LIVE DEVELOPMENTS — updated Sunday, October 12, 2025    

IDF Strikes Hezbollah Terror Assets In Southern Lebanon

TRUSTED ANALYSIS

Day 737 — Sunday, October 12

The Israel Defense Forces early on Saturday struck Hezbollah assets in Southern Lebanon, including engineering equipment used to rebuild “military” positions in the area.

“The Hezbollah terrorist organization continues its efforts to reestablish its infrastructure across Lebanon while cynically using the Lebanese population as human shields,” said the IDF.

The Israeli military on Friday dismantled a Hezbollah weapons facility in the area of Ayta ash-Shab in Southern Lebanon. Acting on intelligence, Israeli troops searched the site before demolishing the structure and seizing the weapons found inside.

“Hezbollah’s activity within the structure constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF said, referring to the Nov. 27, 2024, ceasefire deal that ended more than a year of war.

The situation in Lebanon remains volatile following the end of the truce on Feb. 18. Hezbollah began launching missiles and drones at the Jewish state a day after the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.

On Tuesday, the IDF killed Hezbollah terrorist Mahmoud Ali Issa in the Deir Aames area of Southern Lebanon’s Tyre District. Issa served as Hezbollah’s representative in the nearby Kara area, where he was responsible for managing the Iranian proxy’s financial and military ties with local residents.

Also on Tuesday, the Israeli military killed an unnamed Hezbollah terrorist operating an engineering vehicle in the Zibqin area of Southern Lebanon. The operative was targeted while attempting to rebuild terror infrastructure sites.

A day earlier, the IDF struck several Hezbollah targets in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, including military compounds belonging to the terror group’s elite Radwan Force. The facilities hosted live-fire exercises and weapons training for Hezbollah operatives.

Also on Monday, the IDF killed Hasan Ali Jamil Atwi, a senior operative in Hezbollah’s Aerial Defense Unit, in the Nabatieh area. Atwi played a key role in rebuilding and rearming the unit and maintained contact with its leaders in Iran.

Although Jerusalem has withdrawn most of its ground forces since the war ended, it still controls five strategic sites in Southern Lebanon. Israeli officials have stated that the IDF will retain these positions until the Lebanese army demonstrates it can maintain security.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said on Sept. 9 that the country’s armed forces will have fully disarmed Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon within three months.

Last month, Naim Qassem, the secretary-general of the Iranian proxy, said that Hezbollah will not lay down its arms, in a public show of defiance of the Lebanese army’s plan.

In response, U.S. President Donald Trump has approved $230 million in funding for Lebanon’s security forces. In an email, a State Department spokesperson said the assistance would support the effort “to assert Lebanese sovereignty across the country and fully implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, the only viable framework for a durable security arrangement for both Lebanese and Israelis.”

The U.N. resolution, adopted in the aftermath of the 2006 Second Lebanon War between Israel and Hezbollah, calls for the terror proxy to disarm and withdraw from Southern Lebanon, with the Lebanese army and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) tasked with securing the area.

JNS

Day 736 — Saturday, October 11

Following what many in Israel considered a snub by the Nobel Committee on Friday, after it awarded the Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, Israel Prize laureate Ronny Douek formally nominated U.S. President Donald J. Trump for the country’s highest civilian honor, hailing him as “a leader who, more than any other in our generation, has proven through his actions an unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to peace in the Middle East.” 

The Israel Prize—often called Israel’s equivalent of the Nobel and awarded annually on Independence Day—is the state’s most prestigious distinction. Because it is rarely granted to non-citizens, Douek filed his nomination letter on Friday to Education Minister Yoav Kisch, requesting an exemption so Trump can receive the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement and Special Contribution to Society and the State. 

Douek emphasized Trump’s current diplomacy at the top of his appeal, writing that “right now, through his current efforts to secure the return of the hostages and bring the war in Gaza to an end in a way that will guarantee security and stability for Israel—he is once again proving his deep commitment to the Jewish people and to the values of peace,” and urging Israel to honor him on the upcoming Independence Day. 

He framed the case broadly, saying Trump “acted with great determination, courage, and a deep love for the people of Israel, and truly paved a new path of hope and regional partnership.” He added that “thanks to his direct leadership, historic peace agreements were achieved, Israel’s security interests were successfully preserved, and genuine hope for a better future for all of us was established.” 

The Jerusalem Post further reported that Douek’s nomination cites the president’s ongoing push to advance a ceasefire and hostage-release framework and details major first-term achievements that, in Douek’s view, set the stage: U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the 2018 embassy move; recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019; and the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords with the UAE and Bahrain, later joined by Morocco and Sudan.

The paper also noted the nominator’s broader characterization of Trump’s regional influence, including efforts toward de-escalation with Syria and constraining Hezbollah. 

Momentum for recognition had been building all week. On Monday, families of Israeli hostages urged the Nobel Committee “with momentous urgency” to honor Trump for driving a hostage-release and ceasefire deal, and later in the week world leaders, lawmakers, and public figures amplified the push, arguing “no leader has done more for peace and should be awarded the prize.” 

The White House echoed the message Friday as the Oslo decision landed, with Communications Director Steven Cheung saying the committee “placed politics over peace,” and describing Trump as a leader who “will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.”

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office amplified the same line on X: “The Nobel Committee talks about peace. President @realDonaldTrump makes it happen. The facts speak for themselves. President #Trump deserves it.” 

María Corina Machado, this year’s Nobel Peace Prize recipient, said she dedicates the award “to the people of Venezuela and to President Donald Trump for his decisive support,” adding that Venezuelans “need his support more than ever.” 

Trump’s historic efforts to broker hostage releases and his first-term breakthroughs, combined with Friday’s reaction to Oslo, have made the Israel Prize the natural venue to honor his record of advancing peace.

Breitbart

Day 735 — Friday, October 10

Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to respond with “great force” to any threat or attack by the Hamas terrorist group during the interim stage following the Cabinet’s approval of the ceasefire deal.

The IDF is on high alert amid concerns that Hamas may carry out attacks or kidnappings in the final hours before the ceasefire takes effect on Saturday morning.

In preparation, the military is expected to carry out targeted “completion” strikes on key objectives identified in recent days, ensuring readiness for a controlled withdrawal once the truce begins.

On Thursday evening, Israel struck a four-story building in Gaza City. Two terrorists, including a Hamas commander, were killed.

According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Office, the army has begun preparations to implement the agreement as instructed by the political leadership. This includes repositioning forces to new deployment lines and implementing battle procedures to ensure a smooth transition while maintaining readiness for any developments on the ground.

Military officials fear Hamas may exploit the lull to unleash a final round of fire—what they described as an “emptying of stockpiles”—such as rocket or mortar attacks on Israeli troops in and around Gaza. Several rockets were fired from within the Strip in the last 24 hours, though no injuries or damage were reported, Ynet reported.

According to Israel’s Channel 12, the three divisions operating in Gaza City (Divisions 162, 98 and 26) will withdraw from the city in the next 24 hours. Thousands of fighters will be deployed to new lines.

“These are historic days. We must manage the transition to a ceasefire in a measured, professional and orderly manner. The safety of our troops is at the top of the operational priority list,” Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the IDF chief of staff, said in a statement, emphasizing the complexities and preparations that are required.

He credited IDF troops on the ground with creating the conditions that made the agreement possible. “Our military activity produced a political achievement; that achievement is first and foremost yours,” he said.

“I ask you, while all of Israel watches the screens and celebrates the release of the hostages, to remain alert. The enemy is here. They have not disappeared,” Zamir said.

During a situational assessment overnight Wednesday, the general “instructed all forces, both on the front lines and in the rear areas, to prepare strong defenses and be ready for any scenario,” the military said.

IDF soldiers will be deployed “in accordance with the directives of the political echelon and the stages of the agreement, with responsibility and a focus on the safety of our soldiers,” it added.

Zamir also discussed preparations to receive the freed hostages, an operation “which is expected to be conducted with sensitivity and professionalism,” per the statement.

Israeli police similarly launched a large-scale national operation to secure the return of hostages under the agreement.

Thousands of officers, volunteers and special units will be deployed nationwide to maintain order, provide security and escort the freed captives and their families, the police said in a statement.

Forces are on alert across all sectors, prepared for any scenario as part of coordinated situational assessments, police said.

Police officials described the effort as a sensitive and deeply emotional national mission, carried out with “dedication” as the country awaits the hostages’ safe return to their families and to the people of Israel.

JNS

Day 735 — Friday, October 10

The Jerusalem Municipality lit up the walls of the Old City and the Chords Bridge on Thursday evening with the flags of the United States and Israel, in a gesture of gratitude to US President Donald Trump and the American administration for their role in securing the release of hostages and ending the war.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion stated, “Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, salutes and thanks US President Donald Trump and the American administration for their courageous leadership and determined efforts that helped bring about the release of the hostages and the end of the war. This is a moment of hope and faith, joy and unity.”

He added, “This achievement, made possible through close cooperation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government, reflects the strength of the true partnership and enduring alliance between our nations.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 734 — Thursday, October 9

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday hailed the expected return of the 48 hostages as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas as a “diplomatic success and a national and moral victory for the State of Israel.”

“With the approval of the first phase of the plan, all our hostages will be brought home,” Netanyahu wrote on X, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Hamas had agreed to the plan.

“From the beginning, I made it clear: we will not rest until all our hostages return and all our goals are achieved,” the premier said.

The Jewish state had reached this “critical turning point” through “steadfast resolve, powerful military action, and the great efforts of our great friend and ally President Trump,” according to Netanyahu, who thanked the U.S. leader for “his leadership, his partnership, and his unwavering commitment to the safety of Israel and the freedom of our hostages.

“God Bless Israel. God Bless America. God Bless our great alliance,” he wrote.

Trump announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the two-year-old war sparked by the terrorist group’s invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The agreement is expected to be formally signed at 12 noon Thursday in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Under the terms of the agreement, the 48 hostages, who have been held in Gaza for over 730 days, are to be freed within 72 hours of the deal’s signing, with initial reports indicating that Jerusalem was preparing for their return home as early as Saturday.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the hostage deal would “bring moments of indescribable relief to the dear families who have not slept for 733 days.”

“This is a morning of historic and momentous news,” the Israeli head of state tweeted, adding that the agreement with Hamas “offers a chance to mend, to heal, and to open a new horizon of hope for our region.

“This is a time to honor the heroes among us: our sons and daughters who fought bravely to bring the hostages home; the bereaved families; the wounded in body and spirit; and all who have paid an unbearable price for this historic and vital moment,” wrote Herzog.

Saying there is “no doubt” that Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, Herzog extended “deepest thanks” to the U.S. president and “all those involved in this vital effort,” including Netanyahu.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said during a visit to Gaza City’s Sabra area on Thursday morning that he understood “exactly why Hamas’s leadership is pressing for an end to the war.”

“I saw up close the power of the maneuver and the changed landscape,” Katz tweeted in Hebrew. “Well done to our brave soldiers, both regular and reservists, for the dedication, determination, and sacrifice that led to this great achievement,” he concluded.

JNS

Day 734 — Thursday, October 9

The terrorist organization Hamas has agreed to a peace deal with Israel, drawn up by the Trump administration, which will end the war in Gaza and see the release of all Israeli hostages (living and deceased).

President Trump announced on Truth Social Wednesday evening that both parties have approved the agreement, later telling Fox News’ Sean Hannity that the hostages could be released as early as Monday.

“I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” the President wrote. “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.”

“All Parties will be treated fairly!” he continued. “This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS!”

The announcement comes on the second anniversary of Israel’s official declaration of war, which had not been done since the Yom Kippur War of 1973. This declaration occurred one day after thousands of Palestinian terrorists invaded southern Israel, ferociously massacring 1,200 and kidnapping hundreds of Israelis on October 7th, 2023. Israel began targeting Hamas, a terror proxy of the Iranian regime, through airstrikes, warning civilians to evacuate before the commencement of the IDF ground operation in Gaza on October 27th, 2023.

The situation quickly developed into a multifront war with Iran and its proxies. Over the last two years, Israel effectively decimated this Iranian “ring of fire,” largely eliminating the capabilities of proxies and, with the assistance of the United States, obliterating Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Currently, 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with approximately 20 determined to still be alive over 700 days into captivity.

Day 733 — Wednesday, October 8

Two years after Hamas’s barbaric October 7 massacre in Israel, a new global report by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) confirms that antisemitic incidents have not declined, they have intensified, spreading across borders and into the mainstream.

What began as a surge of hatred in the hours and days following the massacre has evolved into a sustained global epidemic. Over the past two years, antisemitism has become deadly, including in Boulder Colorado, Washington DC and Manchester in the UK very recently. Hatred of Jews, once the obsession of the fringes, has become a public, normalized force that endangers Jews across the world and the societies they live in.

According to data collected by CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center, between October 7, 2023, and October 1, 2025, there were 13,339 recorded antisemitic incidents worldwide. The final three months of 2023 alone saw nearly as many cases as all of 2022, while 2024 shattered every previous record, with more than 6,300 incidents — double the year before. In the United States, antisemitic acts on university campuses nearly tripled, rising from 249 in 2022 to 742 in 2024. The trend has continued into 2025, with more than 5,100 incidents already documented by October 1 and projections suggesting close to 6,800 by year’s end.

Jewish communities across all regions now face intensifying threats to their safety and freedom, from violent attacks and vandalism to intimidation, harassment, and the denial of their right to live and worship without fear.

Since Hamas’ massacre in Israel two years ago, CAM’s ongoing monitoring has revealed an unprecedented global spread and normalization of Jew-hatred in modern times.

Sacha Roytman Dratwa, CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, said: “Two years after October 7, the wounds have not healed — and the hatred has not faded. The Hamas massacre was not only an attack on Israel; it was a turning point for Jews everywhere. What followed was the largest surge in antisemitism in modern history — and that surge has not slowed. It has deepened, spread, and been excused.”

“This is no longer a Jewish problem. It is a moral test for humanity. When Jews are targeted with impunity, every democratic value is endangered. Silence is complicity — and silence is exactly what hatred feeds on.
“Every person must decide: turn away, or take a stand. Because the fight against antisemitism is the fight for truth, freedom, and human dignity itself. On this anniversary, we call on all people of conscience to confront lies, reject Jew-hatred, and ensure that ‘Never Again’ is not just a slogan — but a promise kept.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 733 — Wednesday, October 8

Anti-Israel activists rallied worldwide on Tuesday, the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 rampage through southern Israel, which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.

Large rallies were held in Sydney, London, Paris, Geneva, Athens, Thessaloniki, Istanbul, Tokyo, Jakarta and Stockholm, among other cities.

The protests reflect a shift in global sentiment, with sympathy that initially flowed to Israel after the October 7, 2023, attacks now increasingly directed toward Palestinians, leaving Israel more isolated on the world stage.

In Turkey, a protest was expected outside an energy company over its exports to Israel. In Sweden, demonstrators were expected to welcome back participants of the intercepted Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, including climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.

In London, students from several universities were due to walk out of classes at 2:00 p.m. local time before marching through the center of the British capital.

Protesters outside King’s College London waved Palestinian flags and shouted, “Israel is a terrorist state.” They were expected to march to other universities.

Times Of Israel

Day 732 — Tuesday, October 7

A rocket was launched from the northern Gaza Strip at the border community of Netiv Ha’asara a short while ago, the military says.

The rocket struck in the area of the community, but no injuries were caused, the military says.

The attack comes on the two-year anniversary of Hamas’s devastating October 7 onslaught in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Netiv Ha’asara was one of the communities attacked on that day.

Ceremonies will be held throughout the day as Israel marks the second anniversary of October 7, coinciding this year with the Jewish festival of Sukkot.

The day began with a ceremony at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, whose members are still waiting for the return of Ziv and Gali Berman, taken hostage and held in Gaza.

At 11 a.m., dozens of bereaved families whose loved ones were killed at the Nova festival will hold a ceremony at the site of the rave.

Kibbutz Nir Oz, the hardest-hit community on that day, will hold a ceremony at 6 p.m.

At 9:30 p.m., the Bereaved Families Memorial Ceremony will be held in Tel Aviv’s Park Hayarkon and broadcast on television networks.

Times of Israel

Day 732 — Tuesday, October 7

A group of 22 Republican and one Democrat House members penned a letter to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who leads the Irish government, decrying a bill that would boycott Israeli products from Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.

“The proposed legislation represents a discriminatory move by Ireland to economically target Israel and demonize the world’s only Jewish state,” the members, led by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), wrote on Monday, the day before the second anniversary of Oct. 7.

The Irish bill “creates a blatant double standard toward the Jewish state by singling out Israel while ignoring other territorial disputes around the world” and is “an attempt to isolate Israel as a pariah,” the members of Congress wrote.

Resolution of local territorial disputes ought to come through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, “not by divisive, one-sided political theater from foreign parliaments,” the legislators stated.

The Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Act of 2025 would ban importing goods from Israeli settlements beyond the so-called Green Line. Irish business leaders have reportedly opposed the bill.

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) led 15 other House Republicans in a letter to Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury secretary, in August, urging him to review whether Ireland’s potential boycott of goods from Judea and Samaria violates U.S. law.

The Irish government is preparing to lessen the scope of the boycott to a limited set of goods, worth less than $250,000 annually, Reuters reported on Friday.

The members of Congress wrote that they are “deeply concerned” about Ireland claiming publicly that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza and urging the International Court of Justice, a U.N. agency in The Hague, to “modify its test for recognizing genocidal intent.”

“We strongly reject Ireland’s effort to distort the international legal standards related to this most serious crime in order to accuse Israel of committing it,” the congressmen wrote. “We also object to Ireland’s ongoing dismissal of the substantial evidence that Israel’s intention in Gaza is to eliminate the security threat posed by Hamas, while Hamas intentionally uses innocent civilians as human shields.”

Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, stated that “both the proposed Occupied Territories Bill and joining the ICJ case accusing Israel of genocide set Ireland apart from its European neighbors and threaten its relationship with America and American Jews.”

“As an organization that has been in frequent dialogue with Irish diplomats, we too have been troubled by these recent developments,” he stated.

JNS

Day 731 — Monday, October 6

In the wake of complaints made by the anti-Israeli activist Greta Thunberg, which alleged she was subjected to harsh treatment by Israeli authorities, and concerning claims that she was provided insufficient quantities of water and food and developed a rash that she attributed to bedbug bites – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now issuing a response.

“The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla are brazen lies. All the detainees’ legal rights are fully upheld. Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody. Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations – because they never occurred.”

The Israeli Navy intercepted the 42 boats in the flotilla carrying hundreds of activists last week, including Thunberg, who tried to breach Israel’s maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip during Yom Kippur. The vessels were diverted to Ashdod Port, where passengers were handed over to Israeli Police.

The operation, dubbed Shield of the Horizon. According to the military, within 12 hours naval forces gained operational control over the flotilla, preventing what was described as a coordinated attempt to violate Israel’s legal blockade on Gaza.

Activists imprisoned after a Gaza-bound flotilla was intercepted on Yom Kippur have accused Israeli authorities of serious mistreatment, with their lawyer Sena Eliküčük preparing to submit a complaint to UN human rights bodies, the Swedish outlet Aftonbladet reports. Eliküčük told the the local press, “I intend to report these violations of human rights to the relevant UN authorities.”

Israel Hayom

Day 731 — Monday, October 6

The Israel Police on Sunday neutralized a Hamas grenade that was discovered in Kibbutz Be’eri, almost two years after the terrorist organization’s Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught on the border town.

Workers discovered a suspicious metal object during reconstruction work at the kibbutz and immediately alerted authorities, police stated.

“The grenade, which had remained in the area since the intense fighting, was located and safely neutralized by police officers and bomb disposal experts from the Southern District,” according to the Hebrew statement.

An investigation was reportedly opened into how the grenade went undiscovered during the 24 months since the Oct. 7 attacks, which claimed the lives of nearly 10% of Be’eri’s 1,100 residents.

Another 30 kibbutz members were among the 251 people taken hostage to Gaza, with four Be’eri residents remaining in captivity after 730 days.

JNS

Day 730 — Sunday, October 5

Hundreds of mourners gathered in wind and rain Friday for a vigil that combined grief and defiance in the remembrance of two men who were killed when a knife-wielding assailant attacked their synagogue in the English city of Manchester on Yom Kippur.

Standing behind the police cordon that still surrounds the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the city’s Crumpsall neighborhood, the mourners said they felt forgotten by a society that has allowed antisemitism in the UK to grow unchallenged over the last two years.

Politicians and other leaders have failed to reject anti-Jewish speech or protect Jews from hate crimes, they said.

“We are Jews, but we are English. We have lived in Manchester for 150 years. We belong here,” Simon Burton, who works in sales, told The Associated Press. “We feel that, as a community, we are not always listened to. We feel let down.”

“Right now, our hearts are shattered,” UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said Friday. “What transpired yesterday was an awful blow to us, something which actually we were fearing might happen because of the buildup to this action.”

As evidence of the climate of intolerance that has been allowed to fester in Britain, some people pointed to pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protests in London that went ahead Thursday night, even as Jews around the country grieved over the deaths in Manchester.

Police in London urged organizers to call off a demonstration planned for Saturday to oppose the government’s decision to ban the group Palestine Action, which was labeled a terrorist organization after its members attacked Israeli defense contractors and Royal Air Force aircraft over support for the war in Gaza. Organizers rejected the request, with Palestine Action saying that “canceling peaceful protests lets terror win.”

On Thursday, as people gathered at the synagogue to mark Yom Kippur, the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar, the terrorist drove his car into people outside the building and stabbed one person, Melvin Cravitz, 66, to death.

A second man, Adrian Daulby, 53, appears to have been inadvertently shot dead by police who confronted the assailant, police said Friday, praising Daulby’s heroism in helping barricade the synagogue door before the terrorist. Three other people were seriously injured.

The terrorist, who was shot dead by police, was later identified as Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old naturalized British citizen of Syrian descent.

