President Donald Trump revealed Thursday that a new governing body, described as a Gaza “board of peace,” has been established as part of the second phase of a U.S.-supported framework aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
Announcing the move on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed,” adding that the names of those appointed to the body would be released “shortly.”
Trump went on to praise the new panel in sweeping terms, declaring, “I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place.”
The announcement follows the recent unveiling of a separate 15-member Palestinian technocratic committee that is intended to oversee the daily administration of Gaza once major combat operations conclude.
According to Trump, that committee will operate under the authority of the newly created board of peace, which he said he will personally chair.
The broader plan also envisions the arrival of an International Stabilisation Force that would be tasked with maintaining security in Gaza and assisting in the training of approved Palestinian police units.
Reacting to the developments, senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said Thursday, “The ball is now in the court of the mediators, the American guarantor and the international community to empower the committee.”
The U.S.-backed initiative originally took effect on Oct. 10, leading to the release of all hostages held by Hamas and bringing an end to active fighting between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist organization in Gaza.
While the second phase of the plan has now begun, it is unfolding amid continued claims of humanitarian aid shortages and sporadic violence.
For Palestinians, a central unresolved issue remains the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, a provision included in the framework but one that lacks a specific implementation schedule.
At the same time, Hamas has declined to publicly agree to full disarmament, a condition Israel has stated is non-negotiable.
Addressing the issue earlier this week, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff wrote on Truth Social that Washington expects Hamas to “comply fully with its obligations.”
Separately, Hamas has begun preparations for internal elections intended to reconstitute its leadership, much of which has been eliminated during the war.
A Hamas official told AFP on Monday that the vote is expected to take place “in the first months of 2026.”
Trump shared Witkoff’s remarks on Thursday and added his own endorsement of the transitional leadership, writing, “These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future!”
He also outlined broader regional backing for the initiative, stating, “With the support of Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, we will secure a COMPREHENSIVE Demilitarization Agreement with Hamas, including the surrender of ALL weapons, and the dismantling of EVERY tunnel.”
{Matzav.com}
A major Siyum HaShas and Hachnasas Sefer Torah were held at Yeshiva Lev Eliyahu in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Yerushalayim, drawing leading rabbonim and roshei yeshiva from across the spectrum of the Torah world.
The event took place in the yeshiva’s main beis medrash with the participation of Rav Yitzchak Yosef, alongside senior roshei yeshiva and rabbanim. The talmidim completed the study of the entire Shas in memory of the late rosh yeshiva, Rav Yaakov Zechariah zt”l, and in memory of a close supporter of the yeshiva, Raphael Halevi ben Esther.
Among the speakers were Rav Yitzchak Yosef; Rav Yechiel Chaim Sofer, rosh yeshiva of Kaf HaChaim; Rav Shlomo Yedidya Zafrani; Rav Ovadia Chazan; Rav Elchanan Sharabani, rosh yeshiva of Lev Eliyahu LeTze’irim; members of the yeshiva’s staff; and the yeshiva’s director-general, Meir Zechariah.
Speakers recalled the mesirus nefesh of the late rosh yeshiva zt”l for Torah learning and teaching, and offered words of chizuk to the bochurim during a period they described as one of mounting pressure on those dedicated to Torah study.
In a forceful address, Rav Shlomo Yedidya Zafrani told the bochurim: “If they come to arrest you, tell them that you are already detained by the Torah. Why is the Yom Tov called Atzeres? Because we received the Torah and we are ‘held’ by the Torah. If you want not to be detained, be detained by the Torah. Give yourselves over to Torah learning. Fortunate are you that you merit completing the entire Shas together.”
Following the remarks, a formal Siyum HaShas was conducted by Rav Eliyahu Moshe HaKohen Saban, one of the yeshiva’s rabbeim who spearheaded the initiative and encouraged the bochurim throughout their intensive learning of the masechtos. The evening concluded with the writing of letters in a new, beautifully crafted Sefer Torah, which was brought into the yeshiva in a celebratory procession marked by song and dance in honor of the Torah.
