was defaced with graffiti and other property damage. Those responsible were eventually suspended.

Masked, Keffiyeh-Clad Protestors Break Into College Memorial Featuring Oct. 7 Survivor

Organizers of the “No Kings” movement say millions of Americans are preparing to march on Saturday in protests targeting the Trump administration.



According to organizers, a coalition of more than 200 leftist groups led by Indivisible, over 2,500 demonstrations are planned in all 50 states. The largest gatherings are expected in Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles.



Protesters have been instructed to wear yellow “to show collective strength in the face of oppression,” organizers said. They accuse the administration of “sending militarized agents into our communities, silencing voters, and handing billionaires giveaways while families struggle.”



The protests come amid backlash to President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard and send troops to several major cities, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Memphis, Portland, and most recently, Chicago. A federal judge halted the Guard’s street deployment in Chicago but permitted the units to remain under federal command.



At the same time, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has stepped up raids targeting illegal immigrants nationwide.



Republicans have denounced the planned protests, calling them divisive and unpatriotic. House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News the demonstrations are being led by “the pro-Hamas wing and the Antifa people,” accusing Democrats of delaying government shutdown talks “to appease their base.”



Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas told Newsmax, “The agitators show up. We’ll have to get the National Guard out. Hopefully it will be peaceful. I doubt it.”



When asked whether National Guard units would be deployed to manage the protests, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital, “Who cares?”



The “No Kings” movement first drew national attention in June, when similar rallies were held alongside the parade marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army.

Millions Expected To Join Nationwide ‘No Kings’ Protests Against Trump Administration

A Turkish disaster response team is stationed at the Egyptian border, awaiting authorization from Israel to enter Gaza and assist in search and recovery operations, according to a Turkish official who spoke with AFP on Friday.



The 81-member group from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) is equipped with advanced life-detection tools, trained search dogs, and other specialized gear designed for complex rescue missions.



“They are currently waiting at the border on the Egyptian side,” the official said.



The team’s mission is to locate and recover bodies trapped beneath rubble in Gaza. “It remains unclear when Israel will allow the Turkish team to enter Gaza,” the official added, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Initially, Israel preferred to work with a Qatari team, but we are hopeful that our delegation will be granted access soon.”



A Hamas source told AFP that the Turkish delegation is expected to enter Gaza by Sunday. Israeli officials have not commented, and the border crossings are closed during Shabbos.



AFAD’s personnel are highly experienced in emergency response under extreme conditions. The same agency led operations after the massive earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey in February 2023, killing more than 53,000 people.



According to the Turkish official, the current mission includes searching for both Palestinian and Israeli bodies, including hostages believed to be buried or hidden beneath collapsed structures.



The effort faces additional challenges, as some Israeli hostages may have been disguised in local clothing to evade detection by Israeli surveillance drones during transfers. “This situation is expected to complicate search operations and delay progress,” the official said, noting that Hamas is expected to provide some of the location data.



However, there are growing concerns among observers that Hamas could misuse the Turkish team’s heavy equipment for military purposes, including accessing underground tunnel networks.

Trump Restricts Gain of Function Research Thought to Possibly Lead to Covid

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