UK media reported Friday that he was on bail for alleged rape at the time of the attack, and had previous lesser convictions, but was not on police’s anti-terrorism radar.

One eyewitness also told the UK’s ITV News that Shamie shouted “this is what they get for killing our children” as he tried to force his way into the synagogue, in what appeared to be the first statement linking the deadly attack to the war in Gaza.

Shamie’s father Faraj, who condemned the attack, has previously called for Israel’s destruction and praised Hamas for its invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in Gaza.

Times Of Israel 

Day 729 — Saturday, October 4

The Palestinian jihadists of Hamas on Friday delivered a response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for ending the Gaza war, saying they were prepared to release the hostages, while demanding clarifications and negotiations on further points.

The statement made no reference to the key demand of demilitarization and implied that Hamas has a role to play in Gaza’s future.

Meanwhile, Senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk is quoted in Arabic media as saying that “releasing all the living hostages and bodies within 72 hours is theoretical and unrealistic under the current circumstances.”

i24 News

Day 729 — Saturday, October 4

Lieutenant Dean Elsdunne, the Israel Police spokesperson to international media, posted a video to social media in which he is seen boarding one of the larger vessels which took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza, and which was intercepted by Israeli troops during Yom Kippur.

In the video, Elsdunne is seen in an empty room inside the vessel and shows that there was no humanitarian aid aboard the vessel, despite claims by activists who took part that their aim was to bring aid to Gaza.

“I’m inside one of the vessels, one of the largest vessels to come in this Yom Kippur flotilla. and while we’re processing this boat, there’s one thing missing, guys: All this aid that they were supposed to bring into Gaza,” he says.

“When we and multiple other countries offered them to take this aid and bring it to the Gazans, we could facilitate its safe arrival, they flat out rejected it. And now we know why, because it was never about bringing aid to Gazans, but it was all about the headlines and the social media followings,” added Elsdunne.

On Friday morning, Shayetet 13 naval commandos took control of the last remaining vessel of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Among the participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla was environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who was previously deported by Israel in June after taking part in another flotilla, the Madleen.

Arutz Sheva

Day 728 — Friday, October 3

Amnesty International on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire and release of all civilians held hostage by Gaza factions since the October 7 Massacre, but excluded slain IDF officer Hadar Goldin and other captive IDF soldiers.

“Palestinian armed groups must immediately and unconditionally release all civilians held hostage in the occupied Gaza Strip, reiterated Amnesty International nearly two years after they were seized during the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on 7 October 2023,” Amnesty said in their statement. “Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have made clear they have been holding both civilians and soldiers as bargaining chips to compel Israeli authorities to stop their military attacks, release all arbitrarily detained Palestinian prisoners and end the blockade on Gaza and their unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territory. This conduct corresponds to the definition of hostage-taking under international law.”

Amnesty explained to The Jerusalem Post that it had previously called for the immediate release of “all civilian hostages” as “International law requires those holding civilian hostages to release them immediately and unconditionally,” but while soldiers should not be used as bargaining chips, they should be released in relation to a ceasefire.

The Tuesday Amnesty statement also called for Israel to release 11,040 Palestinians from detention.

“There can be no justification for seizing people as hostages nor for the prolonged arbitrary detention of individuals without charge or trial. The world must not turn its back on humanity,” Amnesty Secretary General Agnès Callamard said in a statement.

Jerusalem Post

Day 728 — Friday, October 3

Police on Thursday identified the suspect in the deadly Yom Kippur attack at a synagogue in Manchester, England, as Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.

Two people were killed when Al-Shamie rammed his car into worshippers outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on Middleton Road before exiting the vehicle and stabbing others on Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day.

British authorities early on Friday identified the fatalities as Adrian Daulby, 53, and Melvin Cravitz, 66.

“My deepest sympathies are with Mr. Daulby and Mr. Cravitz’s loved ones at this extremely hard time,” said Greater Manchester Police Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes, who is coordinating the casualty response.

Police on Thursday confirmed that Al-Shamie had been shot dead during the attack.

“A suspicious device worn by the attacker during the incident has been assessed and was deemed not to be viable,” police said, after images circulating online appeared to show the terrorist wearing a belt containing unknown canisters around his waist.

According to police, three other victims were hospitalized with serious injuries. One suffered a stab wound, another was hit by the car involved in the attack and a third later went to the hospital with an injury that may have occurred as forces confronted the attacker.

Authorities added that three suspects—two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s—have been “arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.”

Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson announced on Thursday that the attack “has been officially declared as a terrorist incident, and the investigation is now being led by Counter Terrorism Police.”

JNS

Day 727 — Thursday, October 2

The Spanish parliament will discuss imposing a full arms embargo on Israel on October 7, which was announced on Wednesday, according to Kan.

October 7, next Tuesday, is the two-year anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 massacre.

The embargo would completely prevent the sale of weapons to Israel and the purchase of Israeli weapons by Spain.

According to the Spanish newspaper, El Pais, American ships carrying arms to Israel were blocked from docking at two naval bases in Spain on Monday. The Rota (Cadiz) and Moron de la Frontera (Seville) bases are shared between the United States and Spain.

On September 1, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez banned ships and aircraft carrying weapons to Israel from docking at Spanish ports or entering Spanish airspace.

Shortly following that announcement, Sanchez also banned Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country in a further attempt to pressure Israel to end the ongoing Israel-Hamas War and show solidarity with Gaza.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, there has been a massive uptick in antisemitic and anti-Israel attitudes, including from Sanchez himself. 

Sanchez voiced his “admiration” for and praised pro-Palestinian protestors for disrupting the La Vuelta cycling race in mid-September. The chaotic protests, triggered by outrage at the participation of Israeli athletes in the race, led to the cancellation of the final leg of the race. 

The Israeli ambassador to Spain, Dana Erlich, expressed her belief that the Spanish government was directly enabling the rise of antisemitism in the nation during a Wednesday interview with N12 news.

New York Post

Day 727 — Thursday, October 2

The Israeli Navy intercepted the latest flotilla attempting to break the maritime blockade around the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and took Greta Thunberg and other activists into custody.

Footage from the scene on the Mediterranean shows the navy vessels intercepting the 47 boats that make up the Global Sumud Flotilla, which organizers say is carrying more than 500 activists, including climate advocate Thunberg.

The Swedish activist was seen sitting on the ground as Israeli sailors presented her belongings to her so that she could be taken into custody.

“Already several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla have been safely stopped and their passengers are being transferred to an Israeli port,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on X. “Greta and her friends are safe and healthy.”

Those aboard the ships could be seen chanting “Free Palestine!” as their journey game to an end about 100 miles from their intended destination, similar to the failed venture in June. 

The floatilla members claimed Israeli warships were jamming their communications and live cameras just before the flotilla was intercepted. 

“They are currently hailing our vessels, telling us to turn off our engines and await further instructions or our boats will be seized and we will face the consequences,” said Greg Stoker, an American veteran aboard one of the boats in the flotilla.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the activists would be taken to Ashdod, where Israel houses a naval base, and would then be expelled from the country. 

The activists had previously rejected Israel’s calls for the boats to turn around and arrive at the Jewish state, where the military offered to take charge of the humanitarian aid on board and deliver it to Gaza.  

New York Post

Day 726 — Wednesday, October 1

The same threats that were allowed to fester for years in Gaza are bubbling up in Judea and Samaria, Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, told the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

Danon added that it is time to move beyond the “speeches, theater and spectacle” of last week’s General Assembly and “face reality.”

The Israeli envoy compared the assembly of rockets in small workshops in Judea and Samaria to methods that Hamas has used in Gaza. One workshop was found in Tulkarem, some 15 miles from Netanya on Israel’s coast—about the distance between central London and Heathrow Airport.
“These are not far-off threats,” Danon told the council. “They are weapons built within minutes of Israeli towns and cities. Hidden workshops of death, right on our doorstep.”

Danon refuted French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement last week that Hamas doesn’t exist in Judea and Samaria. “Better check again,” he said.

Hamas claimed responsibility for killing six Israelis in a terror attack at a crowded bus stop in Jerusalem, and the Israeli military found Hamas infrastructure in Judea and Samaria and seized weapons that Iran shipped to Jenin, the envoy said.

Danon also said that the Palestinian Authority cannot govern the area under its control and that it has a “pay-for-slay” policy of rewarding terrorists, who kill and maim Israelis, with salaries.

“This is not social welfare. It is blood money,” he said. “The policy consumes about 8% of the Palestinian Authority’s entire budget.”

“Enough with the lies. Stop the payments,” he said. “Not in words, but with action.”

JNS

Day 725 — Tuesday, September 30

Documents found in Gaza and released by Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday traced direct Hamas involvement in organizing and financing a “close-knit” flotilla seeking to break the Israeli blockade of the Strip.

“This confirms that key assets of the flotilla are effectively owned and controlled by Hamas,” the Foreign Ministry said. “They clarify the chain of command and financial support behind these operations, which have long been presented under civilian pretense.”

One document, a letter from 2021 signed by former Hamas political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh, explicitly endorses the Palestinian Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA), an organization founded in 2018 and operating under civilian cover. Israel has designated the PCPA as a terror organization.

The ministry noted that the PCPA functions as Hamas’s representative abroad, often acting as the movement’s embassies while mobilizing anti-Israel demonstrations, violent protests, and other provocations. The group was designated a terrorist organization by Israel in 2021.

The second document contains a detailed list of PCPA activists, including senior Hamas figures directly involved in the flotilla operations. Among the names highlighted by the IDF is Zaher Birawi, the head of the PCPA’s Hamas sector in Britain, who has reportedly led Gaza-bound protest flotillas for more than 15 years.

Also listed is Saif Abu Kishk, a PCPA operative in Spain, who doubles as CEO of the Spanish cyber company Cyber Neptune, which owns multiple ships participating in the current Samud flotilla.

“Hamas in the Gaza Strip is responsible for activities within the Strip, while Hamas abroad manages operations outside, including mobilization and provocations,” the Foreign Ministry said. “These documents expose the depth of Hamas’ international network and its operational control over individuals leading the flotilla.”

The flotilla, comprising approximately 50 vessels, is currently being escorted by Italian and Spanish naval ships, with Greek media reporting that Turkish drones are monitoring its progress. Organizers say they intend to deliver aid directly to Gaza, rejecting Israel’s offer to transfer cargo through Ashkelon or via Cyprus. It remains unclear how the confrontation will unfold once the ships approach Israeli waters. Israel insists it will not permit direct access to Gaza’s coastline.

The flotilla is expected to reach Israeli waters in the coming days.

Most notable among the participants is Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was deported in June following a similar effort to break the Gaza blockade aboard one boat. Israeli officials dismissed that effort as a “selfie yacht.”

Israel and Egypt have maintained restrictions on Gaza to prevent weapons smuggling since Hamas seized control of the Strip in 2007. Since then, Palestinian activists have periodically launched flotillas to challenge the blockade. In 2011, an independent UN inquiry into the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident criticized Israeli forces for using excessive force but upheld the blockade’s legality.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive.

Jerusalem Post

Day 725 — Tuesday, September 30

Five Israeli soldiers, including two officers, were seriously wounded and six others were lightly injured in a Hamas attack on an army encampment in Gaza City on Monday afternoon, the military announced.

The attack came hours after two rockets were launched from northern Gaza, the second time in just over a week that such attacks were made on Israeli territory, and as the Israel Defense Forces pressed on with an all-out assault on Gaza City, whose aim, Israel says, is to wipe out Hamas in its final redoubts.

The Hamas attack began at around 5:25 p.m. with a cell of five terror operatives infiltrating an army encampment and setting off two explosive devices against a tank of the 7th Armored Brigade’s 82nd Battalion.

Troops at the encampment exchanged fire with the gunmen, killing at least two of them — one by tank shelling and one in a close-quarters gun battle, according to the IDF.

The IDF said it was hunting for the three surviving Hamas gunmen who managed to flee the encampment after the attack.

During the incident, a medical officer, a tank officer, and three soldiers of the 82nd Battalion were seriously injured, the IDF said. Six other troops were lightly hurt. The soldiers were all taken to hospitals, and their families were notified.

Times Of Israel 

Day 724 — Monday, September 29

Hezbollah will not lay down its arms, Naim Qassem the secretary-general of the Iranian proxy, said on Saturday, in a public show of defiance of the Lebanon army’s plan to dismantle the terrorist group.

“We will never abandon our weapons, nor will we relinquish them,” Qassem declared, speaking in front of tens of thousands of supporters at the burial shrine of his predecessor Hassan Nasrallah near Beirut Airport to mark the first anniversary of his targeted killing by Israel.

“We are ready for martyrdom,” Qassem added.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was also in attendance at the memorial, which also commemorated the killing weeks after Nasrallah of Hashem Safieddine, considered second in command of the terrorist group.

The remembrance events began on Thursday with the projection of Nasrallah’s and Safieddine’s images onto the iconic Raouche rock in Beirut, despite opposition from the government and no official authorization.

Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sept. 27, 2024. To mark the anniversary of his death, the pro-Hezbollah Al Mayadeen channel published the final photo of him, which shows Nasrallah sitting in a meeting room with maps of the Middle East spread on the wall. It was apparently taken hours before the Israeli bombing of his underground bunker in Dahiyeh.

“The last image published by Hezbollah’s media shows the ‘master terrorist of the nation’ in a meeting, with behind him a map of Israel—which has remained, and will remain, beyond his and his likes’ reach and their schemes,” wrote Col. Avichay Adraee, the head of the Arab Media Branch in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, in an X post on Saturday with the picture.

In a statement on Saturday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun expressed hope that “this painful anniversary will serve as a rallying point, reinforcing the belief that Lebanon’s salvation lies in having one unified state, one army and constitutional institutions that protect sovereignty and uphold dignity.”

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji said on Sept. 9 that the country’s armed forces will have fully disarmed Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon within three months.

“Peace between Israel and Lebanon is possible as well. I call on the Lebanese government to also begin direct negotiations with Israel. I commend it for its declared aim to disarm Hezbollah. But we need more than words. If Lebanon takes genuine and sustained action to disarm Hezbollah, I am sure we can achieve a sustainable peace,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday at the 80th annual session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

“Of course, until that happens, we will take whatever action we need to defend ourselves and to maintain the conditions of the ceasefire that was established in Lebanon,” the premier continued. “Our goal is not merely to monitor Hezbollah’s actions, but to prevent them from violating the ceasefire and attacking us at any time. I’m sure that if the Lebanese government persists in its goal of disarming Hezbollah, peace will come very speedily and very readily.”

Meanwhile, Israel continues to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, on Friday striking a precision weapons manufacturing facility in the Beqaa Valley, located approximately 20 miles east of Beirut.

The situation in Lebanon remains volatile following the end of the truce with Beirut on Feb. 18. Hezbollah began launching missiles and drones at the Jewish state a day after the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.

Although Jerusalem has withdrawn most of its ground forces since the war ended, it still controls five strategic sites in Southern Lebanon. Israeli officials have stated that the IDF will retain these positions until the Lebanese army demonstrates it can maintain security.

JNS

Day 723 — Sunday, September 28

Police are investigating after an apparent death threat was daubed onto the wall of a Turin railway station during an hours-long occupation of the interchange by anti-Israel activists, the latest manifestation in a days-long action by Antifa and other left-wing groups in support of Palestine.

The Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni said she was honoured to be compared with assassinated political activist Charlie Kirk after Palestine protesters wrote “Meloni: Come Kirk” [‘Meloni: Like Kirk’] on the wall of Torino Porta Susa station in Turin.

The threat is particularly insidious given Italy’s long history of political violence including the ‘Years of Lead‘, which has been particularly acute by general European standards over the past half-century, and the recent political assassination of Charlie Kirk in the United States. Police are investigating the signal, reports Corriere Torino.

Meloni herself disregarded the implied threat. She said in response: “They wrote it as a threat. But those who live on hatred and intimidation will never be like Charlie Kirk, because they do not know the value of dialogue, confrontation, and democracy.”

The Prime Minister said she felt “pride” in being compared to Kirk and said those who promised violence “will always remain prisoners of violence. We will continue to walk free, strong in our ideas.”

Regional politicians in the Turin area decried the threat. Alberto Cirio, President of the Italian state of Piedmont of which Turin is the largest city, said: “The blockades in Turin , the damage, and the threats against Prime Minister Meloni, to whom I extend my full solidarity, are unacceptable. Everyone is free to peacefully express their opinions, but this can never go beyond respect for the rules and the law.”

His deputy, the Vice President of Piedmont said the threats were cowardly and an affront to the whole Italian political system. She said: “Calling for the death of a political opponent is not dissent: it is barbaric. And it is an insult to millions of citizens who believe in freedom and the strength of democracy. Anyone who thinks they can affirm an idea through hatred has already condemned it to defeat.”

The scrawled message came during an occupation of the Turin station by protesters attempting to shut down the city. Hard-left activists had declared a “general strike” in Italy on Monday in protest against the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni refusing to join with other nations like the United Kingdom and France in recognising a Palestinian state.

As earlier reported, over 60 police officers were injured in the first day of the protests in Milan, as Antifa radicals stormed city rail station and smashing them up, deliberately attacked police, and rioted. Songs of “it will be Intifada here too” were heard in the city. A regional politician said “troublemakers” were hijacking public sympathy for people in Gaza to “commit the usual acts of pure and simple violence.”

Days later, it was Turin’s turn to feel this ‘general strike’ called by the left. Platforms of the Porta Susa were blocked to prevent trains entering the station which caused “significant disruption”.

Breitbart

Day 722 — Saturday, September 27

Following an anticipated large-scale diplomatic walkout during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly, Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the global body, told JNS that “we cannot ignore the noises we hear at the United Nations.”

Netanyahu’s speech on Friday still served as a critical opportunity for him to “honestly tell the entire world what we are facing, the challenges, the isolation,” and to say that “we are committed to finish this war with the hostages back home and Hamas is out of Gaza,” Danon told JNS.

Netanyahu used part of his remarks to decry “weak-kneed” government officials, particularly in Europe, for “caving” to internal Islamist pressure to libel and boycott Israel as a result of Jerusalem’s prosecution of its war against Hamas. 

He “explained why Israel cannot and will not stop the war with hostages in Gaza,” Danon told JNS. “We also heard about the region and our hopes to have peace treaties with Lebanon and Syria.”

JNS asked Danon why Netanyahu did not lay out a vision for an end to the war to complete the regional transformation. “We are working on it,” the envoy said. 

Danon said that Netanyahu could not go into the details publicly about what is happening behind the scenes, but “we will achieve the goals either way, either through negotiations or through the hard way.”

Netanyahu wore a pin on his lapel with a QR code linking to graphic footage of the Oct. 7 attacks. Israeli officials have been wary for two years about making that footage available for widespread public consumption and have been criticized for hiding Hamas’s barbarism as a result.

“There were always talks with the families about it,” Danon told JNS. “It was a sensitive issue, and I think it’s never too late. We have to expose it.” 

Danon said he invited U.N. diplomats to screen the footage on Friday in the building. “It’s important for every human being to see the barbarity of Oct. 7 and to realize why we are so determined to finish the job this time,” he said. “We cannot allow Hamas to regroup, rearm and attack us again.”

The walkout at the beginning of Netanyahu’s talk “was a show” that was planned in advance, Danon said.

“They brought junior diplomats in, in order to ask them to get out,” Danon told JNS. “But most of the countries stayed in the General Assembly hall, respected the prime minister and respected Israel.”

“We appreciate that,” he said.

Reactions from American news media varied, running from the CNN headline “Delegates walk out on Netanyahu speech at UN” and CBS News headline “Israel’s Netanyahu addresses U.N. as some walk out” to The Wall Street Journal headline, “Netanyahu says Israel’s critics ‘caved’ to pressure, as his isolation deepens.”

JNS

Day 721 — Friday, September 26

Eight Republican senators introduced legislation on Thursday that would bar sanctioned Iranians from entering the United States as diplomatic representatives to the United Nations.

Under the Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions (SEVER) Act, any Iranian official designated under Executive Order 13876 would be barred from receiving a diplomatic visa for entering the United States.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), one of the co-sponsors of the bill, accused the Iranian regime of responsibility for the “murder, injury and kidnapping of thousands of Americans.”

“If you are a crony of the ayatollah who has been sanctioned by the United States, it means that you pose a threat to the safety and security of Americans, and you should not be allowed on American soil—let alone to engage in diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly,” Cruz stated.

Cruz and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) led the bill, joined by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ashley Moody (R-Fla.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.). Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) introduced the House companion legislation.

More than 100 people and entities are designated for sanctions under Executive Order 13876, which U.S. President Donald Trump signed in 2019 in an effort to target the inner circle of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The United States and Iran have not had diplomatic relations since 1980, and the State Department imposes travel restrictions on Iranian diplomats posted to Turtle Bay.

On Monday, the department announced that Iranian diplomats would be forbidden from shopping at luxury and wholesale stores.

JNS

Day 721 — Friday, September 26

Last month, a large number of Hollywood celebrities signed a letter in support of a boycott of Israel’s film industry over Israel’s campaign to root out the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza. This month another group of Hollywood artists have signed a letter of their own rejecting last month’s boycott pledge.

Actors including Adam McKay, Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Cynthia Nixon, Tilda Swinton, and Javier Bardem had signed onto a campaign to boycott Israel’s film industry for “complicity” in what it falsely claims is a “genocide” in Gaza and looks for examples including “whitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government committing them.”

This month, yet another large group of more than 1,200 members of Hollywood’s film industry are rejecting the earlier call for a boycott and boldly asserting that the boycott is undergirded by “lies” that are “dressed up as justice,” The Wrap reported.

“We know the power of film. We know the power of story. That is why we cannot stay silent when a story is turned into a weapon, when lies are dressed up as justice and when artists are misled into amplifying antisemitic propaganda,” the latest letter said in a Thursday release through Creative Community for Peace and the Brigade.