ישיבת לב אליהו (42) ישיבת לב אליהו (1) ישיבת לב אליהו (2) ישיבת לב אליהו (3) ישיבת לב אליהו (4) ישיבת לב אליהו (5) ישיבת לב אליהו (6) ישיבת לב אליהו (7) ישיבת לב אליהו (8) ישיבת לב אליהו (9) ישיבת לב אליהו (10) ישיבת לב אליהו (11) ישיבת לב אליהו (12) ישיבת לב אליהו (13) ישיבת לב אליהו (14) ישיבת לב אליהו (15) ישיבת לב אליהו (16) ישיבת לב אליהו (17) ישיבת לב אליהו (18) ישיבת לב אליהו (19) ישיבת לב אליהו (20) ישיבת לב אליהו (21) ישיבת לב אליהו (22) ישיבת לב אליהו (23) ישיבת לב אליהו (24) ישיבת לב אליהו (25) ישיבת לב אליהו (26) ישיבת לב אליהו (27) ישיבת לב אליהו (28) ישיבת לב אליהו (29) ישיבת לב אליהו (30) ישיבת לב אליהו (31) ישיבת לב אליהו (32) ישיבת לב אליהו (33) ישיבת לב אליהו (34) ישיבת לב אליהו (35) ישיבת לב אליהו (36) ישיבת לב אליהו (37) ישיבת לב אליהו (38) ישיבת לב אליהו (39) ישיבת לב אליהו (40) ישיבת לב אליהו (41)A storm has been brewing behind the scenes within the Israeli Agudas Yisroel’s Chassidishe leadership as pressure mounts over Israel’s proposed draft legislation. According to a report in Hamodia, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel has decided to reissue a formal resolution originally adopted in 5779 (2019), declaring firm opposition to any draft law that includes sanctions or mandatory enlistment targets and signaling an intention to vote against such legislation.
The decision follows intense internal deliberations within the Moetzes, against the backdrop of political pressure and looming legal threats related to yeshiva deferments. Senior Chassidic leaders made clear that, in their view, there can be no compromise at the expense of full-time Torah learners.
Israeli media reports describe sharp disagreements during recent discussions. While several Chassidic courts pushed for a strongly worded, updated declaration, Belz reportedly worked to block the publication of a new resolution, citing concerns over internal unity.
The solution ultimately adopted was described by insiders as principled: Rather than issuing a new text, the Moetzes chose to republish its 5779 resolution and reaffirming it as the binding and official position of UTJ’s Chassidic leadership.
In its original—and now renewed—language, the Moetzes expresses deep anguish over what it describes as an escalating campaign by state authorities against bnei yeshivos. The resolution calls for the formal regulation of the status of Torah learners, while insisting that this be done without personal or institutional sanctions, without arrests, and without any numerical enlistment targets.
The document further states that any legislation harming those engaged in Torah study, or setting compulsory goals for enlistment, is unacceptable and must be opposed “with all force.”
{Matzav.com}
Russia has granted citizenship to former Gaza hostage Maksim Harkin, 36, shortly after his release in the most recent deal, the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv announced on Thursday.
According to the embassy, Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov met this week with Harkin and his mother, Natalia, and informed them of the decision. The report was first disclosed by Itamar Eichner on Kan 11.
In its statement, the embassy said that “Ambassador Viktorov emphasized that, on the instruction of Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, focused efforts were undertaken to ensure Maksim’s swift return from captivity in Gaza. Russian diplomats maintained continuous contact with their Israeli counterparts and with all relevant parties on this issue, which was of the highest priority for us.”
Following his release, Harkin reunited with his five-year-old daughter Monica, who lives in Russia, as well as with his mother. Speaking to Ynet, he described the reunion as deeply emotional, saying, “It gives so much strength — a dream that came true. I promised my daughter that I am with her, and I will stay with her.”
Shortly after his release, Harkin’s mother told the Russian news agency RIA that her son had expressed a strong desire to receive Russian citizenship and had planned to complete the process upon his return from captivity.
In his conversation with Ynet, Harkin also addressed the public response to his ordeal, saying, “I’m in an emotional storm from the love I’m receiving from you, the people. It’s important for me to say that unity is an insane achievement — preserve it. Be together, and that’s how we’ll live happily, as we deserve. You see people, what they’re doing for us. I try to hold on to the hope that people gave us.”
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump was overcome with emotion when a group of freed hostages and their families came to the White House last October, according to his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who shared the account Thursday night at a major pro-Israel gathering.
Speaking at the opening session of the Israeli-American Council National Summit, Steve Witkoff described a moment that followed the release of 20 hostages, saying the experience struck Trump on a deeply personal level.
“It was deeply personal to President Trump. When we got the 20 hostages home, the last 20, and their families came to the White House, the President pulled me aside. I saw the tears. He doesn’t like anyone to see tears. And he said to me, ‘This is the greatest day I’ve ever had in the White House,’” Witkoff said.
Witkoff then reflected on his own personal connection to the mission, explaining how the loss of his son shaped his perspective and his work alongside the families of the hostages.
“I’m a member of that really bad club that has lost a child. So, for me, it was very personal, and I think the President knew that. And so, when he allowed me to take this job, it was the greatest blessing of my life, because my son’s death then got to mean something for me. I got to meet these incredible families and work with them and meet the most incredible people I ever had the privilege of working with. It was a very special experience.”