Those signing onto the rejection of the Israeli boycott include Liev Schreiber, Mayim Bialik, Gene Simmons, Debra Messing, Sharon Osbourne, Greg Berlanti, Jerry O’Connell, Howie Mandel, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Lisa Edelstein, Erin Foster, Anthony Edwards, Rebecca De Mornay, Sherry Lansing, Haim Saban, and many more.

“The pledge circulated under the banner of ‘Film Workers for Palestine’ is not an act of conscience. It is a document of misinformation that advocates for arbitrary censorship and the erasure of art,” the new letter rails. “To censor the very voices trying to find common ground and express their humanity, is wrong, ineffective and a form of collective punishment.”

The letter goes on to slam the boycott for using false terms to push lies.

“The [September] pledge uses nebulous terms like ‘implicating’ and ‘complicity.’ Who will decide which Israeli filmmakers and film institutions are ‘complicit’? A McCarthyist committee with blacklists?” the latest letter asks. “Or is ‘complicity’ just a pretext to boycott all Israelis and Zionists — 95% of the world’s Jewish population — no matter what they create or believe? History warns us. Censorship has been used to silence filmmakers before: Nazi Germany’s propaganda machine, Soviet censorship and even Hollywood’s own blacklists. Every time it was dressed up as virtue. And every time it was oppression. Every time, its targets expanded.”

The letter concludes by calling on the earlier group of celebrities to reject their boycott pledge.

“If you want peace, call for the immediate release of the remaining hostages. Support filmmakers who create dialogue across communities. Stand against Hamas. Let art speak the whole truth,” the letter concludes. “We call on all our colleagues in the entertainment industry to reject this discriminatory and antisemitic boycott call that only adds another roadblock on the path to peace.”

Breitbart

Day 720 — Thursday, September 25

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed early Thursday morning on the “Wing of Zion” plane for a visit to the United States.

Before takeoff, Netanyahu said, “At the UN General Assembly, I will speak our truth. I will condemn those leaders who, instead of denouncing the murderers, rapists, and child burners, want to give them a state in the heart of the Land of Israel. That will not happen.”

The Prime Minister further noted, “In Washington, I will meet for the fourth time – more than any other leader – with President Trump, and I will discuss with him the great opportunities that our victories have brought, as well as our need to complete the war’s objectives – to bring back all our hostages, defeat Hamas, and expand the circle of peace that has become possible following the historic victory in Operation Rising Lions and other victories we have achieved.”

During the visit, Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday, and will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

The US President wants the war to end and supports a comprehensive deal to secure the release of all the hostages, and in his speech during the holiday at the UN, Trump reiterated his opposition to phased releases of hostages.

Netanyahu will speak at the UN assembly on Friday at 9:00 a.m. New York time (4:00 p.m. Israel time). In his speech, he is expected respond to the countries that recognized a Palestinian state and denounce their decision. Netanyahu will also explain Israel’s opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Arutz Sheva

Day 720 — Thursday, September 25

Argentine President Javier Milei used his address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday to demand the “immediate release” of hostages still held in Gaza and to remind the world of Argentina’s own trauma from the 1992 bombing of Israel’s Embassy in Buenos Aires and the 1994 AMIA Jewish community center attack.

“We reiterate our demand for the immediate release of the hostages who remain captive in Gaza,” he said, according to the official transcript. 

Linking the plea to Argentina’s history of terrorism against Jewish and Israeli targets, Milei said, “In Argentina we already suffered this horror with the attacks on the Israeli Embassy and the AMIA in 1992 and 1994,” adding that international arrest orders must be enforced so suspects face justice. He urged stronger judicial cooperation to end what he called decades of impunity. 

Framing his stance on Israel within a broader doctrine, Milei pressed the UN to “rededicate itself” to its founding mission of preserving peace and security, warning against multilateral initiatives that in his view curb individual liberty, property rights and free enterprise.

“The central mission of the UN is to preserve international peace and security; everything else should be conceived as complementary to that end,” he said. 

Milei’s Israel-related remarks are consistent with positions he has taken since taking office, including public solidarity with Israel and repeated calls for accountability in the AMIA case.

In the UN speech, he coupled that message with a pledge that Argentina would oppose any international initiative that “restricts individual or commercial freedoms” or violates natural rights. 

The president also reiterated long-standing Argentine priorities outside the Middle East, including the sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and consular cases, while presenting Argentina as aligned with liberal democracies and free-market values.

But the centerpiece of his Middle East message remained the urgent appeal to free the Gaza hostages and a reminder of the human toll of past attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in Buenos Aires. 

Jerusalem post

Day 719 — Wednesday, September 24

Over 20 people were wounded on Wednesday evening after a drone launched by the Houthis in Yemen exploded in Eilat, days after another smashed into a hotel in the Red Sea resort city.

Medics reported that among the injured were two men, ages 60 and 26, listed in serious condition, along with a 30-year-old who was moderately hurt and 19 others with light wounds.

Most of the wounded were hit by shrapnel, with the Israeli Air Force dispatching two helicopters to evacuate those more severely hurt to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. Most of the injured were treated at Eilat’s Yoseftal Medical Center, the country’s smallest general hospital.
Footage from the attack showed the drone impact near a hotel in a shopping area.

According to an initial probe by the IAF, the drone was detected late, though sirens were still activated by the Home Front Command to warn civilians. The failure of the Iron Dome to shoot down the drone was possibly because it was flying low, although this was still under investigation. Because of the late detection, the IAF did not have enough time to dispatch helicopters or fighter jets to shoot it down.

IAF chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar told Eilat Mayor Eli Lankri that the drone did not represent a new threat and that business in the resort town should continue as usual.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke with Lankri after the attack, saying that “any attack on Israel’s cities will be met with a harsh and painful blow against the Houthi regime, as has already been proven in the past.”

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu told Lankri that he spoke with the senior IDF command about improving Eilat’s air defenses.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, meanwhile, threatened the Houthis following the attack, saying on X: “The Houthi terrorists refuse to learn from Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza, and will learn the hard way. Whoever harms Israel will be harmed sevenfold.”

The Houthis later took responsibility for the attack, claiming to have launched two drones at two separate targets in Eilat, the second of which likely failed to reach Israel.

The Houthis also claimed to have launched several more drones at targets in Eilat and Beersheba a day earlier. There were no reports of drones reaching Israel from Yemen on Tuesday, or any being intercepted, indicating that they all failed to reach the country.

Time Of Israel

Day 719 — Wednesday, September 24

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his commitment to dismantling the Iranian axis, speaking at a pre-Rosh Hashanah meeting with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv on Monday.

“We are in a struggle in which we are overcoming our enemies, and we need to destroy the Iranian axis, and this is within our power,” Netanyahu said. “This is what lies before us in the coming year, which can be a historic year for Israel’s security.”

The prime minister and the IDF General Staff Forum discussed the various challenges across multiple arenas and together raised a toast in honor of the Jewish New Year.

“I want to salute the tremendous effort you are making, the great successes you have achieved, the immense sacrifice and bravery of this generation—whom many eulogized, dismissing their commitment and combat capabilities,” Netanyahu said. “They have proven to be a mighty generation that has endured very painful battles.”

“I want to reiterate that we are determined to achieve all of our war objectives: not only the complete elimination of Hamas and the release of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel, but also in other arenas, while opening opportunities for security, for victory and also for peace,” he added.

Netanyahu said that success would depend on two key qualities—unity in moments of trial and resolve at all times—adding his hope that the coming year would be one of security and victory.

JNS

Day 718 — Tuesday, September 23

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday extended his “warmest greetings” to the Jewish people for Rosh Hashanah, calling it “a holy time of prayer, community, and spiritual reflection.”

“During this sacred time, Jewish believers begin the Ten Days of Repentance, culminating in Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism,” noted Trump.

“As the Jewish community gathers for this special time of spiritual renewal, my Administration recommits to upholding religious liberty and ending faith-based persecution—including the scourge of anti-Semitism. Above all, we pledge to build a future of peace—and to recognize the dignity imprinted on every human soul,” the statement added.

Trump concluded by offering his “best wishes and heartfelt prayers for a season of reflection and renewal. Have a blessed Rosh Hashanah!”

JNS

Day 718 — Tuesday, September 23

Three Palestinians accused of “collaborating” with Israel were executed  by masked Hamas terrorists in front of a cheering crowd in Gaza on Sunday.

Ghastly footage of the killings, originally posted on a Hamas-affiliated Telegram group, shows the three doomed blindfolded men kneeling on the ground in front of a trio of Hamas gunmen holding automatic weapons as a fourth loudly reads in Arabic from a piece of paper.

“Pursuant to the content of Palestinian revolutionary law and based on the Palestinian revolutionary court, a death sentence was decided against those who betrayed the homeland, betrayed their people and betrayed their cause, and put [themselves] hand-in-hand with the occupation in order to kill their own people,” the terrorist said, according to an English-language translation provided to the Telegraph by The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis.

The crowd can be heard chanting “Allahu Akbar!” seemingly cheering on the brutal executions.

All three men were then shot in their heads and upper bodies, with the terrorists placing notes on their corpses reading, “Your betrayal will not pass without punishment. A harsh punishment awaits” in handwritten Arabic, the outlet said.

Hamas’ ministry of the interior called the men a “group of outlaws” who had collaborated with the Jewish state.

Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom said Islamic Jihad and the Mujahideen Brigades — both formally designated as terror groups by the US — also took part in the savagery.

The footage was taken less than a day after Canada, the UK and Australia took the controversial move of formally recognizing Palestine as a UN member state, over the staunch objections of both the US and Israel.

The barbaric slayings weren’t the first time this year Hamas executed a group of Palestinians.

In May, the terror group killed six Palestinians accused of looting humanitarian aid and shot another 13 in their legs, according to the outlet.

New York Post

Day 717 — Monday, September 22

The countries that recognized a Palestinian state after the Hamas-led massacre in Israel’s south on Oct. 7, 2023, “will be remembered with eternal shame,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Sunday.

“Most countries in the world have already recognized a ‘Palestinian state’ in the past. It was wrong in the past, too. But those governments that decided to join the recognition precisely now are also doing an immoral, outrageous, and especially ugly action,” Sa’ar tweeted.

He went on to say that Sunday’s declarations by the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia were “a prize for Hamas and a reward for terrorism,” as well as an “unjustified reward for the Palestinian Authority.”

“Only recently, the U.S. announced measures against the PA and its leaders, among other things due to the continuation of its policy to reward terrorists by paying them salaries,” Israel’s top diplomat noted.

The minister further vowed that a Palestinian state will not be established and that Israel’s future will be determined in Jerusalem—not London or Paris.

Sa’ar expressed his encouragement by the reactions of the political oppositions in Britain, Australia and Canada, which “firmly and clearly oppose the moves of their governments and see it as a wrong and distorted move.”

He added, “Our friends in the world will also stand by our side and chief among them—the United States of America. And the eternity of Israel will not lie!”

In a separate post on Sunday, Sa’ar said that he had spoken with the leader of the U.K. Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, over the phone.

“I emphasized the moral severity and diplomatic error in the British government’s decision to recognize a ‘Palestinian state,’” while Badenoch expressed her “fierce opposition” to the move, he wrote.

“I also said that we know we have more friends in the U.K. and we know how to distinguish between the English people and the English government.”

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon on Sunday slammed the synchronized announcements as “Empty declarations that ignore the reality and the sinister forces of our region.” He said that defeating Hamas and ending the war in Gaza would not be achieved via “performative speeches at the UN, but by the sustained pressure and activities on the ground by the State of Israel.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that he was in touch with the British and French citizens more than their “misguided” politicians.

Huckabee was referring to a survey posted by Israel’s Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli, in which 87% of the British and 71% of the French “disagree” with recognizing a Palestinian state without any conditions.

“The barren decision of Europe’s two weakest leaders—Mr. [Keir] Starmer and Mr. [Emmanuel] Macron—represents neither the British people, who have spoken loudly in the streets in recent weeks, nor the French people,” Chikli tweeted, referring to the “Unite the Kingdom” rally that flooded London with British and Israeli flags last week.

Fox News

Day 716 — Sunday, September 21

A new poll, published by The Telegraph, has revealed a massive disconnect between British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the public, with nearly nine out of 10 Britons opposing his expected decision to recognize a Palestinian state without any conditions.

The poll comes amid reports that Starmer is set to officially recognize a Palestinian state as soon as Sunday.

According to the poll, conducted by JL Partners, a meager 13% of Britons support the unconditional recognition of a Palestinian state, a figure that plummets even further among Labour’s own voters, with only 11% backing the Prime Minister’s anticipated move.

A majority of 51% of Britons are opposed to recognition while the Hamas terrorist organization continues to control Gaza and holds Israeli hostages. Furthermore, 52% of those polled believe that granting statehood would be a direct reward to terrorists.

The poll also found that 17% of Britons are opposed to the recognition of a Palestinian state under any circumstances.

James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, commented on the findings, calling it a “disconnect” between the public and Starmer. He stated, “Only 13 per cent say the UK should recognise Palestine without any conditions. Among Labour’s own voters, that is just 11 per cent – barely more than one in 10. And for those crucial voters that have defected from the Labour Party to Reform or could consider doing so, the equivalent number is a tiny 8 per cent.”

Starmer outlined Britain’s plan in July, conditioning recognition on Israel agreeing to a ceasefire, committing to a two-state solution, and refraining from annexing parts of Judea and Samaria.

His comments suggested that recognition was “almost inevitable” given Israel’s stated opposition to these terms. A third of Starmer’s cabinet and over 130 Labour MPs have been pushing for the move.

Arutz Sheva

Day 715 — Saturday, September 20

US President Donald Trump on Friday commented on a video from former Israeli hostages, who appealed to him to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu for a ceasefire.

A reporter noted that the hostages believe Trump is the one who “might actually listen to them and get it done” and are concerned that the remaining hostages are “more at risk if the war continues.”

Trump responded by saying, “They might be, they also, maybe they’ll be freed because of that, you never know.” He added, “A lot of strange things happen. A lot of results take place that you would never think were going to happen.”

He noted his involvement in prior hostage releases, stating, “I was able to get most of the hostages out. We’re down to 20 and we have 32 dead people.”

He estimated that there are “very close to 40 bodies that are included in the whole thing, but we have 20, probably 20 that are living.” He noted the difficulty of the situation, stating, “I always said the last 20, when you get down to the last 10 or 20, it’s going to be very tough. It’s a nasty, it’s a nasty situation. You can’t forget October 7th, but it’s a nasty situation. Terrible.”

When asked by another reporter about the UN concluding that Israel “committed genocide in Gaza,” Trump offered a powerful counterpoint.
“I haven’t seen that looking at it, but did anybody commit genocide on October 7th?” he asked. “What do you think about that? That was genocide at the highest level. That was murder, genocide. You can call it whatever you want, but little babies were chopped in half. Arms were cut off. People, heads were cut off. It’s genocide. It’s genocide also, I guess.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 715 — Saturday, September 20

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) wrote to Pam Bondi, the U.S. attorney general, on Thursday asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Doctors Without Borders for alleged violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Stefanik cited recent media reports suggesting that the group, known internationally as Médecins Sans Frontières, has “orchestrated an ongoing media blitz and paid for advertisements accusing the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation of ‘orchestrated killing’ and spreading other inflammatory falsehoods.”

The accusations in those advertisements “mirror propaganda continuously pushed by Hamas,” threatening the foundation’s efforts to provide aid in Gaza while circumventing looting and profiteering by Hamas, Stefanik said.

Stefanik wrote to Bondi that by “using its platform and resources to amplify Hamas-aligned disinformation,” Doctors Without Borders “may cross well into unlawful activity.”

The Anti-Terrorism Act “makes clear that no individual or organization may provide material support to a designated terrorist group, including through propaganda,” Stefanik noted.

The congresswoman also wrote that Doctors Without Borders has not included the plight of the hostages in Gaza in any of its promotional materials and has not  “campaigned for them to receive medical treatment.”

She also pointed to questionable actions by Doctors Without Borders staff, including one staffer whom Israeli officials accuse of being a rocket expert for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group. Another publicly urged Palestinians to “fight and die as martyrs.”

Doctors Without Borders is a registered U.S. nonprofit, which comes with prohibitions on political activity. Stefanik asked Bondi to investigate potential violations of the latter as well.

The congresswoman called the issue “a matter of national security, the protection of U.S. taxpayers and donors and the defense of legitimate humanitarian organizations in one of the most dangerous conflict zones in the world.”

JNS

Day 714 — Friday, September 19

In an exclusive interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee addressed the recent controversy surrounding the assassination of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and Israel’s position on Palestinian statehood.

Huckabee opened by strongly condemning claims that Israel was involved in Kirk’s death, claims Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected. “This is a blood libel. It’s absolutely disgusting and vicious,” he said. “The level of untruth is such that it’s hard even to think that you have to defend it. But there are people who will believe the most outrageous lies. I’m very glad the Prime Minister addressed it.”

He highlighted Kirk’s contributions and character: “I’ve known him since he was 19. He was civil, kind, thoughtful, and always allowed people to challenge him respectfully. His murder has awakened a sleeping giant in the United States—among conservatives and even those a little left of center. People understand you don’t kill someone for what they say.”

Turning to the war in Gaza, Huckabee stressed the importance of securing the hostages’ release and ending Hamas’ control: “President Trump wants all hostages to come out, not a few. Hamas cannot govern. They need to understand they’re done. The president has been consistent in this. He’s been instrumental in getting some out, but he wants all of them freed.”

On whether Trump’s public warnings intimidate Hamas, Huckabee said, “It should. They should understand he doesn’t make empty threats. Look at what happened with Iran -they found out he meant what he said.”

Huckabee also addressed the push for Palestinian statehood at the UN next week, describing it as a diplomatic “stunt” with no validity. He noted that the proposal violates the Oslo Accords, has no legal basis at the UN, and has unintentionally strengthened Israel’s position in negotiations: “Hamas ended negotiations, the Palestinian Authority faced financial deadlock, and Israel gained leverage”.

Huckabee sees the option of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria as a direct result of the Palestinian state campaign. “The direct result of all this nonsense talk from the Europeans and the PA”, he explained, “is that it really gave Israel a sense of, “well, if you’re going to do this – we might as well declare sovereignty overparts of Judea and Samaria”. I don’t think that’s what Macron and France intended, I don’t think that’s what the British wanted – but that’s what they’re going to get”.

Regarding US-Israel coordination during the attack on Doha, Huckabee confirmed the Israeli airstrike on Hamas’s leadership was unilateral: “It wasn’t coordinated with the US or anyone else. Prime Minister Netanyahu was very clear about that, and it hasn’t fractured our relationship with the US in any way.”

When asked if President Trump was truly as angered by the Doha strike as some reports indicated, he responded: “I wasn’t there. So I can’t answer that. I wasn’t in the room. And I don’t know what the reaction was, but I know what the reaction is. And the reaction is, is that we don’t end or even fracture or strain our relationship with Israel, nor does the president fracture or strain his relationship on a personal level with the prime minister. There’s still a bond. In fact, if people say, ‘Oh boy, they’re really upset with each other. That president Trump is upset with Prime Minister Netanyahu.‘ Then why on earth was the president inviting him to come down to Washington when he’s back in the US to speak at the UN and invite him to come to the White House, which means he’s going to have been in the White House more than any other foreign leader by far since he took office? Nobody’s even close to as many visits.”

On the Abraham Accords, Huckabee cautioned against linking normalization with the establishment of a Palestinian state: “If people insist on a Palestinian state, I want to know: where, who governs, what culture, what curriculum, and will they continue to call for Israel’s destruction?”

Concluding the interview, Huckabee offered words for the Jewish New Year: “Let’s hope the new year brings all hostages home. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem so that every mother can put her children to sleep without fear of being forced to rush them to a shelter from someone intent on taking their lives.”

The ambassador’s comments underscored the United States’ strong support for Israel and the commitment to protecting its citizens while pursuing a resolution to the ongoing hostilities in Gaza.

Arutz sheva

Day 714 — Friday, September 19

A shop owner in Flensburg, northern Germany, has sparked outrage after hanging a sign in his store window reading “Jews are forbidden here.”

He claimed it was a protest against Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip. Despite police arriving at the scene on Wednesday night, the sign remained in place, according to German media reports published Thursday.

The sign, written in large letters, read “Jews” with “forbidden here” underneath, followed by four exclamation points. In smaller letters it added: “Nothing personal, not even antisemitism, I just can’t stand you.”

The store owner, Hans Platen-Reisch, 60, insisted he was not being antisemitic. “Jews live in Israel, and I can’t tell who supports the strikes and who doesn’t,” he told a local paper. “To me, it’s hypocrisy. They always say history must not repeat itself, and then they do the same themselves.”

Simone Lange, a former lord mayor of Flensburg, filed a complaint with the police. “I went to the police station today and filed a report about the incident,” she wrote on Facebook.

Felix Klein, Germany’s commissioner for combating antisemitism, condemned the act in an interview with German television. “This is clear antisemitism, with direct connections to the Nazi period, when Jews were boycotted and signs like these were widespread,” he said. “This must not be tolerated under any circumstances.”

German Education Minister Karin Prien of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the first Jewish woman to serve as a federal minister in Germany’s modern history, praised the legal complaints against the shop owner. “Anyone who expresses or justifies antisemitism opposes everything our democratic life represents,” she told a local newspaper.

“We stand firmly with the Jewish community. Let there be no doubt: We will not tolerate antisemitism – not in Flensburg, not in Germany, not anywhere in the world.”

Annabel Fescher, head of the regional Green Party branch, also called for swift action. “We expect the competent authorities to investigate and prosecute this case. Antisemitic provocations like this cannot be accepted,” she said.

JNS

Day 713 — Thursday, September 18

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded today to rumors that Israel had been behind the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

“Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, once said that the bigger the lie, the faster it spreads. Someone has fabricated a monstrous big lie that Israel had something to do with Charlie Kirk’s horrific murder,” he began.

“This is insane. It is false. It is outrageous,” Netanyahu declared. Charlie Kirk was a giant, a once-in-a-century talent who defended freedom, defended America, defended our common Judeo-Christian civilization.”

“Charlie loved Israel. He loved the Jewish people. He told me so in a letter he sent me just a few months ago. ‘One of my greatest joys as a Christian,’ he said, ‘is advocating for Israel and forming alliances with Jews to protect Judeo-Christian civilization.'”

“He encouraged me to make the case directly to the American people about how vital Israel is to American national security. He told me that ‘The Holy Land is so important to my life that it pains me to see support for Israel slip away.'”

Netanyahu emphasized that Kirk’s friendship was not blind trust either. “If Charlie disagreed with a policy of mine or a decision here or there, I welcomed it. This is the essence of Charlie, the essence of a free country. It’s exactly what Charlie stood for. I knew that his suggestions always came from the heart – from his love for Israel and his love for the Jewish people.”

“A few weeks before his death, I spoke to Charlie and invited him to visit Israel again. Sadly, that won’t happen. Now, some are peddling these disgusting rumors, perhaps out of obsession, perhaps with Qatari funding. What I do know is this – Charlie Kirk was a great man, and a great man deserves honor, not lies.”

Netanyahu concluded, “Rest in peace, Charlie Kirk. May your memory be a blessing.”

US ambassador Mike Huckabee added on Twitter: “It’s painful to see people back in the US attempt to get clicks & make $$ by making up outrageous lies while exploiting the death of Charlie Kirk whose impact & character the propagandists will never have.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 713 — Thursday, September 18

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) knowingly employed Hamas terrorist leaders as principals and teachers in Palestinian schools, “turning classrooms into incubators of hate,” according to a report published on Wednesday.

UNRWA, which raises $1 billion annually from Western countries, knew about Hamas’s grip on schools “and did nothing,” according to the report by Geneva-based NGO U.N. Watch.

“For years, governments have been writing billion-dollar checks to UNRWA believing they were investing in peace and tolerance. Our investigation reveals the shocking truth: UNRWA’s classrooms have been hijacked by Hamas and turned into incubators of hate. Donor states must confront the reality that they are financing terror by proxy,” said U.N. Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer.

The report—titled “Schools in the Grip of Terror: How UNRWA Allowed Hamas Chiefs to Control Its Education System”—largely corroborates Israeli intelligence findings that more than 15% of UNRWA’s senior educators in Gaza, in 60 UNRWA institutions, are members of the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist groups.

The report explains that UNRWA’s operations on the ground are controlled by local Palestinian leaders, and not by the handful of international staff such as Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, who serves only as the public face, fundraiser and advocate for UNRWA.

Many of these local leaders are Hamas operatives, including the thousands of UNRWA teachers and staff, especially in Gaza and Lebanon, according to the report.

It adds that of UNRWA’s 30,000 employees, more than 99% are local Palestinians; only 120 are international staff.

The report moreover stresses that this is not new.

The international body has fostered a pro-terrorism environment in Palestinian schools for over 75 years of its existence, consistently betraying its vowed mission to educate Palestinian children with values such as peace, tolerance, and universal human rights, it states.

Instead, it has “handed them over to the very operatives who recruit child soldiers, glorify suicide bombers, and preach the annihilation of a UN member state.”

Some of the most infamous Palestinian terrorists were products of the UNRWA education system, the report claims, including the perpetrators of the 1972 Munich Massacre and Mohammed Deif, the now-deceased commander of Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades, one of the masterminds of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in southern Israel.

The report provides an example of Hamas’s total control over the UNRWA-run schools. Matthias Schmale was an international staffer who headed the agency’s Gaza operation in 2021. But after making one remark expressing support for Israel in a media interview, he was expelled in the span of 10 days. Amir al-Mishal, then head of the UNRWA Gaza Staff Union, together with his predecessor and a senior Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi, were responsible for Schmale’s dismissal.

Al-Hindi, on the other hand, publicly appeared with Hamas officials for years, and UNRWA never fired him.

The late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh himself praised the Palestinian U.N.-based unions for their “role in the path of jihad.”

“These case studies show in detail how Hamas has hijacked UNRWA’s education through its domination of the local UNRWA staff unions, particularly the teachers’ sectors of the unions, enabling Hamas to control UNRWA schools—the physical facilities, teachers, and curriculum—including by preventing the agency from implementing changes to de-radicalize the curriculum, blocking efforts by UNRWA to discipline staff for inciting antisemitism and jihadi terrorism, and placing Hamas operatives in senior educator positions in schools,” said U.N. Watch.

JNS

Day 712 — Wednesday, September 17

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked President Donald Trump on Monday evening after the latter demanded that Hamas release all of its remaining Israeli hostages — or “ALL ‘BETS’ ARE OFF.’

As Israel was poised to begin its attack on the last Hamas stronghold in Gaza City, Trump posted on Truth Social: “I have just read a News Report that Hamas has moved the hostages above ground to use them as human shields against Israel’s ground offensive. I hope the Leaders of Hamas know what they’re getting into if they do such a thing. This is a human atrocity, the likes of which few people have ever seen before. Don’t let this happen or, ALL “BETS” ARE OFF. RELEASE ALL HOSTAGES NOW!”

In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement in English: “Thank you President Trump for your unflinching support for Israel’s battle against Hamas and the release of all our hostages.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began its new operation in Gaza, known as “Gideon’s Chariots II,” with two divisions of soldiers. Some 60,000 reservists have been called up for the operation, which is expected to take months.

Hamas still holds 48 Israeli hostages, up to 20 of whom are thought to be alive. President Trump has suggested that several of the 20 may have been killed by Hamas or may have died. Images and video of some of the hostages — including footage of one hostage forced to dig his own grave — have suggested that they are near starvation.

Breitbart

Day 712 — Wednesday, September 17

Spain has canceled a 700 million euro ($825 million) deal for Israeli-designed rocket launchers, deepening the leftist government’s hardline stance against the Jewish state over the war in Gaza.

Spain’s official public contracts platform registered the cancellation on Sept. 9, according to an official document seen Monday by AFP. A day earlier, Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez presented nine harsh measures against Israel to “prevent genocide in Gaza,” a charge that Jerusalem and Washington vehemently deny.

The Socialist Party leader announced that the country will approve a royal decree in law to establish a comprehensive arms embargo against Israel, banning all military trade and technology exports.

The contract for 12 SILAM rocket launcher systems was awarded to a consortium of Spanish companies. It is the locally produced version of the Israeli Elbit Systems’ PULS platform.

Madrid made the order just three days after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, which started the war, according to the news site Army Recognition. The Oct. 12, 2023, article noted that the system was “poised to become a cornerstone of Spain’s artillery capabilities.”

Madrid has announced other weapons cancellations during Jerusalem’s nearly two-year war with the Hamas terror group in Gaza, including last October, a 6 million euro ($7.1 million) contract for 15 million 9 mm rounds for the Spanish police force from Guardian LTD Israel.

AFP reported on Monday that Spain has finalized the cancellation of another contract for 168 anti-tank missile launchers, which were slated for licensed production from an Israeli defense company. That agreement, worth 287 million euros ($296 million), was initially disclosed by the media in June. The contract was awarded to Pap Tecnos, the Spanish subsidiary of Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, in October 2023.

Spanish daily La Vanguardia reports that the government is conducting a wider review aimed at systematically removing Israeli weapons and technology from its military forces.

Meanwhile, diplomatic relations between Madrid and Jerusalem sank further on Tuesday as Israel’s charge d’affaires, Dana Erlich, was summoned after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called Sánchez “an antisemite and a liar” on Monday. Sa’ar’s statement came after the prime minister urged that Israel be boycotted by all international competitions, likening its war against Hamas in Gaza to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Erlich was summoned over “the unacceptable words and positions of the Israeli foreign minister,” according to Spain’s Foreign Ministry.

Jerusalem recalled its ambassador to Spain, Rodica Radian-Gordon, last year after Madrid announced its intention to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state.

Erlich was previously summoned on Sept. 12 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the previous night, accused Sánchez of having issued a “blatant genocidal threat” against Israel earlier in the week.

On Sept. 8, announcing the series of actions against Israel to “prevent genocide in Gaza,” Sánchez tried to explain why Madrid cannot stop the war against Hamas.

“Spain does not have nuclear weapons, aircraft carriers or vast oil reserves,” he said in his national address. “On our own, we cannot stop the Israeli offensive. But that does not mean we will stop trying,” he said.

Netanyahu called the statement “a blatant genocidal threat to the world’s only Jewish state.”

“Apparently, the Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews of Spain and the systematic mass murder of Jews in the Holocaust is not enough for Sánchez,” continued Netanyahu. “Incredible.”

JNS

Day 711 — Tuesday, September 16

Secretary of State Marco Rubio likened the assassination of Charlie Kirk to a “death in the family” for the White House, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that such political violence only threatens democracy around the world during a joint press conference Monday.

Rubio and Netanyahu were delivering joint remarks in Jerusalem after holding a meeting to discuss the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza, when a reporter asked them about the ramifications of Kirk’s assassination.

Rubio called the assassination “horrifying” and “shocking” to those in the White House, including President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who were both close with Kirk.

“He was a personal friend to a lot of people in that White House,” Rubio said of Kirk. “The president, to the vice president, to multiple people. It was a combination, you know, political assassination, but also death in the family type event.”

Kirk’s work had him engage in debates with people with opposing views and ideologies across college campuses and online. He was shot and killed while engaging in a debate on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday at a Turning Point USA event.

Both Rubio and Netanyahu said the assassination marked a threat to democracy in its effort to “intimidate” and “silence” the effort to hold discourse between people who disagree not only in America, but around the world.

“Once a society loses the ability of people with strong disagreements to engage in discourse, then the only option you’re left with is either silence or violence,” Rubio said. “Neither one of which is acceptable. Both are very destructive.”

Netanyahu rhetorically asked how democracies can address those members of society who don’t believe in free speech and resort to violence.

“How do you actually address the threat of the poisonous incitement of the people who don’t believe in free speech, who believe in the imposition of their views on others? Speak of democracy, but actually want to trample democracy into the dust? How do you deal with that?” the prime minister asked.

Netanyahu then described democracy as “the nonviolent resolution of conflict within a society.”

“Nonviolent resolutions and decisions are made not by bullets, but by ballots,” he said. “And these people increasingly are more and more violent.”

Fox News

Day 711 — Tuesday, September 16

Luxembourg intends to recognize a Palestinian state, the E.U. country’s government informed a parliamentary commission on Monday.

According to local reports, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel told the lawmakers that their decision on Palestinian statehood would be finalized at the U.N. General Assembly annual debate, which is scheduled to kick off next week in New York.

Luxembourg City long rejected calls to recognize “Palestine,” having argued in June that the move must be tied to a negotiated peace deal.

The announcement comes after several countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Australia, announced that they would recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations this month.

Luxembourg’s RTL Today cited Alternative Democratic Reform Party lawmaker Fred Keup as slamming the move as a “180-degree turn.”

“It has always been said that conditions must be met in order to grant recognition for Palestine. These have not been fulfilled,” Keup stated, in reference to previous demands by Bettel that the Palestinian Authority hold elections, dismantle Hamas and reform its educational system.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told the BBC on Sept. 7 that the France- and Saudi-led drive to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations has already had “disastrous consequences.”

“I wish they would’ve thought about the implications,” Huckabee said in the interview, nothing the move would violate the Oslo Accords signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 1990s.

“I don’t know why people don’t understand that unilaterally declaring a Palestinian state is a violation of the Oslo Accords that everybody thought would lead to a Palestinian state,” said the diplomat.

Huckabee noted that Jerusalem was considering extending its sovereignty to “more parts of Judea and Samaria” in response.

“So whatever the thought was, however noble it may have seemed, it has had disastrous consequences that have proven to do exactly opposite of what many of the European countries have thought would be a great idea,” he said.

JNS

Day 710 — Monday, September 15

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday unleashed a scathing critique of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, condemning his “disgraceful” support for anti-Israel protests that ultimately led to the cancellation of the Vuelta a España cycling race.

The prestigious sporting event, was brought to a standstill by a pro-Palestinian Arab mob whose actions were publicly celebrated by the Spanish leader.

“A few days ago, the Prime Minister of Spain expressed regret that he didn’t have an atomic bomb ‘to stop Israel.’ Today he encouraged demonstrators to take to the streets,” Sa’ar stated.

He continued, “The pro-Palestinian mob heard the incitement messages – and wrecked the ‘La Vuelta’ cycling race… Sanchez and his government – a disgrace to Spain!”

Sanchez’s remarks came earlier on Sunday, just as the final stage of the 21-day race was set to conclude in Madrid.

He told a Socialist party gathering in Malaga that the demonstrations “filled him with pride,” expressing “recognition and full respect for the athletes, but also our admiration for a people like Spain’s which mobilises for just causes, like Palestine.”

He added, “Spain today shines as an example and as a source of pride, an example to an international community where it sees Spain taking a step forward in the defence of human rights.”

The protests, targeting the Israel-Premier Tech team over the Gaza war, have plagued the race, causing several stages to be shortened and leading to crashes as demonstrators dangerously burst onto the course. The disruptions have drawn criticism for endangering riders and tarnishing Spain’s international image.

In Madrid, heightened security saw 1,100 police officers deployed, yet they were unable to prevent the final stage from being abandoned. Demonstrators moved past metal barriers and onto the road, blocking sections of the route.

Organizers officially confirmed the event’s suspension. “The race is over,” a spokesperson told Reuters.

Tensions between Spain and Israel have increased since the start of the war in Gaza in October of 2023, as Sanchez has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s counterterrorism operations against Hamas.

In November of 2023, Spain’s Ambassador to Israel was summoned by the Foreign Ministry after Sanchez claimed that “Israel is violating international law and is carrying out indiscriminate killings in Gaza.”

Last April, Sanchez criticized what he called Israel’s “disproportionate response” in the Gaza war, saying it risks “destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world”.

In May, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares advocated for international sanctions against Israel, citing the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

On Friday, Spain summoned Israel’s acting ambassador in Madrid, Dana Erlich, to address accusations made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day earlier.

The diplomatic spat began after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced on Monday that his country would take measures to pressure Israel to end the Gaza war. During that announcement, made in a televised address, Sanchez said, “Spain, as you know, doesn’t have nuclear bombs, nor aircraft carriers or large oil reserves. We alone can’t stop the Israeli offensive.”

Netanyahu’s office responded with a post on X on Thursday, claiming Sánchez had made a “blatant genocidal threat.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 710 — Monday, September 15

A documentary about a retired Israeli general’s efforts to rescue his family during the Oct. 7,2023, Hamas massacre won the People’s Choice Award for best documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, after being initially pulled from the lineup.

The Canadian-produced film, “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” tells the story of how Noam Tibon rescued his son, daughter-in-law, and two granddaughters during the Hamas invasion of southern Israel.

Last month, the Toronto Film Festival had abruptly removed the film from the lineup prompting international outrage before doing an about-face and reinstating it.

The world premiere of the film last week led to clashes outside the hall between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrators.

JNS

Day 709 — Sunday, September 14

After nearly 4,000 industry figures signed a pledge vowing not to work with Israeli film institutions, Paramount issued a statement rejecting the boycott on Thursday.

“At Paramount, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect and inspire people, promote mutual understanding, and preserve the moments, ideas, and events that shape the world we share. This is our creative mission,” reads a statement issued by Paramount chief communications officer Melissa Zukerman.

“We do not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli filmmakers. Silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace,” the statement continued. “The global entertainment industry should be encouraging artists to tell their stories and share their ideas with audiences throughout the world. We need more engagement and communication — not less.”

As noted by Variety, Paramount is the first major film studio to condemn this widespread boycott of Israeli film institutions.

The organization Film Workers for Palestine published the pledge on Monday, including approximately 1,200 signatures from film industry figures at the time of publication.

Those who have signed the pledge declared that they will no longer work with Israeli organizations that are “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”

According to the pledge statement, examples of complicity include “whitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government committing them.”

“Inspired by Filmmakers United Against Apartheid who refused to screen their films in apartheid South Africa, we pledge not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions — including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies — that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” the pledge said.

The original list included 1,200 signatures as of last week, including Hollywood heavy hitters Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo.

Since then, the list has gained thousands of additional signatures, bringing the total to approximately 3,900 as of Wednesday.

Of those who have recently signed on to the pledge, some notable names include Andrew Garfield, Bowen Yang, Elliot Page and Joaquin Phoenix.

Fox News 

Day 708 — Saturday, September 13

The U.N. General Assembly voted on Sept. 12 to adopt the so-called New York Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, which outlines the implementation of a two-state solution and the path towards recognition of a Palestinian state.

The margin of the vote was 142-10, with 12 abstentions. Israel and the United States opposed the measure, as did Argentina, Hungary, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Tonga.

“This one-sided declaration will not be remembered as a step toward peace, only as another hollow gesture that weakens this assembly’s credibility,” stated Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations.

“This is not diplomacy,” he said. “It is theater.”

Danon accused the General Assembly of “trying to force through the back door what cannot stand at the negotiating table.”

The declaration was first published in late July during a conference led by France and Saudi Arabia intended to expand recognition of a Palestinian state.

While the document marks the first time the Arab League and its member states condemned Hamas and expressed that the terror group must no longer govern the Gaza Strip, it also condemns “the attacks by Israel against civilians in Gaza and civilian infrastructure” that have “resulted in a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis.”

The declaration states that the war must end and Hamas must disarm and submit to the Palestinian Authority, which will run the Palestinian state. France and Saudi Arabia, the co-chairs of the U.N. event in July, signed the declaration, as did Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Norway, Qatar, Senegal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the League of Arab States.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority leader who is in the 20th year of his four-year term, penned a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron on June 9 in which he said that a Palestinian state would be demilitarized—a long-standing demand of Israel’s.

The 17 signatories of the declaration also welcomed the Palestinian leader’s “commitment to holding democratic and transparent general and presidential elections” within a year. Abbas has pledged several times during his tenure to hold elections but canceled them repeatedly, often blaming Israel.

Under the declaration, Palestinian political parties engaging in the elections would be required to respect the political platform of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which Washington designated as a terrorist organization in 1987. While subsequent presidential waivers allowed contact between the PLO and the United States, the Trump administration shuttered the PLO mission in the U.S. capital in 2018.

The declaration also states that “Palestine” is to be lauded for its “efforts to modernize” its school curricula to fight “radicalization, incitement, dehumanization, violent extremism conducive to terrorism, discrimination and hate speech.” It “called on Israel to undertake a similar effort,” it said.

Danon said the only beneficiary of the declaration is Hamas, which praised France and other countries upon their announcements this summer that recognition of a Palestinian state would be forthcoming and viewed the recognition as the fruits of their massacre in Israel.

“When terrorists are the ones cheering, you are not advancing peace,” Danon said. “You are advancing terror.”

JNS

Day 707 — Friday, September 12

“We said there will be no Palestinian state—indeed there will be no Palestinian state. This place is ours,” declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to rousing applause at the festive signing of an “umbrella agreement” between the government and Ma’ale Adumim at the Judean city’s Cultural Center on Thursday evening.

The umbrella agreement commits the government to finance the construction of two new neighborhoods and the expansion of a third in a city that hasn’t seen a new neighborhood built in 20 years.

In repudiating a Palestinian state, Netanyahu referred to the most strategically important part of the agreement—the building of a new neighborhood in E1 (“East 1”)—an area, once built, both Israel and the Palestinians agree threatens Arab geographic contiguity, making it far more difficult to establish a viable Palestinian state.

Various obstacles, chief among them international pressure, have left E1, a 12-square-kilometer (4.6 sq. mile) area in Judea, virtually untouched for decades, despite support for construction by every Israeli government starting from Yitzhak Rabin’s in 1994, which first proposed the idea.

It is little wonder then that Ma’ale Adumim, which this year celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding, turned the signing of the umbrella agreement into a celebratory event with music and dancing.

About 500 people, mostly locals, attended, waving Israeli flags and cheering on the prime minister, the city mayor, Guy Yifrach, Minister of Construction and Housing Haim Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, all of whom signed the agreement.

Other ministers who attended were Minister of Environmental Protection Idit Silman, Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Ze’ev Elkin, a minister in the Finance Ministry.

The umbrella agreement provides for 7,000 new housing units, enough to house 30,000 residents. Ma’ale Adumim is currently home to 40,000.

“[T]his is about to realize the doubling of the city of Ma’ale Adumim. There will be 70,000 people here in five years. That will be a huge change,” Netanyahu told the audience.

The Foreign Ministry rejected the joint statement as an attempt to “impose foreign dictates.” It described as racist the demand by the foreign ministers that Jews stop building while placing no similar restrictions on Arabs.

“The historic right of Jews to live anywhere in the Land of Israel—the birthplace of the Jewish people—is indisputable. There is no other nation in the world that has a stronger, longer-standing and better-documented connection to its land than the Jewish people has to the Land of Israel, and this connection and right do not require the affirmation of foreign governments,” the Foreign Ministry said.

JNS

Day 707 — Friday, September 12

The Iranian government website PressTV, owned by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), published multiple screeds insulting slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on Wednesday, mere hours after an assassin ended his life by shooting him in the neck during a public speaking event.

Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth advocacy group Turning Point USA, had been engaged in a tour of American college campuses as the fall semester began, encouraging civil debate across ideological lines. He was debating students on the campus of Utah Valley University when he was shot and killed in front of an audience of nearly 2,000 people. The suspect remains at large at press time. He was 31 years old and leaves behind his wife, Erika, and two children.

The political commentator’s death has elicited responses of grief from around the world, noting his legacy of encouraging young people to debate civilly. The Iranian Islamist regime, however, focused instead on its coverage of demonizing Kirk for his ardent support of Israel and clear denunciations of the regime, the world’s premier state sponsor of terrorism.