He concluded by describing how he feels guided by his late son as he continues this work, portraying the experience as both painful and profoundly meaningful.
“I feel that my boy puts his hand on my shoulder and leads me to these places. And his death now feels like it counts for something. Like that was his purpose. God took him back at 23, but asked me through him or asked him through me to meet these wonderful families. It’s the blessing of my life. I don’t know how to describe it any more than that.”
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump has been cautioned by senior advisers that a broad military assault on Iran would probably fail to bring down the regime and could instead trigger a far-reaching regional conflict, according to U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
The report said the administration is currently watching closely how Tehran responds to ongoing unrest, with officials weighing the regime’s treatment of protesters before deciding whether any military action is warranted and, if so, how extensive it should be.
U.S. officials said a large-scale operation would require a significant buildup of American forces in the Middle East, both to conduct a sustained strike and to protect U.S. troops and allies, including Israel, from retaliation. American and regional officials warned the White House that even an intense bombing campaign was unlikely to topple Iran’s leadership and could instead ignite a wider war. Limited strikes, they added, might encourage protesters but would not stop the regime’s violent crackdown.
According to the officials, Trump has not yet reached a final decision, but has ordered military resources to be positioned in the region should he choose to authorize a major attack.
“The president and his team have communicated to the Iranian regime that if the killing continues, there will be grave consequences,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
“Only President Trump knows what he’s going to do and a very, very small team of advisers are read into his thinking.”
At one point Wednesday, tensions appeared to peak, with U.S. military action against Iran seeming increasingly likely. The situation later eased after Trump said he had been informed that the killing of protesters had come to a halt.
“We have been notified pretty strongly that the killing in Iran is stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
He added, “I’ve been told that in good authority. We’ll find out about it, I’m sure. If it happens, we’ll be very upset.”
By Thursday morning, Iranian authorities had reopened the country’s airspace, which had been shut for several hours. The regime also announced it would not carry out the execution of Erfan Soltani, a 26-year-old man detained during the recent protests whose case had become a rallying point for demonstrators.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump said Thursday night that the second phase of his 20-point peace initiative for Gaza is now underway, describing it as a major step following the ceasefire and expanded humanitarian access to the territory.
“As Steve Witkoff announced, we have OFFICIALLY entered the next phase of Gaza’s 20-Point Peace Plan!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, citing remarks made Wednesday by Steve Witkoff.
Trump said his administration has already made significant progress since the ceasefire took effect. “Since the Ceasefire, my team has helped deliver RECORD LEVELS of Humanitarian Aid to Gaza, reaching Civilians at HISTORIC speed and scale. Even the United Nations has acknowledged this achievement as UNPRECEDENTED. These results have set the stage for this next phase,” he wrote.
The president said the next stage of the plan would involve a new governing structure inside Gaza during a transition period. “As Chairman of the Board of Peace, I am backing a newly appointed Palestinian Technocratic Government, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, supported by the Board’s High Representative, to govern Gaza during its transition. These Palestinian leaders are unwaveringly committed to a PEACEFUL future!” Trump stated.
Trump said regional support would be central to enforcing security provisions in Gaza, particularly the dismantling of Hamas’ military capabilities. “With the support of Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar, we will secure a COMPREHENSIVE Demilitarization Agreement with Hamas, including the surrender of ALL weapons, and the dismantling of EVERY tunnel. Hamas must IMMEDIATELY honor its commitments, including the return of the final body to Israel, and proceed without delay to full Demilitarization. As I have said before, they can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The people of Gaza have suffered long enough. The time is NOW.”
Trump ended his message with a familiar slogan: “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”
Earlier Thursday, Trump separately announced the formal establishment of the “Board of Peace for Gaza,” describing it as a cornerstone of the broader initiative and saying details about its membership would follow.
“It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed. The Members of the Board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he wrote on Truth Social.
Witkoff’s declaration that Phase Two had begun came even as the body of Ran Gvili, the final hostage, remains in Gaza.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas was required to return all hostages during the first phase, but it continues to hold Gvili’s body while claiming it does not know its whereabouts.
Israeli officials have said they provided Hamas with specific information regarding Gvili’s burial location, but the group has disregarded the details.
The Israeli government has repeatedly stated that it opposes moving forward with the second phase of the agreement until Hamas fully complies with all commitments from Phase One, including the return of Gvili’s body.
{Matzav.com}
Large-scale protests across Iran have largely vanished not because the unrest has been resolved, but because heavily armed security forces have effectively confined residents to their homes, according to accounts shared with The New York Post.