PressTV referred to Kirk as a “radically conservative close ally of US President Donald Trump” and a “genocide denier” for refusing to condemn Israel’s ongoing war against the genocidal terrorist organization Hamas, which Iran bankrolls to the tune of $100 million a year. Tehran regularly accuses Israel of engaging in “genocide” by targeting Hamas terrorist leaders and destroying terrorist infrastructure used to attack Israel in Gaza, a region directly controlled by the terrorist organization.

In its initial report on the killing, PressTV described Kirk falsely as having an “extreme right-wing lean” and claimed that his well-attended Utah Valley University event had triggered “heavy backlash.”

“His death came amid widespread domestic and international resentment at Trump’s conservative and arbitrary policies,” the report added, providing no evidence for this alleged resentment. A poll by the Daily Mail/J.L. Partners published last week showed Trump enjoying his highest approval ratings ever.

PressTV published a separate article on Thursday – the 24th anniversary of the jihadist terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 – virulently disparaging Kirk and falsely referring to him as “one of the most controversial and divisive conservative voices in the United States.”

Kirk, it claimed, espoused a “venomous and deeply problematic brand of politics” and “willingly made himself a conduit for the most extreme elements of the American right.”

“He will be remembered as someone who denied genocide in Gaza, amplified lies about the Palestinian struggle against the Zionist occupation, and framed the Zionist colonial project as a beacon of ‘democratic values,’” PressTV continued. The Iranian propaganda site went on to list some of Kirk’s political positions that are most noxious to the Iranian regime, including his “staunch opposition to Iran, unwavering support for the Israeli regime and its military aggressions, and a dismissive or accusatory stance towards Palestinians.”

It noted that Kirk visited Israel on multiple occasions and that his support for Israel made him an “apologist for the child-murderers.” It then went on to imply that the Israeli government killed him.

“In an interesting twist though, many are recalling Kirk’s words that he feared being murdered by the Israeli regime if he ever changed his political perspectives, with the jury still out on this,” it claimed, without offering any evidence of Kirk’s alleged “words.”

Breitbart

Day 706 — Thursday, September 11

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement ahead of the September 11th anniversary, linking the Islamist attack on the United States in 2001 with the October 7th massacre in Israel, and addressing Qatar’s harboring of Hamas leaders.

“Tomorrow is September 11th. We remember September 11th. On that day, Islamist terrorists committed the worst savagery on American soil since the founding of the United States. We also have a September 11th. We remember October 7th. On that day, Islamist terrorists committed the worst savagery against the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Netanyahu said.

Referring to the US response in 2001, Netanyahu stated: “What did America do in the wake of September 11th? It promised to hunt down the terrorists who committed this heinous crime, wherever they may be. And it also passed a resolution in the Security Council of the UN, two weeks later, that said that governments cannot give harbor to terrorists.”

“Well, yesterday, we acted along those lines. We went after the terrorist masterminds who committed the October 7th massacre. And we did so in Qatar which gives safe haven, it harbors terrorists, it finances Hamas, it gives its terrorist chieftains sumptuous villas, it gives them everything,” Netanyahu continued.

He compared Israel’s actions to those taken by the US against Al Qaida: “So we did exactly what America did when it went after the Al Qaida terrorists in Afghanistan and after they went and killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.”

Addressing international criticism, the Prime Minister said, “Now, the various countries of the world condemn Israel. They should be ashamed of themselves. What did they do after America took out Osama bin Laden? Did they say, ‘Oh, what a terrible thing was done to Afghanistan or to Pakistan?’ No, they applauded. They should applaud Israel for standing up to the same principles and carrying them out.”

Netanyahu concluded with a direct warning: “I say to Qatar and all nations who harbor terrorists, you either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 706 — Thursday, September 11

The Israeli Air Force intercepted a missile launched by Houthi terrorists in Yemen early on Thursday morning, the military confirmed.

The attack triggered air-raid sirens in the southern Negev and Arava regions; no casualties or damage were reported.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces struck Houthi targets in the areas of Sanaa and Al Jawf in Yemen.

Among the assets hit were “military camps in which operatives of the terrorist regime were identified, the Houthis’ Military Public Relations Headquarters, and a fuel storage facility,” according to the Israeli military.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday noted the IAF’s Aug. 28 strike in Sanaa, which killed the group’s prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, along with other senior Cabinet officials.

“In response, the Houthis fired … at Ramon Airport,” said Netanyahu. “This did not discourage us—we hit them from the air again today in their terror facilities. Anyone who hits us, anyone who attacks us—we will reach them,” he added.

On Sunday, a Houthi drone hit Ramon Airport near Eilat, shortly after the IAF intercepted three UAVs launched from Yemen. Two people were injured.

A day later, the IAF downed three Houthi UAVs in the span of 30 minutes, and on Tuesday intercepted another missile and drone fired from Yemen.

On Aug. 22, the Houthis for the first time launched a cluster missile at the Jewish state. The Yemeni terrorists started attacking Israel following the Hamas-led invasion and massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.

JNS

Day 705 — Wednesday, September 10

Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed on Wednesday to continue targeting Hamas leaders worldwide, stressing that no Palestinian terrorist involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre will evade justice.

“Israel’s security policy is clear,” Katz stated, adding that the “long arm” of the Israel Defense Forces will continue to target its enemies.

“There is no place they can hide,” Katz declared.

The defense minister issued his warning a day after the IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) carried out a targeted airstrike against top members of Hamas’s leadership in Qatar.

The results of what the IDF dubbed “Operation Summit of Fire” were not immediately clear. Hamas terror leaders abroad known to be based in Doha include Khaled Mashaal, Zaher Jabarin, Mohammad Ismail Darwish, Mousa Abu Marzouk, Hussam Badran and Tahar Anunu.

According to Katz, “everyone who was involved in the Oct. 7 massacre will be brought to justice in full. Everyone who carries out terror against Israel will be harmed.”

Katz warned that if Hamas “murderers and rapists” refuses Jerusalem’s offer to end the war in exchange for the release of the remaining 48 hostages and full disarmament, its leaders will be eliminated and the Gaza Strip “will be ruined.”

Speaking at an event hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he had kept his vow made in the wake of Oct. 7.

“At the beginning of the war, I promised that Israel would reach those who perpetrated this horror. And today, Israel and I have kept that promise,” the prime minister said of the operation in Qatar.

“Now, much of the world, including much of the democratic world, or governments at least, have shamefully, shamefully forgotten October 7th. But I don’t forget, and Israel will never forget. Never,” he added.

JNS

Day 705 — Wednesday, September 10

President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced Princeton University doctoral student Elizabeth Tsurkov was released by Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.

Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli dual citizen, was “just released” by Kata’ib Hezbollah, and is now safe inside the American Embassy in Iraq, the president wrote in a Truth Social post.

“I will always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up,” Trump wrote in the post. “HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!”

Tsurkov was abducted in Baghdad in 2023 while conducting research for her dissertation, according to previous reporting. She traveled to the country alone, with her Russian passport.

Trump noted in the post that Tsurkov was “tortured for many months.”

Her current condition was not released.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office previously called for Tsurkov’s release, noting the country held Iraq responsible for her safety and well-being.

Tsurkov, who is also affiliated with Washington’s New Lines Institute, established herself as an expert on regional affairs and was regularly featured in international media prior to her disappearance.

President Trump confirmed Tsurkov’s sister is an American citizen.

The founder and leader of Kata’ib Hezbollah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was killed in a 2020 U.S. airstrike ordered by Trump.

Fox News

Day 704 — Tuesday, September 9

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party nominee for mayor of New York, says that he will direct the city to dump its Israel bonds, because — he claims — they implicate the city in “violations of international law.”

Mamdani, a democratic socialist and Muslim, has a long history of anti-Israel activism, among his other radical views.

The Jerusalem Post, citing a local CBS interview, reported Monday:

If elected mayor of New York, Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani intends to end the city’s investments in Israeli government bonds, he said Sunday.

“The most important thing is to understand where we are directly implicated within the city pension fund,” he said. “A pension fund that purchases Israeli bonds, in my view, is clearly an indication of a conflict with our values, and we know that our values are actually within the framework of international law.”

Mamdani did not cite which law Israel had violated (and would likely have been unable to do so).

The only known violations of international law have been by Hamas, which launched the war with its terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023; and which is still holding hostages, and denying them Red Cross visits.

Mamdani has refused to condemn the radical phrase “globalize the intifada,” referring to a campaign of suicide bombing against Israel, though he has lately said that he would “discourage” people from using it.

Dani Naveh, President & CEO of Israel Bonds, added: “While we don’t comment on the statements made by candidates, what I can say is this: Israel Bonds is proud of the unprecedented outpouring of support — more than $5.5 billion in investments since October 7 — including major commitments from local governments around the country, including the State of New York. The record-breaking investments we have seen in recent years demonstrate the confidence that Americans have in Israel’s strength and future.”

Breitbart

Day 704 — Tuesday, September 9

Four soldiers in the Armored Corps 401st Brigade’s 52nd Battalion were killed in battle in the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on Monday.

The soldiers were identified as: Staff Sergeant Uri Lamed, aged 20, from Tel Mond, Staff Sergeant Gadi Cotal, aged 20, from Afikim, and Sergeant Amit Arye Regev, aged 19, from Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut.

On Tuesday, the fourth soldier was identified as Lieutenant Matan Abramovitz, aged 21, from Ganei Tikva.

The incident occurred during a Hamas guerrilla attack on an army shelter in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip.

The terrorists threw an explosive device into a tank that was standing outside the shelter, which caught fire – as a result, the tank’s crew members were killed and one other soldier was wounded.

Arutz Sheva

Day 703 — Monday, September 8

Six Israelis were murdered and a dozen more wounded in a mass-shooting attack by Palestinian terrorists in the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot on Monday morning.

The slain victims were identified as Yosef David, 43, from Jerusalem; Sarah Mendelson, 60, from Jerusalem; Israel Mentzer, 28, from Jerusalem; Levi Yitzhak Pash, 57, from Tel Zion; Yaakov Pinto, 25, from Jerusalem; and Mordechai Steintzeg, 79, from Jerusalem.

The Magen David Adom emergency medical response group transferred seven other seriously wounded people to hospitals in Jerusalem. Two others were moderately injured, and three sustained light wounds.

Two terrorists were killed at the scene by an Israel Defense Forces soldier and an armed civilian. The soldier was identified in reports as a squad commander in the IDF’s ultra-Orthodox Hasmonean Brigade.

The Hamas terrorist organization in a statement praised “the heroic and unique operation” carried out by “two Palestinian resistance fighters,” calling the murders “a natural response to the occupation’s crimes.”

The statement called on Palestinians across Judea and Samaria to “escalate the confrontation with the occupation and its settlers.”

Nadav Taib, a paramedic with Magen David Adom, said in a statement shared by the organization that he “arrived at the location with large forces immediately after receiving the report of people wounded by gunfire.

“We saw people lying on the road, unconscious, on the side of the road and the sidewalk near a bus stop. There was widespread destruction at the scene, shattered glass on the ground and commotion,” he said.

Magen David Adom “provided medical treatment to the wounded and continues to treat and evacuate them to hospitals,” the paramedic said.

Israel Police spokesman Aryeh Doron told reporters that the incident was still ongoing some 30 minutes after the initial report. Security forces were said to be investigating a suspicious object at the scene, per Ynet.

The news outlet reported that the IDF ordered the closure of security checkpoints between Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria pending a situational assessment at Central Command headquarters in the capital’s north.

“Following the shooting attack at the Ramot Junction earlier today, IDF soldiers were dispatched to the area and are conducting searches for suspects in cooperation with the Israel Police,” the military said.

Israeli forces were said to be “encircling several villages on the outskirts of Ramallah to thwart terrorism, carrying out questioning and searches in the area, and reinforcing defensive efforts along the security barrier.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also convened a situational assessment with the heads of the defense establishment, his office said.

According to Channel 12 News, Israel’s security agencies believe that the terrorists arrived by car from a village in the Ramallah area of Samaria. They reportedly used locally produced “Carlo-style” submachine guns.

JNS

Day 703 — Monday, September 8

President Donald Trump issued his “last warning” to Hamas to accept his deal and release the remaining hostages or face the consequences.

“Everyone wants the hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well.”

“I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting,” he continued. “This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Last month, Trump said the remaining hostages would only be returned when Hamas is “confronted and destroyed.” At the time, Hamas was citing alleged progress in ceasefire talks.

In July, the U.S. and Israel pulled negotiators from Qatar after Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said Hamas showed a “lack of desire to reach a ceasefire” and was likely not negotiating in good faith.

On Aug. 26, Witkoff told Fox News’ Bret Baier on “Special Report” that he and Trump wanted the hostages home that week. 

“There’s been a deal on the table for the last six or seven weeks that would have released 10 of the hostages out of the 20 who we think are alive,” he said, noting that he believes Hamas is “100%” to blame for the hold-up.

Witkoff did not elaborate on what is delaying the hostages’ return, nearly two years after they were taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Fifty hostages continue to be held by Hamas, only 20 of whom are assessed to still be alive. 

Fox News

Day 702 — Sunday, September 7

Israeli military officials issued evacuation orders Saturday urging Palestinians to flee south, shortly before warplanes obliterated a second Gaza City high-rise building in as many days.

The warning went out to residents of a 15-story residential tower and the adjacent encampments on social media at 1 p.m. local time.

“The Defense Army will attack the building soon due to the presence of Hamas terrorist infrastructure inside or near it,” Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X.

“For your safety, you are required to evacuate building immediately southward toward the humanitarian zone in Mawasi Khan Younis.”

About 40 minutes later, Adraee said the operation was complete. Defense Minister Israel Katz later posted a video of the building topple in seconds, along with the words: “We continue.”

Katz shared a similar video on Friday of another Hamas-suspected high-rise in Gaza City collapsing to the ground with the caption: “We’re starting.”

The Israeli Defense Forces said Hamas had installed surveillance equipment in the building blasted Saturday to collect intelligence about its movements, and that it had planted explosive devices nearby to target the Israeli military.

The bombing comes as the IDF advances deeper in Gaza in preparation to seize its largest city in the coming days.

The IDF estimates 70,000 Palestinians — out of roughly 1 million in Gaza City — have fled south over the last few days. 

Meanwhile, President Trump said the US is involved in “very deep negotiations” with the terror group to free the 20 remaining Israeli hostages believed to still be alive.

“We said let them all out, right now … and much better things will happen for them but if you don’t let them all out, it’s going to be a tough situation, it’s going to be nasty,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday, adding that Hamas was “asking for some things that are fine,” but did not elaborate.

The president added that of the 20 captives “there could be some that recently died, is what I’m hearing. I hope that’s wrong.”

New York POst

Day 701 — Saturday, September 6

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that Washington had harsh words for world leaders, who have said that they plan to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

“We told all these countries, ‘If you guys do this recognition stuff—it’s all fake, it’s not even real,” Rubio told reporters during a diplomatic visit to Quito, Ecuador. “If you do it, you’re going to create really big problems.”

The secretary, who is also the U.S. national security advisor, also told reporters that it was “wholly predictable” that the Israeli government would hold discussions on applying sovereignty in Judea and Samaria in response to France and others saying they would recognize a Palestinian state.

“There’s going to be a response from Israel,” Rubio said. “You’re going to make it harder to get a ceasefire, and it may even trigger these sorts of actions.”

Rubio said a Palestinian state won’t commence “because they have a press conference somewhere.”

He added that Hamas walked away from the last round of negotiations “the minute” that France announced its pending recognition of a Palestinian state.

“Sometimes these guys don’t listen,” Rubio said. “They do what they’re going to do because of their own domestic politics, which is fine. But these are consequences.”

JNS

Day 701 — Saturday, September 6

The family of Alon Ohel, who has been held by the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza for 700 days, released a statement on Friday after Hamas released a video with a sign of life from Alon.

“We were shocked to see Alon’s condition. After consulting with eye specialists in Israel and around the world, it is clear that Alon has lost sight in his right eye. The frequent blinking we observe indicates severe difficulty focusing and seeing for extended periods,” the family said.

“No international law permits holding an injured civilian captive without proper medical treatment. The responsibility for Alon’s wellbeing lies with his captors and Hamas leadership, who are obligated to preserve his life and health according to international law,” they added.

“It’s important to remember that Alon is not only an Israeli citizen, but also holds Serbian and German citizenship. The international community will not stand by if Alon’s medical condition deteriorates further.”

“We are working to communicate with the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Steve Witkoff, and official authorities in Serbia and Germany,” stated the Ohel family, which asked the public and media to refrain from publishing the full video or any images of Alon taken from it.

Alon Ohel, from Lavon in the Upper Galilee, had been at the Nova party on October 7, 2023, before he was taken hostage. In June 2024, a video was released of the moments of his kidnapping from the “death shelter” to which many young people who had been partying had fled.

Survivors of captivity Eli Sharabi, Eliya Cohen and Or Levy said, when they were released in the previous hostage deal, that they were held together with Alon, and that he was in serious condition.

Arutz Sheva

Day 700 — Friday, September 5

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, after Rubio announced sanctions against Palestinian Arab NGOs directly engaged in the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) targeting of Israel.

“The ICC has been aided by the Palestinian NGOs – Al Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights – in its politicized crusade against Israel,” said Sa’ar.

“The ICC did so while trampling the principles of international law. I thank Secretary Rubio for yet another moral decision and for standing by Israel!” he added.

In his statement announcing the sanctions on the three organizations, Rubio said that they “directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent.”

“This administration has been clear: the United States and Israel are not party to the Rome Statute and are therefore not subject to the ICC’s authority. We oppose the ICC’s politicized agenda, overreach, and disregard for the sovereignty of the United States and that of our allies. The ongoing actions of the ICC set a dangerous precedent for all nations and we will actively oppose actions that threaten our national interests and infringe on the sovereignty of the United States and our allies, including Israel,“ the Secretary of State stressed.

In June, the Trump administration sanctioned four ICC judges. Two of the sanctioned judges authorized the arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant which the court issued last November. The others authorized an ICC investigation into abuses by US personnel in Afghanistan.

Last month, the US sanctioned ICC judges Kimberly Prost of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France, along with deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. According to the State Department, they were sanctioned for efforts to investigate and prosecute nationals of the United States and Israel without consent.

Previously, the US added Karim Khan, the ICC Chief Prosecutor, to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, actively sanctioning him.

Arutz Sheva

Day 700 — Friday, September 5

Reports concerning a Palestinian child’s death from IDF fire in Gaza have been exposed as fabricated: Abd al-Rahim Muhammad Hamdan, eight years old, known by his nickname “Abboud”, has been discovered alive and evacuated from Gaza alongside his mother, Fox News reported Thursday. The case, which stood at the center of grave accusations against Israel, now emerges as another example of false information dissemination during wartime.

The affair commenced in late May, when Anthony Aguilar, a former US special forces operative who served as a contractor and was dismissed from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), claimed, following his termination, that he witnessed the child being killed by IDF fire near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation food distribution site. According to his account, the child – then referred to as “Amir” – arrived at the site carrying food bags, thanked him with a kiss on the hand and cheek, and ran back to his family. Aguilar recounted that shortly thereafter, chaos erupted, and following fire from the IDF, he discovered the child “dead from gunshots to the chest and leg.”

His testimony was broadcast on major networks, published on MSNBC and Dialogue Works, and even transmitted directly to Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. Within a brief period, “Abboud” became a symbol against the alleged “violations” by Israel and the foundation, which were suspected of collaboration in killing Palestinian civilians.

At GHF, they identified contradictions in Aguilar’s testimony, who altered the location of the incident multiple times, and decided to initiate an independent investigation at the end of July. Through interviews with locals and cross-referencing biometric data and facial photos, the organization’s representatives successfully located Abboud’s mother, Najla, and the child himself. Both were identified with certainty, documented on cameras playing with organization personnel, and approximately two weeks ago were transferred in a covert operation to a protected distribution site.

Israel Hayom

Day 699 — Thursday, September 4

The Washington Post was forced to issue a correction Tuesday after it falsely claimed that Israel’s 2005 withdrawal from Gaza was the result of a “peace agreement.”

On Sunday, The Post published a lengthy story about the Trump administration’s plans to help rebuild Gaza once Israel ends its war with Hamas. The plan includes a voluntary program for Gazans to temporarily relocate to another country in the region during reconstruction.

However, what caught social media attention was how the report described the decades-long dispute over the territory. 

“Removing Palestinians from Gaza — through persuasion, compensation or force — has been a subject of debate in Israeli politics since Gaza was first wrested from Egyptian control and occupied by Israel in the 1967 war. Israeli settlers lived alongside Palestinians there until 2005, when a peace agreement mandated their departure,” The Post initially wrote before addressing the rise of Hamas in 2006. 

Except there was never a peace agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinians. 

Critics on X quickly flagged the error, including former Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy, who called it a “whopper.”

“How did this get past the editors? Levy asked. 

On Tuesday, the erroneous statement was changed to read, “Israel maintained settlements in Gaza until 2005, when it unilaterally withdrew from the enclave.”

The Post appended a correction to the bottom of the report that states, “A previous version of this article incorrectly characterized Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. It was a unilateral action by Israel to remove troops and settler communities, not a peace agreement.”

Fox News 

Day 698 — Wednesday, September 3

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday confirmed a Saudi report that remaining Houthi leaders were fleeing Sanaa following Jerusalem’s Aug. 28 attack on the terrorist-controlled capital.

“The remnants of the Houthi leadership are fleeing Sanaa,” the Israeli defense minister wrote in a post on social media, warning: “We knew how to hunt them this time—and we will know how in the future too.”

He added, “Like all leaders of radical Islamist terror, they care only for themselves and abandon the residents. Just as Hamas leaders do in Gaza and in luxury hotels in Qatar, so too do the Houthis in Yemen.”

Katz’s post followed a report in the London-based Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat according to which the remaining Houthi leadership was currently in an “unprecedented state of confusion and panic” after last week’s strike, that killed the terrorist group’s senior leadership.

Several senior Houthi leaders have fled Sanaa to more rural areas in the north of the country, the Arabic report claimed, adding that their family members had also been evacuated to more secure locations in Yemen.

The Houthis reportedly also instructed their most senior members not to gather in “government” buildings or visit public places, amid fears of additional IDF strikes.

The IDF stated on Saturday that it had “struck a facility that hosted dozens of senior officials of the Houthi terror regime.” The officials were “responsible for the use of force, the military buildup of the Houthi terror regime, and the advancement of terror actions against Israel,” the military added.

The IDF and the Houthis confirmed on Saturday that the Houthi prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, and several top Cabinet members were killed in the strike.

JNS

Day 698 — Wednesday, September 3

The IDF and ISA on Wednesday morning confirmed the elimination of the terrorist who held Shir Bibas and her two sons Ariel (4) and Kfir (10 months) hostage.

During a joint IDF and ISA activity last week in the area of Nuseirat, the terrorist Musbah Salim Musbah Dayyah, who served as the head of the Mujahideen terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip, was eliminated.

“In his role as the head of the terrorist organization, he was responsible for recruiting terrorist operatives in Judea and Samaria and in Israel, through whom he advanced and carried out terror attacks and terrorist activity,” the IDF noted. “Throughout the war, the organization under his leadership was involved in orchestrating terror attacks against the State of Israel and attacks against IDF troops operating in the Gaza Strip.”

“Musbah Salim Musbah Dayyah was appointed head of the terrorist organization following the elimination of its three previous heads in IDF strikes in recent months. His elimination further degrades the ability to direct terror attacks from the Gaza Strip in Judea and Samaria and in Israel.”

The statement added that Mujahideen terrorists took a significant part in the brutal October 7th massacre. They were involved in acts of abduction and murder. Despite being unaware of Hamas’ plans, they acted as an extension and exploited Hamas’ acts of terror within Israel.

Among other things, they held Shiri Bibas and her two young sons Ariel and Kfir hostage. All three were murdered in captivity shortly after the start of the war.

“The IDF and ISA will continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip and to remove any threat posed to the State of Israel.” it concluded.

Arutz Sheva

Day 697 — Tuesday, September 2

A widely-reported vote by an association of so-called “scholars” declaring Israel guilty of “genocide” was rigged to achieve a predetermined outcome, according to a member of the group.

International media reported Monday that the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) had voted overwhelmingly (86% in favor) to conclude that Israel was guilty of “genocide” in its war against Hamas in Gaza.

Israel firmly rejected the vote, saying that it inverted the victim and the perpetrator, given that Hamas had invaded Israel determined to kill as many people as possible, and that Israel was acting in self-defense.

Now, a member of the association is adding fuel to the criticism of the vote, pointing out several flaws. These include that the the vote was pushed through without debate; no dissenting views were permitted; the authors of the resolution were not revealed; and non-scholars participated in the vote. In fact, only one in four members of the group participated in the vote, meaning that an activist minority produced the result.

The Times of Israel quoted Sara Brown, a Jewish scholar of genocide, who said the process had been corrupt:

“The content of the resolution and the way it was forced through speak to an embarrassing absence of professionalism,” she says. Among her qualms with the resolution are that it cites organizations that have reinterpreted the definition of genocide so that it applies to Israel, such as Amnesty International.

The association also did not allow dissenting opinions to be published on its list serve, saying the list serve was not a forum for such discussions, and declined to release the names of the members who drafted the resolution, the emails show.

“The appearance is that this was a unanimous vote on behalf of the entirety of the association. It was not, and they refused to have a transparent, critical discussion,” Brown says. “The leadership, in my opinion, had an agenda.”

Brown added that the IAGS had added non-scholars as voting members, including political activists and artists, who contributed “diversity” but did not add anything in terms of scholarship of analysis.

Breitbart

Day 697 — Tuesday, September 2

In an interview with the Daily Caller, which was conducted on Friday and of which excerpts were published on Monday, US President Donald Trump acknowledged a growing skepticism toward Israel among younger Republicans and lamented the weakening of Israel’s once-dominant influence in Congress.

Referencing a March Pew Research Center poll, Daily Caller correspondent Reagan Reese noted that 50% of Republicans under 50 now hold an unfavorable view of Israel—up from 35% in 2022.

Trump responded, “Yeah I’m aware of it. So, Israel is amazing… Look, nobody has done more for Israel than I have.”

Trump pointed to his administration’s actions against Iran and reiterated his longstanding support for Israel. At the same time, he expressed surprise at the erosion of Israel’s lobbying power, “Israel had the strongest lobby in Congress… Today, it doesn’t have that strong a lobby. It’s amazing.”

He attributed the shift to progressive voices in Congress, saying, “You have AOC plus three, and you have all these lunatics… They’ve changed it,” a reference to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and the other members of “The Squad”, known for thei anti-Israel actions.

Trump also referenced the October 7th Hamas massacre, calling it “a truly horrible day,” and criticized those who deny its occurrence.

“And you know, you have people that deny it ever happened, they’re deniers. You have people that deny the Holocaust ever happened. So, they’re gonna have to get that war over with. But it is hurting Israel. There’s no question about it. They may be winning the war, but they’re not winning the world of public relations, you know, and it is hurting them. But Israel was the strongest lobby 15 years ago that there has ever been, and now it’s, it’s been hurt, especially in Congress,” he said.

Arutz Sheva

Day 696 — Monday, September 1

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir on Sunday attended a situational assessment at Northern Command, discussing future plans as well as the recent elimination of Hamas military spokesman Abu Obaida.

As part of the situational assessment, the operational intelligence picture and the forthcoming operational plans were presented.

“The IDF is operating offensively, with initiative and operational superiority, across all arenas and at all times,” Zamir said. “In the Gaza Strip, yesterday we struck one of Hamas’ senior leaders, Abu Obaida, after most of Hamas’ leadership had already been eliminated. Our actions are not yet complete, most of the remaining Hamas’ leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well. This step joins a series of significant IDF strikes in Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, and other arenas. We are surprising, acting with initiative, and reaching every target in order to ensure the security of Israeli civilians.”

“We are continuing our efforts and operations to return all the hostages, both living and fallen. In recent days, in a special operation, the bodies of hostages Idan Shtivi and Ilan Weiss were recovered. Since the beginning of Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ in March of this year, the bodies of ten hostages have been recovered, in addition to Idan Alexander. We will continue to act decisively to bring them back and will spare no effort, this is our moral mission.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 696 — Monday, September 1

Houthi terrorists detained at least 11 United Nations staff in a raid on the international body’s offices in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Sunday, Reuters reported.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the action in an X post on Monday, saying that the Iranian-backed terrorist group forcibly entered the World Food Programme and other U.N. sites and confiscated property.

“I reiterate my demand for the immediate & unconditional release of all personnel from the United Nations, international & national NGOs, civil society & diplomatic missions who have been arbitrarily detained today & in previous years,” wrote Guterres. “The personnel of the UN & its partners must never be targeted while carrying out their duties.”

The raid and detentions come days after an Israeli airstrike killed the Houthi prime minister and several of his Cabinet members. Jerusalem’s attack on the terror group’s leadership followed several strikes in recent months on infrastructure-related terror sites in Yemen, including Hudaydah port.

The Houthis started attacking the Jewish state in the wake of the Hamas-led invasion and massacre on Oct. 7, 2023. The Yemeni group said it had joined the war in an expression of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Before the attack on Sanaa, the Houthis fired, for the first time, a missile containing a new type of cluster sub-munition at Israel. The Houthis fired another missile on Sunday night which fell on the way, triggering no sirens.

The vast majority of the missiles and drones have been intercepted, but some have penetrated Israel’s air defenses, including a direct hit at Ben Gurion International Airport.

The Houthi prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, was killed along with senior officials in the targeted strike in the Yemeni capital on Aug. 28, the Israel Defense Forces and the Houthis confirmed on Saturday.

The IDF stated on Saturday that it had “struck a facility that hosted dozens of senior officials of the Houthi terrorist regime.” These officials were “responsible for the use of force, the military buildup of the Houthi terror regime, and the advancement of terror actions against Israel, along with other key senior Houthi officials,” the military said.

The strike in Yemen—a distance of over 2,000 kilometers (1,300 miles) from the Jewish state—“was made possible by seizing an intelligence opportunity and completing a rapid operational cycle, which took place within a few hours,” according to the IDF.

JNS

Day 695 — Sunday, August 31

An alarming new survey found that 60% of Generation Z in the US favor Hamas – the internationally designated terrorist group – over Israel in the ongoing war in Gaza.

The results mark a clear generational shift, with 18- to 24-year-olds the only age group to show love for the vicious terror group, a Harvard-Harris poll released this week found.

Among a wide range of questions, the survey asked online respondents “in the Israel-Hamas conflict, do you support more Israel or more Hamas?”

It showed a clear trend, with support for Hamas declining — and support for Israel growing with age.

• 65% of 25- to 34-year-olds said they supported Israel more than Hamas.
• 70% of 35- to 44-year-olds chose the Jewish state over the terror group.
• 74% of 45- to 55-year-olds favored Israel.
• 84% of 55- to 64-year-olds picked Israel and rejected Hamas.
• 89% of people aged 65 years voiced their support for Israel.

Across all age groups, a total of 74% of people surveyed favored Israel, while 26% of Americans backed Hamas.

The findings were also evident of a partisan divide with 67% of Democrats selecting the Jewish state over the Palestinian terror group, compared to 82% of Republicans.

The poll found that 58% of Americans think Israel should only agree to a hostage deal if Hamas leaves Gaza for good.

NY Post

Day 694 — Saturday, August 30

Prosecutors in Canada on Thursday charged a 71-year-old man with stabbing and severely wounding a Jewish woman at a Loblaws supermarket in Ottawa that houses a well-known kosher section, in an assault that rights groups said was likely antisemitic.

The man, identified by B’nai Brith Canada as Joseph Rooke, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon, police said in a statement. The victim and defendant were not known to each before the incident, the police also said. The statement and media reports did not say how the defendant pleaded.

The man entered the store with another person, according to a CBC report on the incident. He allegedly stabbed the victim at the kosher section, according to the National Post, and was arrested in the store. The woman was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition, the CBC reported.

Rooke’s social media posts “leave little doubt as to the motive behind the attack,” B’nai Brith Canada wrote in a statement. They included passages such as: “Jews have become insidious in governments, businesses, media conglomerates and educational institutions in order to do what they do better than anyone else. Jews are the world’s masters of propaganda, gaslighting, demonization, demagoguery and outright lying,” according to the rights group.

His comments online “are those of a hateful man and a rabid antisemite,” B’nai Brith Canada added.

The organization “for months has warned Canadian leaders of the dangers of allowing hate to foment unchecked on our streets and online platforms. Sadly, our warnings have gone unheeded,” the group said.

“We are living in [a] Canada where strangers stab women while they are shopping for groceries, seemingly targeting them because of their religious beliefs,” the statement read.

Police have confirmed they are “considering the possibility that this was a hate-motivated crime,” the Jewish Federation of Ottawa said in a statement.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said it was “deeply troubled by the violent, unprovoked stabbing” at the store, which “has been the repeated target of anti-Israel protests.”

The victim, “a valued member of the Ottawa Jewish community, should have been safe to go about their day,” said Josh Landau, CIJA’s director of government relations in Ontario.

“We are grateful for the quick action of emergency responders, including the Ottawa Police Service, who quickly arrested and charged the suspect,” he added.

B’nai Brith Canada documented 6,218 antisemitic incidents in the country in 2024, a record high and an increase of 7% over 2023.

JNS

Day 694 — Saturday, August 30

The body of hostage Ilan Weiss, who was murdered on the morning of Oct. 7 in Kibbutz Be’eri and abducted into Gaza, has been recovered from captivity.

His body was brought back to Israel in an operation by the IDF, the Shin Bet, and special forces in Gaza. Yesterday, the identification process was completed at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir.

Ilan Weiss, 56, from Kibbutz Be’eri, was murdered on Oct. 7, 2023. He was considered missing for about three months until the IDF later confirmed that he had been killed and that his body had been taken to Gaza.

When the terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz, Weiss went out to fight. He was asked to bring the key to the armory after Arik, the security coordinator, fell at the gate of the kibbutz in the first minutes of the attack. On his way there, Weiss was shot and killed.

At the same time, his wife Shiri and their 17-year-old daughter Noga were in the safety shelter in their home. Terrorists who broke into the house abducted Shiri in front of Noga, who was hiding under the bed and witnessed the events. Later, they set the house on fire. Following her older sister Meital’s advice, Noga managed to escape through the safety-shelter window. She hid behind a bush but was eventually discovered and abducted as well.

Shiri and Noga were released about two months later as part of the first hostage deal at the end of November 2023.

Weiss was the infrastructure manager for the kibbutz and often went on cycling trips over the weekends. He was also the deputy head of the local emergency response team and provided logistical support to the kibbutz’s standby squad.

When the Hamas terrorists infiltrated, Weiss went to replace the fallen security coordinator in opening the armory to distribute weapons to the standby squad members – since that time, his trail had been lost.

On Jan. 1, 2024, after being listed as missing since the massacre, his family received notification that he had been murdered on “Black Shabbat” (Oct. 7 terror attack) and that Hamas was holding his body.

“The Hostages’ Families Forum embraces the Weiss family during this difficult time,” read a statement issued by the forum for the return of the hostages. It also stated that the family asks for their privacy to be respected during this painful period. “We wish to express our deepest gratitude to the IDF and the security forces who acted and continue to act with dedication and courage. The return of all the hostages is the only path to healing and national recovery,” the statement concluded.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an official statement noting, “In an IDF and ISA operation in the Gaza Strip, the body of Ilan Weiss, of blessed memory, which had been held by the murderous Hamas terrorist organization, has been brought back to Israel. Also returned in the operation were the remains of another deceased hostage whose name has yet to be released for publication. The remains are now being identified at the Institute of Forensic Medicine.”

He added, “Ilan Weiss, a hero, was a member of the emergency squad at Kibbutz Be’eri. He was murdered on 7 October 2023 as he went out to defend the kibbutz; his body was taken hostage. His wife Shiri and their daughter Noga were taken hostage and released from captivity in November 2023. Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the dear families and share in their deep sorrow. I thank our commanders and fighters for their successful action, determination and bravery. The campaign to return the hostages is ongoing. We will neither rest nor be silent until we bring all of our hostages back home, the living and the deceased.”

All Israel News 

Day 693 — Friday, August 29

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, was interviewed by CNN’s Jake Tapper, underscoring the unprecedented challenges the IDF faces and the moral calculus guiding its operations.

“You got to ask yourself a question,” Leiter said. “A country that’s capable of taking out the control of all of Iranian airspace in 72 hours, allowing for the B-2s of the United States to come in and obliterate the nuclear weapons operations in Iran, is not capable of ending this war sooner? Of course we are. But it’s because we’re taking precautions that no other country has ever taken, had to face a situation of 450 miles of terror tunnels under an area that’s 24 miles long.”

Leiter described Hamas as a “ghoulish, fiendish organization” that not only hides behind civilians but actively uses them as human shields. “They enjoy this. This is a death cult. They say this. You have to read their stuff,” he said, referencing Hamas’s own publications and rhetoric.

The ambassador’s remarks took a deeply personal turn as he spoke about the loss of his son, Moshe, in the early days of the conflict. “We do everything we possibly can. My own son was killed because we do not kill innocent civilians. He went in on foot into Gaza and led the troops at the beginning of the war and was killed when he went into a Hamas booby trap.”

Leiter challenged accusations against Israel’s military strategy, suggesting that a more indiscriminate approach might have spared lives on the Israeli side. “If we were doing what we’re being accused of doing, maybe he’d be alive today. So many of our soldiers that have died would have been alive today.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 693 — Friday, August 29

Israeli forces launched their most dramatic strike in Yemen yet Thursday, targeting a high-level gathering of Houthi leadership as the Iran-backed terror group’s chief delivered a nationally televised address, with Defense Minister Israel Katz declaring: “Whoever raises a hand against Israel, his hand will be cut off.”

The Israel Defense Forces struck a meeting of roughly ten senior Houthi officials near Sanaa at 1 p.m. local time, hitting as Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi delivered his speech. Israeli intelligence had tracked the rare high-level gathering that included several top ministers, among them the Houthis’ defense chief.

Hebrew media outlets described the operation as Israel’s “most dramatic strike in Yemen yet,” aimed at “wiping out the Houthi leadership,” marking a major escalation in Israel’s campaign against the terror group. The strike was first reported by the Houthis’ Al Masirah TV before Israeli officials confirmed the operation.

Among those believed present were the Houthis’ defense minister and possibly Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, the chief of staff who was previously wounded in an Israeli strike. Officials stressed it remains unclear if al-Ghamari was actually present.

The precision strike highlighted Israel’s intelligence capabilities, with military officials monitoring whether al-Houthi realized his senior commanders were under attack even as he delivered his remarks. Reports suggested the terror leader appeared unaware.

Israeli officials said the strike targeted “a sort of cabinet meeting attended by both military leaders and Houthi ministers.” A security source added confidently: “We estimate that we succeeded.”

Defense Minister Katz observed the operation from IDF headquarters alongside Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, issuing his biblical warning: “As we warned the Houthis in Yemen, after the Plague of Darkness comes the Plague of the Firstborn.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu monitored the operation through secure communications, coordinating with military leadership throughout the strike. Both Katz and the IDF confirmed the mission’s success.

The strike came just hours after Israel intercepted two Houthi drones launched toward its territory Thursday morning, the latest in the terror group’s campaign of attacks since October 2023. Houthis have also fired at least two ballistic missiles toward Israel in the past week.

Breitbart

Day 692 — Thursday, August 28

Jerusalem’s mass recognition of new Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria “is not the end—it’s the beginning,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised local leaders on Tuesday evening.

“I promised 25 years ago that we would deepen our roots, and we did, together,” said Netanyahu, who was speaking at an event organized by the Binyamin Regional Council in Samaria’s south.

“I said that we would prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, and we are doing it, together. I said that we would build and hold on to parts of our country, our homeland, and we are doing it,” he continued.

“All the people here can testify that their lives have become much simpler, much more organized, and that, in many communities, you’re no longer treated as stepchildren [second-class],” he said.

Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and other Cabinet ministers and lawmakers attended the event, organized by Binyamin Regional Council head Israel Ganz to mark the recognition or legalization of 17 existing and new Jewish communities within the council’s jurisdiction in recent months.

“We are celebrating a historic and emotional moment that represents the direct fulfillment of the Zionist vision. The legalization of 17 new communities is another step that strengthens the Judea and Samaria communities and establishes facts on the ground,” Ganz declared.

The regional leader, who also heads the Yesha Council umbrella group of Jewish communities, urged: “Now we must move forward in applying sovereignty over the regions of Binyamin and all of Judea and Samaria.”

“The people of Israel are behind you. The people of Israel are proud of you. There has never been an issue in the Knesset that received such overwhelming support. Even in the international arena, people are waiting to hear the news from here,” he told attending officials.

Israel’s Security Cabinet in May approved 22 new Jewish communities across Judea and Samaria, including two in northern Samaria that were uprooted by Israeli forces as part of the 2005 Gaza disengagement.

Some of the approved communities are existing outposts that had thus far been unauthorized under Israeli law, while others are new villages.

In addition, an Israeli government body gave final approval last week for a Judea housing project in the Jerusalem area that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said “buries the idea of a Palestinian state.”

The project involves the construction of about 3,400 housing units in the so-called E1 area of Ma’ale Adumim, located between Jerusalem and the currently built-up part of Ma’ale Adumim.

As of Jan. 1, 529,704 Jews lived in the Judea and Samaria territories, amounting to approximately 5.28% of the Jewish state’s population.

JNS

Day 692 — Thursday, August 28

Iran has launched a rapid clean-up operation at a nuclear-linked site in northern Tehran that was targeted by Israeli airstrikes, in what experts say is a likely attempt to eliminate evidence of nuclear weapons development, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington-based research group headed by former UN nuclear inspector David Albright, released satellite imagery showing “a significant effort by Iran to rapidly demolish damaged or destroyed buildings, likely to sanitize any incriminating nuclear weapons research and development activities.”

The site in question, known as Mojdeh or Lavisan II, sits adjacent to Malek Ashtar University and was bombed twice by Israeli forces on June 18 during a broader military operation that struck hundreds of targets across Iran. The first strike hit several buildings, including one tied to the Institute of Applied Physics and another suspected to be linked to the Shahid Karimi Group, which has been sanctioned by the United States for its involvement in missile and explosives-related projects.

The second Israeli strike destroyed the Applied Physics building, damaged a security facility, and leveled a workshop. Satellite images from Maxar Technologies dated June 20 confirmed the destruction. Follow-up imagery from July 3 showed the start of debris removal, and by August 19, the site had been completely cleared, including the suspected Shahid Karimi building.

“The rapid work by Iran to quickly demolish and clear the rubble of these important buildings appears to be an effort to sanitize the site and limit the availability of any possible future inspection from obtaining” evidence of nuclear weapons-related work, the institute stated.

Arutz Sheva

Day 691 — Wednesday, August 27

Pro-Hamas journalists for the Islamist state of Qatar called for Hamas terrorists to capture Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers in Gaza and praised Hamas’ violence against the IDF in late August.

The Qatari regime’s push via its state-controlled reporters to cheerlead Hamas efforts to kidnap Israeli soldiers coincides with a German Die Welt news report that the country’s main wire service—German Press Agency—has joined a controversial media project in the gas-rich non-democratic state.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) revealed on Monday that “Although Qatar is perceived by international elements and by the Israeli government as a mediator in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the emirate’s government press continues to express unreserved support for Hamas’s terrorist activities and even calls on it to intensify them.”

Jaber Al-Harmi, editor of the Qatar government daily Al-Sharq, lauded on X on August 20 Hamas terrorists from its Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, who are seeking to kidnap IDF soldiers in Khan Younis in Gaza.

He wrote, according to a MEMRI translation of his post, that “Even if the Al-Qassam heroes failed to abduct Zionist soldiers this time around, the second, third or fourth attempts, Allah willing, will manage to add new rats to the number [of hostages] held by the heroes of the brigades… In today’s attempt, during a high-quality raid on a new [Israeli] military position in Rafah [sic; the operation took place in Khan Younis], the Al-Qassam heroes managed to send several Zionist soldiers to hell, and good riddance. “

Al-Harmi continued “[They sent] several others to suffer torment in this world by [causing them] permanent disfigurement and disabilities, or [by sending them] to lunatic asylums. I strengthen the hands of the heroes, and may the hands of the impure criminals, riff raff from all over the world, become paralyzed.”

After the MEMRI report, Al-Harmi deleted his pro-Hamas X post.
Dr. Ariel Admoni, a Qatar expert at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS), told i24NEWS that “Unlike previous times, the editor of Al-Sharq deleted his tweet. I interpret this as a top-down order, as Qatar is afraid of being sidelined even further as a mediator, especially amid reports that the next meeting will not be held in Qatar (or Egypt).”

Qatar’s state-owned media has been filled with pro-Hamas reports since the terrorist organization massacred over 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023 and kidnapped more than 250 people.

The new spike in pro-Hamas articles in the Qatar state-owned media follows the August 20, 2025 operation carried out by Hamas in Khan Younis against an Israeli army location, including a Hamas attempt to kidnap Israeli soldiers.

i24 News

Day 691 — Wednesday, August 27

The Foreign Ministry announced Monday that it is downgrading ties with Brazil after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva refused to accept the credentials of Israel’s nominee for ambassador. 

“After Brazil, unusually, refrained from replying to Ambassador [Gali] Dagan’s request for agrément, Israel withdrew the request, and relations between the countries are now being conducted at a lower diplomatic level,” the Foreign Ministry said in its statement Monday. 

The ministry also referred to the “critical and hostile line that Brazil has displayed toward Israel” since Lula’s return to the office of president. 

Last year, the Brazilian president accused Israel of conducting a genocide in Gaza, and compared Israel’s actions in Gaza to Nazi Germany. The country also formerly recalled its ambassador to Israel after then Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned Ambassador Frederico Meyer to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Center in Jerusalem for a reprimand. 

In July, Brazil officially withdrew from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and announced it would join the case brought by South Africa in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide. 

Israel Katz, now Defense Minister, posted a note in Portuguese to 𝕏, calling Brazilian President Lula a puppet of Iran. 

“When the President of Brazil, Lula, disrespected the memory of the Holocaust during my tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs, I declared him persona non grata in Israel until he apologized,” Katz wrote on 𝕏. 

“Now he has revealed his true face as a declared antisemite and supporter of Hamas by withdrawing Brazil from the IHRA – the international body created to combat antisemitism and hatred against Israel – placing the country alongside regimes like Iran, which openly denies the Holocaust and threatens to destroy the State of Israel,” Katz continued, showing a picture of President Lula looking like a marionette with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pulling the strings. 

“As Israel’s Minister of Defense, I affirm: we will know how to defend ourselves against the axis of evil of radical Islamism, even without the help of Lula and his allies,” Katz said. “Shame on the wonderful Brazilian people and the many friends of Israel in Brazil that this is their president. Better days will still come for the relationship between our countries.” 

Under the previous president, Jair Bolsonaro, Israel enjoyed good diplomatic relations with Brazil, and Bolsonaro even visited the Jewish state, getting baptized in the Jordan River in 2016. 

All Israel News 

Day 690 — Tuesday, August 26

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sent a letter on Aug. 22 to Scott Bessent, acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, asking him to investigate the funding of the Palestinian Youth Movement to see if its 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt status should be revoked.

The senator described the Palestinian Youth Movement as “a youth activist organization known for its virulently antisemitic stances, public statements in support of terrorist groups, and activities and support for anti-Israel protests in America.”

He also noted that it receives funding from another 501(c)(3) organization, Honor the Earth.

As evidence, Cotton pointed to PYM organizing events with Samidoun, which the U.S. designated as a terror entity last year for being an alleged for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terror group.

He added that the Israeli government has claimed that PYM has “close ties” with PFLP affiliates and Students for Justice in Palestine, which the Israeli government said is “linked to Hamas.”

Cotton further pointed to the PYM signing onto a joint statement describing “Al-Aqsa Flood”—the name Hamas uses to describe its massacre in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023—as being “an unprecedented liberation struggle” in response to “accelerating attacks on Palestinians in Jerusalem and in the West Bank.”

PYM is also being listed as a defendant in a lawsuit over anti-Israel protesters blocking traffic in Washington, D.C., in February 2024, as examples of the organization’s “public support for terrorism,“ he noted.

“An organization that supports terrorism, breaks U.S. law and sows antisemitic discord should not receive any benefits from the American tax system,“ Cotton stated.

JNS

Day 690 — Tuesday, August 26

France has summoned American ambassador Charles Kushner to Paris, after the diplomat accused the country of not doing enough to combat antisemitism in a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron.

France’s foreign ministry said in a statement issued Sunday that Kushner’s allegations “are unacceptable,” and announced it had summoned the U.S. diplomat to appear Monday at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Kushner, who is Jewish, wrote in the letter that antisemitic incidents in France have been fueled by French government statements about recognizing a Palestinian state.

“Public statements haranguing Israel and gestures toward recognition of a Palestinian state embolden extremists, fuel violence, and endanger Jewish life in France. In today’s world, anti-Zionism is antisemitism – plain and simple,” Kushner wrote.

Kushner further urged Macron “to act decisively: enforce hate-crime laws without exception, ensure the safety of Jewish schools, synagogues and businesses … and abandon steps that give legitimacy to Hamas and its allies.”

The French foreign ministry said in its statement that “France firmly rejects these allegations” from Kushner, adding that French authorities have “fully mobilized” to combat a rise in antisemitic acts since Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The ministry further deemed antisemitic acts “intolerable.”

The ministry said Kushner’s allegations violate international law and the obligation not to interfere with the internal affairs of another country, adding that they “also fall short of the quality of the transatlantic partnership between France and the United States and of the trust that must prevail between allies.”

The U.S. State Department, however, said it backed Kushner and his comments, department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Sunday evening.

“Ambassador Kushner is our U.S. government representative in France and is doing a great job advancing our national interests in that role,” Pigott said.

Macron has been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the war in Gaza continues, while President Donald Trump has been a staunch supporter of the Israeli leader.

Kushner, a real estate developer, is the father of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump.

Fox News 

Day 689 — Monday, August 25

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) retaliated Sunday against the Houthi regime in Yemen by striking at targets in the capital city of Sana’a, after rebels launched a cluster-bomb-enabled missile that detonated over Israel.

As the Times of Israel reported, the Houthis fired a cluster weapon at Israel for the first time on Friday: “[A]n IAF [Israeli Air Force] investigation into a Friday night ballistic missile attack from Yemen found that, for the first time, the Houthis used a projectile with a cluster bomb warhead. Part of the missile hit a home in central Israel, causing damage. The woman living there had taken refuge in her reinforced shelter and was unharmed.”

In response, the IDF attacked multiple targets in Sanaa.

In a statement, the IDF said:

A short while ago, the IDF struck military infrastructure of the Houthi terrorist regime in the Sanaa area, including a military site in which the presidency palace is located, the Asar and Hizaz power plants, and a site for storing fuel; all were used for the military activity of the Houthi terrorist regime.

The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its civilians, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory in recent days.

The presidential palace in the Sanaa area is located within a military site from which the military forces of the Houthi terrorist regime operate.

In addition, the Hizaz and Asar power plants were struck, which served as a significant electricity supply facility for military activities.

The strike on the power plants damages the production and supply of electricity for military purposes. The use of these plants constitutes further proof of how the Houthi regime uses civilian infrastructure for military purposes.

The Houthi terrorist regime operates under the direction and funding of the Iranian regime, in order to harm the State of Israel and its allies. The terrorist regime exploits the maritime domain to project force and carry out terror activity against global shipping and trade routes.

The IDF will operate against the ongoing and repeated attacks of the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel, and remains determined to continue removing any threat posed to the civilians of the State of Israel, wherever it is required.

The Houthis, who are armed and funded by Iran, have continued to attack Israel even after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran ended the “12 Day War” in June. They say they are not bound by the deal’s terms.

Israel first struck Sana’a in December 2024; it has now apparently escalated its responses to target the institutions of the Houthi leadership, as well as power plants that serve dual military-civilian uses.

Breitbart

Day 689 — Monday, August 25

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday met with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on the occasion of the latter’s 70th birthday, calling the diplomat “a lighthouse of moral clarity.”

“Israel loves you. The Jewish people cherish you. The world is brighter because of you,” said Netanyahu.

“You are a lighthouse of moral clarity, a fearless voice of faith, and a lifelong champion of the U.S.–Israel alliance. Happy birthday!”

Huckabee has long been a staunch supporter of Israel, expressing strong backing for the Jewish state’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Last week, he said that a Palestinian state is not a priority for the Trump administration and called on European leaders to “reassess” their positions.

JNS

Day 688 — Sunday, August 24

Appearing on a YouTube show earlier this month, Palestinian icon Ahed Tamimi said that she was raised to fight and resist the Jews, not “Zionism,” and that in the context of the Palestinian struggle the distinction is one without meaning. The activist added she doesn’t believe this makes her antisemitic as she harbored no ill will against the religion of Judaism, merely against the “inhumanity” embodied by the Israelis.

Tamimi appeared on “The Enlightenment Podcast,” speaking in Arabic. Her comments were flagged by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

“I was raised [to believe] that Judaism means occupation, and today, tomorrow, and a million years from now, I will continue to say that Judaism be presented to the children of Palestine – children of my age and younger – as occupation, and that we are fighting the Jews, not Zionism.”

She then clarified that she will continue to associate Judaism with Zionism—a malevolent and inhumane force, in her understanding—unless or until Jews rise up against Zionism and fight alongside her.

“The whole world needs to shut up, when a Palestinian is talking,” she went on to say. “We are superior to the entire world, because we are the only ones in the world fighting injustice, at the expense of our lives, and the expense of our humanity.”

She suggested that for her the conflict was something far vaster than a local dispute over territory between two national groups with conflicting claims.

“I have reached a point where I wish for a World War III. Whoever dies, dies, and whoever lives, lives. The important thing is that we will be over with this. I have reached this point. Let the whole world be destroyed, I don’t care. Let them drop nuclear bombs, and destroy the whole world, so it won’t be just the Palestinians.”

Now aged 24, Tamimi shot to international prominence as the face of Palestinian resistance in 2017 when she charged with assaulting Israeli security forces after a video went viral showing her slapping Israeli soldiers near her home in the village of Nabi Saleh in an apparent attempt to provoke them.

i24 News

Day 687 — Saturday, August 23

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce revealed that it is investigating the nation’s largest teachers union on Thursday over whether it discriminates against Jews.

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), the committee chairman, wrote to the National Education Association’s president to demand that the union hand over documents related to alleged antisemitic content in the group’s handbook and its decision to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League.

“The NEA’s 2025 handbook, which outlines the union’s goals and priorities for the upcoming year, contains passages and priorities that are hostile towards the Jewish people,” Walberg wrote. “For example, the handbook states that the union will celebrate International Holocaust Remembrance Day by ‘recognizing more than 12 million victims of the Holocaust from different faiths, ethnicities, races, political beliefs, genders and gender identification, abilities/disabilities and other targeted characteristics.’”

“This obscures the fact that Jews were the primary target of the Holocaust, with 6 million Jews having been murdered at the hands of the Nazis,” the lawmaker wrote.

The handbook also outlines plans to teach the public about the Palestinian nakba—the “catastrophe” or “disaster” of the establishment of modern-day Israel—and to “educate members about the difference between anti-Zionism and antisemitism.”

The NEA is the largest labor union in the United States, representing 3.2 million teachers, school staffers and higher-education faculty and staff.

At the NEA’s annual meeting on July 8, union members passed a resolution to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League over the Jewish group’s support for Israel.

JNS

Day 686 — Friday, August 22

As the debate heats up over the delivery of aid into Gaza, Israeli officials have once again questioned the United Nations over its data, specifically aid getting stolen or intercepted and the number of trucks entering the enclave from Israel.

As of Aug. 12, the U.N. Office for Project Services showed that 3,140 trucks have been intercepted en route to their destinations since May 19. Only 412 trucks, 11.6% of the total sent into the region, reached their targeted location. The U.N. said the aid was taken “either peacefully by hungry people or forcefully armed actors.”

On Tuesday, a review conducted by the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) claimed to have found that the U.N. figures have failed to account for the entry of around 6,000 additional trucks since May. COGAT said Israel has allowed about 9,200 trucks to deliver aid to Gaza in the last three months, a figure 2.5 times higher than the around 3,500 trucks counted by the U.N.

“The fact that the U.N. presents only part of the aid actually transferred misleads the international community and creates a false picture of the situation, directly influencing global media coverage and shaping the positions of international decision-makers regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” a COGAT statement read.

Meanwhile, the often-maligned U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) out-of-the-box aid delivery mechanisms continue to show success, according to the group. Theft and looting have not been an issue for the GHF, which continues to provide between one and two million meals per day through distribution sites secured by armed guards. GHF has provided over 130 million meals since the start of its operations on May 27.

“The presence of armed security is one of the reasons why GHF has been able to deliver aid successfully without a single truck being looted,” noting that “in one of the most volatile and complex operating environments in the world, that security is the only reason food consistently reaches civilians without interference from Hamas.”

Though a group of about 230 NGOs initially rejected the organization on account of what they called “militarized distribution sites,” Chapin Fay, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation spokesperson, said things might be changing as over 200 international organizations, “sent a letter calling on the U.N. to collaborate with us.”

“This is not the militarization of aid… It is the only way to make sure food actually reaches civilians. Every decision we make is guided by protecting lives.”

Fox News 

Day 686 — Friday, August 22

A senior Belgian ruling party official sparked international controversy Tuesday by delivering an outrageous parliamentary statement equating Israel with Hamas terrorists.

“Don’t know who’s a bigger villain, Israel or Hamas,” Matthias Diependaele said in a speech before the Flemish Parliament. Diependaele, who heads one of Belgium’s three regions, belongs to the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), the same center-right party led by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, which includes numerous Israel supporters.

Diependaele’s statement represents another example of a growing wave of center-right Europeans expressing harsh criticism against Israel.

Parliament member Sam van Rooy from the right-wing Vlaams Belang party, a staunch Israel supporter, attacked fiercely. “The Flemish Alliance has completely surrendered to leftist pressure and no longer has a moral compass. He compares a free society and democratic state, existentially threatened, to a gang of murderous Muslim terrorists,” he said.

Van Rooy added, “This is why I continue responding to the anti-Israeli debate, constantly fed by leftist parties and traditional parties – it causes masks to fall. Israel is a litmus test. Now we know that, unfortunately, Flanders is controlled by a prime minister who cannot distinguish between good and evil.”

The outrageous statement comes after Diependaele refused to send “Happy New Year” greetings to the Jewish community, a Belgian custom spanning over a century. Initially, his “advisory cabinet” explained the refusal stemmed from “the sensitive situation in the Middle East.” After a storm erupted over linking holiday greetings to the Middle East situation, Diependaele changed his reasoning and claimed he “does not customarily send greetings for religious holidays” of any religion.

Israel Hayom 

Day 685 — Thursday, August 21

The Trump administration imposed additional sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) for attempting to prosecute American officials, as well as those of allied countries, especially Israel.

In a statement, the State Department said:

Today, the United States is sanctioning four individuals, currently serving on the International Criminal Court (ICC).  The Department of State’s designations are made pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14203, which authorizes sanctions on foreign persons engaged in certain malign efforts by the ICC and aims to impose tangible and significant consequences on those directly engaged in the ICC’s transgressions against the United States and Israel.

The Department is designating the following individuals pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(A) of E.O. 14203, for having directly engaged in any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute a protected person without consent of that person’s country of nationality:

• • KIMBERLY PROST, Judge, Trial Division, International Criminal Court
  • NICOLAS YANN GUILLOU, Judge, Trial Division, International Criminal Court
  • NAZHAT SHAMEEM KHAN, Deputy Prosecutor, International Criminal Court
  • MAME MANDIAYE NIANG, Deputy Prosecutor, International Criminal Court

Prost is being designated for ruling to authorize the ICC’s investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.  Guillou is being designated for ruling to authorize the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.

Deputy Prosecutors Shameem Khan and Niang are being designated for continuing to support illegitimate ICC actions against Israel, including upholding the ICC’s arrest warrants targeting Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant since they assumed leadership for the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor.

The sanctions block the property of the named individuals and prevent them from visiting or doing business in the U.S.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the sanctions (via Government Press Office, translated from Hebrew): “I congratulate US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for deciding to impose sanctions on the judges of the International Court in The Hague. This is a firm measure against the mendacious smear campaign against the State of Israel and the IDF, and for truth and justice.”

As Breitbart News reported in June, Rubio sanctioned four ICC judges for attempting to exert jurisdiction over the U.S. and Israel, though neither are signatories to the Rome Statute under which countries accept the authority of the institution.

President Donald Trump had sanctioned the ICC during his first term, when it attempted to prosecute Americans. President Joe Biden reversed those sanctions, though he claimed at the time that the U.S. still opposed ICC jurisdiction over non-signatories.

Ultimately, the Biden administration could not stop — and, critics claimed, may have actively encouraged — the ICC in its pursuit of senior Israeli officials, which the Netanyahu government condemned as antisemitic.

Breitbart

Day 685 — Thursday, August 21

A German court has ruled that the Buchenwald concentration camp memorial may lawfully refuse entry to visitors wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh, upholding the site’s right to restrict political messaging on its grounds.

The Higher Administrative Court of Thuringia issued its decision on Wednesday after a woman challenged the memorial’s refusal to admit her to an April ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, AFP reported.

She had worn the keffiyeh and later sought court approval to attend another commemorative event this week while wearing the scarf.

Judges determined that the woman’s intent—protesting what she viewed as the memorial’s “one-sided support” for Israeli policies—risked unsettling Jewish visitors. “It is unquestionable that this would endanger the sense of security of many Jews, especially at this site,” the court said. Her right to free expression, it added, was outweighed by the memorial’s “interest in upholding the purpose of the institution.”

An internal Buchenwald document leaked last month described the keffiyeh as “closely associated with efforts to destroy the state of Israel,” though memorial director Jens-Christian Wagner later called some wording in the document “mistaken.”

Wagner emphasized that the keffiyeh is not banned outright but could be restricted if used to relativize Nazi crimes, reported AFP.

Buchenwald, near Weimar, held around 340,000 prisoners during World War II. Some 56,000 died there, with an additional 20,000 perishing in its Mittelbau-Dora annex, where inmates were forced to produce rockets.

JNS

Day 684 — Wednesday, August 20

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blistering ultimatum to French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, demanding action against rising antisemitism by the Jewish New Year and directly linking France’s planned recognition of a Palestinian state to violent attacks on French Jews.

In a scathing letter to the French president, Netanyahu opened with his concern about “the alarming rise of antisemitism in France and the lack of decisive action by your government to confront it.” He noted that antisemitism has plagued French cities for years, but argued it has surged since the French president’s “public statements attacking Israel and signaling recognition of a Palestinian state.”

Netanyahu then connected the violence to the October 7 Hamas attack, writing that “following Hamas’s savage attack on the people of Israel on October 7, 2023, pro-Hamas extremists and left-wing radicals began a campaign of intimidation, vandalism, and violence against Jews across Europe.” In France specifically, Netanyahu argued, “that campaign has intensified on your watch.”

Netanyahu cited multiple violent incidents across France, including the August beating and robbery of a Jewish man wearing a kippah who was robbed of his Star of David necklace in Livry-Gargan. Days earlier, he noted, vandals sprayed the Paris office of El Al airline with red paint and graffiti branding it a “genocide airline.” In June, arsonists targeted a Jewish primary school in Lyon, defacing it with swastikas and pro-Palestinian slogans. The letter also highlighted assaults on rabbis in the streets of Paris.

“These are not isolated incidents. They are a plague,” Netanyahu wrote, directly blaming Macron’s diplomatic positions for the violence. “Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on this antisemitic fire. It is not diplomacy, it is appeasement.” He accused this policy of rewarding “Hamas terror” and hardening “Hamas’s refusal to free the hostages” while emboldening “those who menace French Jews.”

Netanyahu then employed a stark warning to underscore his demands: “President Macron, antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. It retreats when leaders act.”

Netanyahu contrasted France’s approach with President Donald Trump’s anti-antisemitism policies, praising the American leader for “protecting the civil rights of American Jews, enforcing the law, protecting public order and prosecuting antisemitic crimes,” while also deporting Hamas sympathizers and revoking visas of foreign students who “incite violence against Jews.”

The letter concluded with a clear deadline: Netanyahu called on Macron to “replace weakness with action, appeasement with resolve” by September 23, 2025, the Jewish New Year. “History will not forgive hesitation. It will honor action,” he warned.

France’s response was immediate and fierce. The Élysée Palace denounced Netanyahu’s accusations as “abject” and “erroneous,” declaring that “France protects and will always protect its Jewish citizens” and that the letter “will not go unanswered.”

“The claim that France’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state as early as September is the cause of the rise in antisemitic violence in France is incorrect, outrageous, and will not go unanswered,” the Élysée Palace said in a statement. “This is a time for seriousness and responsibility, not for conflation and manipulation,” the French presidency added.

Benjamin Haddad, France’s minister for Europe, rejected Netanyahu’s criticism outright, stating that France has “no lessons to learn in the fight against antisemitism” and warning that the issue, “which is poisoning our European societies,” must not be “exploited.”

The confrontation comes on the same day Netanyahu engaged in a similar battle with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whom he labeled a “weak politician who abandoned Australia’s Jews.” The clash with Australia erupted after Canberra banned Israeli Knesset member Simcha Rothman from entering the country on Monday for a solidarity mission to embattled Jewish communities, citing concerns he might “radicalize Muslims.”

Breitbart

Day 684 — Wednesday, August 20

Defense Minister Israel Katz yesterday approved the IDF’s attack plan for Gaza City, presented to him by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the IDF senior command team.

The operation will be called “Gideon Chariots 2”, following the previous “Gideon Chariots” operation, which led to the decisive defeat of Hamas throughout the majority of Gaza and allowed the IDF to take control of 75% of Gaza’s territory, while neutralizing Hamas operatives and destroying terrorist infrastructure both above and below ground in cleared areas.

As part of the plan, the necessary reserve orders will be issued to carry out the assault. In addition, the required humanitarian preparations were approved to accommodate residents who are expected to evacuate southward from Gaza City at the start of the attack, in order to isolate Hamas operatives until they are neutralized.

On Tuesday, the Chief of Staff briefed the Defense Minister on the need to call up an additional 60,000 reservists to support the operation. This would bring the total number of reservists mobilized to 130,000, including the 70,000 already on duty. The new call-up orders are expected to be issued for early September. However, military officials are concerned that turnout may be lower than in previous rounds due to signs of fatigue among reservists.

Once the operation begins, military planners believe control over Gaza could be established within two months. However, they anticipate that reservists will need to remain in the area longer to complete clearance operations targeting remaining pockets of Hamas forces and hidden weapons stockpiles.

Arutz Sheva

Day 683 — Tuesday, August 19

President Donald Trump said Monday that the remaining Israeli hostages will only be returned once Hamas is “confronted and destroyed,” as the Gaza-based terrorist group cited alleged progress in ongoing ceasefire talks. 

The U.S. and Israel pulled their negotiators from Qatar last month, with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff saying at the time that Hamas demonstrated a “lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza” and were likely not negotiating in good faith. 

“We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday morning. 

“The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be,” Trump wrote. “Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!). I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter!” 

The message came ahead of Trump’s meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House on Monday as they try to iron out a separate peace deal with Russia. 

Meanwhile, in the Middle East, the Iran-backed Hamas said Monday it has accepted a new proposal from Arab mediators for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip that would still need Israel’s approval. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response that Hamas is under “enormous pressure” after Israel announced plans to reoccupy Gaza City and other heavily populated areas after ceasefire negotiations again stalled in Qatar last month.

“I hear the media reports – and from them, you can draw one conclusion: Hamas is under enormous pressure,” Netanyahu said in a Hebrew video statement translated by Fox News. 

Fox News

Day 683 — Tuesday, August 19

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced Monday that Israel has revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, escalating a diplomatic dispute with Canberra. The decision was formally conveyed to the Australian Ambassador to Israel earlier in the day.

Sa’ar also instructed Israel’s embassy in Canberra to scrutinize any future visa applications by Australian officials seeking entry into Israel.

The move comes in response to Australia’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state and its refusal to grant visas to several Israeli figures, including former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chair Simcha Rothman.

In a statement, Sa’ar accused the Australian government of fueling anti-Semitism instead of addressing what he described as a rise in violent incidents targeting Jews and Jewish institutions in the country.

“Australia is acting against Israel, and Australia is also persecuting Israelis,” Sa’ar said. “The decision to ban entry to Israeli figures such as Ayelet Shaked and Simcha Rothman must be seen in this context. That is why I decided to revoke the residence visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority, and we will take further measures if necessary.”

Sa’ar argued that by framing the entry of Israelis as a threat to public order and to Australia’s Muslim community, Canberra was legitimizing anti-Semitic narratives rather than confronting them.

The announcement signals a deepening rift in relations between Israel and Australia, with both sides expected to weigh additional steps in the coming days.

i24 News

Day 682 — Monday, August 18

A Gazan woman who was evacuated to Italy and died there was suffering from aggressive leukemia, Israel revealed on Sunday, after a report by the British BBC alleged that 20-year-old Marah Salad Mahmoud Zohry died of “malnutrition.”

The British outlet, as well as several other outlets, claimed that the woman, who was “severely emaciated,” died in a hospital in Pisa after being flown to Italy as part of a medical evacuation program.

According to the University Hospital in the city, Zohry died from cardiac arrest while undergoing some tests and having started treatment less than two days after she arrived.

The hospital said she had “a very complex clinical picture” and was suffering from “severe loss of weight and muscle,” while Italian news agencies added she was severely malnourished.

After the BBC published the report with the headline claiming Zohry “died of malnutrition,” Israel corrected the report.

“20-year-old Marah Zohry suffered from leukemia,” wrote COGAT, the IDF unit coordinating humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip, on 𝕏.

“Italian authorities contacted Israel requesting Marah’s evacuation due to her illness, and Israel approved it,” COGAT noted.

“Her evacuation could have taken place earlier, as Israel had proposed several possible dates for the transfer. Israel facilitates the medical transfer of patients, with a focus on children, and encourages countries around the world to make such requests, while Hamas keeps cynically exploiting them for its twisted agenda.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein slammed the BBC on 𝕏: “The BBC World headline: ‘malnutrition’. The facts: ‘leukemia’.”

“This is not journalism. This is Hamas propaganda,” Marmorstein charged.

Both Marmorstein and COGAT published a copy of a medical report from the Cancer Center at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, confirming that Zohry suffered from “promyelocytic leukemia.”

This is a rare and highly aggressive form of blood cancer, with an average survival rate of less than a month if not treated.

Last week, the IDF and COGAT published results of an investigation into the broad campaign accusing Israel of intentionally starving the population of Gaza, which often uses pictures of emaciated children.

“Hamas’s ‘Starvation Campaign’ is a coordinated effort to mislead the public,” the IDF wrote on 𝕏.

“A thorough review by the defense establishment exposes how Hamas is misrepresenting deaths from pre-existing medical conditions as malnutrition to advance their political agenda.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented three such examples during a press conference last week.

All Israel News

Day 682 — Monday, August 18

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told conservative radio host Mark Levin on Thursday that George Soros had aligned with Hamas and Iran in the war against Israel — a war in the field, and the media.

Levin asked Netanyahu about the rise of antisemitism in the wake of the October 7, 2023, terror attack by Hamas, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed and over 250 people were taken hostage to Gaza.

He said: “This is a campaign of vilification and lies that is perpetrated by Hamas, but it’s given [a] tailwind by various NGOs [non-governmental organizations], the same people who do Antifa and these other incredible anti-American protests, funded by Qatar and Iran, and perhaps by other powers in the world, and certainly by NGOs like the Soros [Open Society] Foundation and others that you know. So they’re sort of ganging up on israel — not only ganging up in the field, and we have to fight the Iran terror axis of which Hamas is a part, and it’s led by Iran, but it’s also the battle for truth and the puncturing of lies that they put forth on Israel.”

The Open Society Foundations, created by billionaire left-wing Democratic Party megadonor George Soros and controlled by his son, Alex Soros, funds organizations that often have a radical agenda.

Soros himself, while a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, is vehemently anti-Israel, and has funded groups such as J Street that oppose Israeli government policy and often seek to vilify Israel in the media and on Capitol Hill.

Breitbart

Day 681 — Sunday, August 17

“Hamas is first and foremost a group of murderers,” Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said on Saturday, speaking in response to international figures’ recent characterization of the terrorist group as a political party.

Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for Palestinian rights, and Ian Williams, president of the Foreign Press Association New York, “both excused Hamas” by considering it a legitimate political party, Leiter said in a recorded message posted on X.

Leiter continued his remarks on Saturday, saying, “Calling yourself a political party does not provide you refuge from being a murderer. Hamas is a political party, yes, but in its charter—its political charter—it clearly calls for the annihilation of Israel and the murder of Jews.

“The fact that [Hamas] couches themselves in terms of politics doesn’t excuse them, doesn’t let them off the hook, it means that they must be defeated, like their predecessors: like the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, like Stalin in the Soviet Union, like the Arrow Cross in Hungary, like the Ustaše in Croatia,” the ambassador said.

“These are all political parties, but they’re murderous political parties, and they have to be defeated—like the Nazis had to be defeated. They, too, Francesca, were elected by the people,” the Israeli official said.

In footage shared by UN Watch on Friday, Albanese, speaking to an audience, appeared to ridicule the framing of Hamas as an evil organization. It is unclear when the comments were made.

“But Hamas, Hamas, Hamas …, I don’t think people have any idea what Hamas is,” the U.N. official said in Italian. “Hamas is a political force that won the 2005 [actually 2006—JNS] elections—whether we like it or not. Hamas built schools, public facilities, hospitals. It was simply the authority, the de facto authority,” she said.

Leiter lambasted the suggestion that Hamas’s electoral victory can trump morality.

“The United States was actually founded [on the basis of morality]. There are truths that are self-evident, that are undeniable, that are irreversible. And one of them is that you can’t advance your political platform through murder, through rape, as Hamas attempts to do in implementing the first paragraph of their charter to annihilate Israel and to kill Jews,” Leiter stressed.

“Israel’s war against Hamas is not only to defend its people and its nation and its borders. It is also a war against the moral depravity that is being advanced by people like Francesca Albanese and Ian Williams. It’s to remind the world that there are values that no election and no political platform can possibly justify,” the Israeli ambassador said.

On Tuesday, Williams spoke to CNN about slain Gazan Anas al-Sharif, whom Israel said was a Hamas operative who posed as a journalist.

“Frankly, I don’t care whether al-Sharif was in Hamas or not. We don’t kill journalists for being Republicans or Democrats or, in Britain, Labour Party,” Williams said.

The Foreign Press Association president moreover stated that Palestinian reporters should be trusted while the Israeli government “has to be taken with a hundred grains of salt, because what they say has no relation to reality.”

Hamas is a political organization as well as a terrorist organization, he continued.

When asked to clarify what he meant by “not caring” whether al-Sharif was in Hamas or not, Williams replied that he does not believe Israel, which “lied and lied and lied.” Al-Sharif has been working “24 hours” as a journalist and thus “did not have time to work in a cell on the side.”

Williams then complained that Israel has not permitted foreign reporters to enter Gaza, adding that when it does, “I would make sure that they compose their wills before they go, because the [Israel Defense Forces] has no compunction.”

JNS

Day 680 — Saturday, August 16

An international aid worker operating in Gaza has filed a formal whistleblower complaint to the Inspector General of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), alleging “gross misconduct and misuse of humanitarian funds by the World Food Programme and other U.N. Agencies,” according to a copy of the complaint obtained by Fox News Digital.

Details of alleged United Nations interference in the delivery of aid to Gazans have been revealed by the whistleblower who was in Gaza in July. The whistleblower confirmed to Fox News Digital the content of the complaint. 

The whistleblower’s complaint claims “A firsthand eyewitnessing of senior Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials offering any support necessary, including security protection and coordination, to representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP) and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) only to have WFP and OCHA respond that they were not prepared to discuss such coordination.”

According to the whistleblower complaint, this “raises serious questions as to why WFP and OCHA were unprepared to discuss or accept the assistance offered by the IDF, thereby preventing aid from getting to the people of Gaza.”

The whistleblower confirmed to Fox News Digital during an interview the allegations outlined in the complaint. The whistleblower said in the complaint that “the IDF is actively helping the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) get food into the hands of civilians while U.N. agencies, including WFP and OCHA, through their unwillingness to coordinate with the IDF, are inhibiting the distribution of such aid.”

The whistleblower continued, “As has been recently shown through openly available imagery, the IDF has provided clearance for thousands of tons of U.N. humanitarian goods that are now sitting inside of Gaza, awaiting distribution. The U.N. must be held accountable to pick up and distribute such aid. I urge you to launch an independent investigation into this matter to determine the extent to which U.N. agencies, by refusing to coordinate with the IDF on essential issues, including security, are abusing U.S. taxpayer funds rather than using them to deliver the aid the American people are donating – and whether such actions are being taken independently by U.N. officials in Gaza or at the direction of the U.N. Secretary General or other senior U.N. officials in New York. “

The GHF, with support from the U.S. and Israel, has distributed 127 million meals to Gazans since May. However, its aid distribution system has been under consistent attack from Hamas and from some unlikely quarters — the world’s leading aid groups.

The whistleblower told Fox News Digital “There is a concerted effort to discredit GHF and any attempts to provide aid out of [the] U.N.”

A senior U.S. State Department official sent Fox News Digital a lengthy response. The official said, “The fact of the matter remains that GHF is a threat to how Hamas functions and enriches itself because GHF provides meals to those in need with safeguards to minimize Hamas from stealing. This is why Hamas continues to attack GHF aid sites.” 

GHF Executive Chair, Reverend Johnnie Moore, told Fox News Sunday that the U.N. would rather aid Hamas, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, than help the charity. 

According to the State Department official, “Aid diversion to terrorists frequently occurs in conflict zones under Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) control. It is a moral and legal obligation, and our duty to the American taxpayer, to work with our partners to ensure this ends immediately. There is endless video evidence of Hamas looting, not to mention members of the aid-industrial complex who have admitted that looting exists by reporting it as ‘self-distribution,‘ in a poor attempt at an aid corruption coverup.” 

Fox News

Day 680 — Saturday, August 16

The Israel Defense Forces killed Nasser Musa, a senior operative in Hamas’s Rafah Brigade who headed the terrorist group’s Military Control Department, last week in a strike near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, the military announced on Friday.

Musa, killed on Aug. 9, was responsible for the operational readiness and training of the Rafah Brigade, which carried out attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians during the war.

He was a close associate of Rafah Brigade commander Mohammad Sabaneh, who was killed in May 2025. He also held multiple positions within the brigade, including in military intelligence and the observation network.

“Musa’s elimination further degrades the Rafah Brigade’s operational capabilities and Hamas terrorists’ abilities,” said the IDF.

Meanwhile, the IDF continues operations in Khan Yunis. On Thursday, it struck a structure used by terrorist groups to store rockets intended for attacks on Israeli targets. Troops also located and dismantled additional terrorist infrastructure and neutralized active terrorist cells.

In northern Gaza, IDF soldiers killed terrorists and demolished tunnel shafts, and “continue to defend the civilians of the communities near the Strip,” the military added.

Earlier this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir confirmed a new phase in the war against Hamas, focused on securing operational control of Gaza City.

New York Post

Day 679 — Friday, August 15

The families of three Israeli hostages being held in Gaza are suing the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, for his alleged support for the Hamas terrorists who kidnapped their loved ones, Shurat Hadin—Israel Law Center announced on Wednesday.

The 20 million shekel ($5.83 million) lawsuit filed with the Jerusalem District Court accuses Khan of leveling false accusations against the State of Israel, as well as providing services to terrorist groups, it said.

The lawsuit was brought by the parents of Hamas captive Eitan Mor, the brother of captive Omri Miran and the mother of hostage Avinatan Or.

They argued that Khan’s refusal to issue arrest warrants for additional Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders, particularly those living in Qatar and other Arab nations, had led to a situation where 50 hostages are still held.

The purpose of the lawsuit is to have Khan pay “for his failure to pursue Hamas terrorists and for going after Israel for war crimes allegations, aiding and abetting Hamas and thus being responsible for the situation of hostages still being kept in captivity,” Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, the president of Shurat Hadin—Israel Law Center, told JNS on Wednesday. 

“It’s also to deter the next chief prosecutor, the one who will take over, because Karim Khan is on leave. Whoever replaces him needs to take action against Hamas in order to rescue the hostages,” she said. “Hamas has to be destroyed and Khan is doing exactly the opposite. He does not take any legal action against them and by going after Israel, he is giving legitimacy to Hamas and legitimacy for them to keep holding the hostages.”

Darshan-Leiter said that this is the first such case filed against Khan. “We are going after him personally, because nothing moves in the [International Criminal] Court without preliminary steps by the chief prosecutor. He is the one who needs to initiate an investigation and bring charges against Hamas leaders,” she said.

Mor told JNS on Wednesday, “We can see from day one of this war that the ICC is against Israel.” He added, “Israel was attacked by Hamas and instead of standing with us, the ICC is fighting Israel while my own son is still there in captivity.”

Mor is the co-founder of the Tikva Forum, an alternative to the larger Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which is opposed to the idea of a ceasefire deal at any cost and believes that only military pressure will lead to their loved ones’ release.

“This is not about money, it’s about Israeli honor. I want the world to see that this is what will happen to whoever wants to stand against us while Israel is fighting Hamas,” Mor told JNS.

JNS

Day 679 — Friday, August 15

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a United Nations-linked global partnership with a tool for improving food security, recently declared a “worst-care scenario of famine” report for Gaza. However, the IPC seemingly manipulated the conclusion by lowering the bar and using a new malnutrition measure that is usually not applied for famine determinations, The Washington Free Beacon reported on Tuesday.

The IPC report claimed that “mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths” in Hamas-controlled territory in Gaza. 

The IPC is global coalition that consists of various UN agencies, Western governments and humanitarian organizations. The Free Beacon revealed that unlike past IPC evaluations, the Gaza report used the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), which has previously not been applied for determining potential famine. Furthermore, the IPC’s Gaza report notably reduced the percentage of children suffering malnutrition to 15%. Normally, famine is declared when 30% of the children in a specific territory suffer from acute malnutrition. 

In addition, traditional methods for determining famine typically calculate both height and weight. This approach is labor-intensive but generally accurate. By contrast, the MUAC method used in the IPC Gaza report is simpler and quicker, as it focuses solely on arm circumference. It is also less accurate than traditional methods.

The IPC’s Gaza report de-emphasized its radically revised criteria, which is only found in a small asterisk below a chart with the title “When is Famine Classified?” In addition, the new criteria are not mentioned in the IPC’s official “Famine Fact Sheet.” 

Additionally, the IPC’s manual list defines MUAC as supplementary data point and not main indicator for famine determination. The IPC manual emphasizes that the IPC can only produce a “famine classification” when it has “reliable data” based on height, weight and other non-MUC measurements. 

The implications of the new report potentially extend beyond Gaza and have already raised concerns among experienced aid workers. 

“It’s a pretty big shift in standards,” one aid worker told the Free Beacon. “Lowering the bar makes it easier for a famine determination to be made,” the aid worker added.

Another aid worker stressed that previous famine declarations in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia used the more precise 30% weight-for-height measurements. Even when using the less accurate MUAC-measurement, the IPC Gaza report indicated that malnutrition is below 8% for children in the cities Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. The worst result was recorded in Gaza City – 16.5%, which is barely above the new significantly lowered 15% threshold but far below the traditional 30% benchmark. 

The IPC Gaza report also cited “over 20,000 children” treated for “acute malnutrition” between April and mid-July. The data also included over 3,000 severely malnourished and 16 hunger-related deaths. However, all the data came from “internal documents” that are currently not available to the public. Notably, much of IPC’s data hails from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry, which has at times distorted casualty figures in Gaza throughout the war and listed thousands of killed Hamas terrorists as “civilians.” 

The IPC has so far refrained from responding to the Free Beacon’s questions concerning its changed measurement tools or the credibility of its data sources. 

However, leading international media outlets like the New York Times, CNN and ABC News have already quoted the IPC report and blamed Israel’s aid restrictions for the alleged “mass starvation” in the Gaza Strip. 

The Israeli military released on Tuesday new information that exposed the Hamas-driven “starvation campaign.” It concluded that most alleged “malnutrition” deaths in Gaza were attributed to pre-existing medical conditions and not related to famine. The purpose of the campaign has been to increase international pressure on Israel to end its military offensive against Hamas, which still holds 50 Israeli hostages including 20 who are believed to be still alive but have been deliberately starved by Hamas. 

“Hamas’s ‘Starvation Campaign’ is a coordinated effort to mislead the public,” the Israeli military wrote on 𝕏. 

“A thorough review by the defense establishment exposes how Hamas is misrepresenting deaths from pre-existing medical conditions as malnutrition to advance their political agenda,” the IDF added. 

All Israel News

Day 678 — Thursday, August 14

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that there was a “battle for truth” raging amid Israel’s eight-front war with Iran and its proxies.

At Newsmax’s U.S. Independence Day reception in Jerusalem, he stressed the importance of combating the “mutilation of truth,” and thanked the outlet for “standing up with Israel, standing up for the truth.”

Netanyahu took aim at the narrative that Israel is deliberately starving people in the Gaza Strip.

“The only deliberate starvation policy that we see in Gaza is the starving of our hostages, and you can see that when you look at their captors and you see our emaciated hostages and these corpulent tormentors,” he said.

If Israel did actually have a deliberate starvation policy, then “everybody in Gaza would be dead,” he said.

Israel has sent 1.9 million tons of food and medical aid into Gaza, but “Hamas began to loot, rob, kill, take over humanitarian aid,” he continued. He stated that Israel had tried to implement its own system, in which “American companies would distribute the aid directly to Palestinian civilians,” but Hamas “shot their way in, created riots, created every interdiction possible, and so we had a period of deprivation.” 

“Hamas caused the hunger problem, Hamas caused the shortage problem and Israel is blamed, again falsely,” he said.

He noted that there has been a “humanitarian surge” for safe distribution of aid to Gaza civilians, which includes airdrops and quadrupling distribution points.

“Now hundreds of trucks go in daily and that hunger problem, that deprivation problem, has basically been solved,” he said.

But “the campaign of lies” against Israel has not stopped, he continued, highlighting the photo of an emaciated child published in The New York Times. Netanyahu pointed out that the child’s brother and mother in the photo appeared healthy, and that the child was afflicted with cerebral palsy.