After weeks of demonstrations against the regime that reportedly left thousands dead, an overwhelming security deployment has brought public dissent to a halt, with many Iranians now too frightened to leave their homes.
“There were tanks out — there’s tanks everywhere,” one source told The Post after speaking with relatives in Tehran about conditions on the ground.
“There’s trucks that are covered, with 10 people inside with machine guns just aiming them at everyone on the street.”
Another Tehran resident described a city paralyzed by fear, as police and security forces flood major roads, set up checkpoints, and stop vehicles at will.
The source said the relative quiet seen in Tehran on Thursday followed widespread killings of demonstrators, estimating that more than 2,600 people have died since the protests erupted, citing figures from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
“There are no protests anymore because of massive killings. With 12,000 dead, people are terrified,” the local said, referring to higher casualty estimates cited by activist groups.
The source urged President Trump to intervene immediately, despite Trump’s statement Wednesday that “the other side” had suggested Iran had stopped killing protesters.
“We are waiting for Trump’s action, he promised to support Iranian protesters if the regime killed them! It is the time to attack this brutal regime!” the local said.
Trump had previously warned that military action was possible if the Iranian government continued to massacre demonstrators.
Photographs from Tehran on Thursday showed residents cautiously moving through the city, attempting to resume daily routines amid burned-out vehicles and other wreckage left behind by the unrest.
Some people were seen traveling to hospitals and morgues in an effort to retrieve the bodies of relatives killed during the protests. One source told The Post that authorities had threatened to dispose of unclaimed bodies in a mass grave if families failed to collect them quickly.
Iranian security forces have been accused of carrying out one of the most severe crackdowns on dissent in the history of the Islamic Republic, with nearly 17,000 arrests reported by HRANA.
Video footage circulating online has shown mass shootings of civilians, as well as a violent assault on the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, where armed forces reportedly injured patients and medical staff.
According to witnesses cited by DW, security personnel opened fire inside the hospital and deployed tear gas while searching for individuals wounded during earlier protests, with approximately 11 patients taken away by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“We knew the security agents were coming to arrest the wounded or record their identities,” a nurse, who did not reveal her real name, told the outlet.
“People gathered at the entrance to stop them,” she added. “At the same time, we were desperately short of blood, so calls for donors went out on social media.
“But the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] and special units prevented donors from reaching us.”
Human rights organizations reported that the siege of the hospital lasted more than a day, leaving patients, doctors, nurses, and even children injured in the violence.
“Security forces allegedly raided the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, deploying tear gas and beating patients and medical personnel,” the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said in its latest Fact-Finding Mission report.
The true scale of the crackdown remains unclear, as a nationwide communications blackout has prevented independent verification of events across Iran.
The violence and suppression of protesters were addressed during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Thursday.
Iranian-American activist Masih Alinejad warned UN members that the Islamic Republic must not be treated as a normal state, comparing its actions to those of the Islamic State terrorist organization.
She argued that Iran’s leadership must be “treated like” ISIS to prevent further bloodshed.
“Millions of innocent, unarmed Iranians have been silenced through bullets, mass arrests, imprisonment and a total communications blackout — no internet, no mobile phones and no landlines,” she said in an emotional speech. “Iran is in total darkness.”
Alinejad, who lives in exile and is known for urging Iranian women to defy mandatory hijab laws, was the target of a regime-directed assassination attempt at her Brooklyn home in July 2022.
That plot failed due to multiple mistakes by the Russian gang members involved, who were later sentenced to 25 years in federal prison in October.
{Matzav.com}
California Governor Gavin Newsom appeared to distance himself from the language used by his own communications staff during a contentious interview Thursday with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, signaling internal disagreement over recent political messaging.
Newsom sat down with Ben Shapiro on Shapiro’s podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” where the two sparred over immigration enforcement, political discourse, education policy, and gender identity in a wide-ranging and often combative exchange.
A central moment of tension arose when Shapiro challenged the governor about statements issued by Newsom’s office following the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, language that described the incident as “state-sponsored terrorism.”
The shooting has ignited a nationwide debate, fueling sharp disagreements over federal immigration enforcement, police conduct, and the rhetoric used by elected officials when discussing actions by law enforcement agencies.
“Your press office tweeted out that it was state-sponsored terrorism,” Shapiro said, before pushing back on the characterization of federal agents.
“Our ICE officers obviously are not terrorists,” Shapiro added.
“Yeah, I think that’s fair,” Newsom agreed. The governor also said he “disagreed” that ICE should be abolished.
Clips of the exchange quickly circulated online, with critics pointing to the moment as proof that Newsom was walking back statements made by his own press team.
Later in the interview, the conversation shifted to public education and gender identity, with Shapiro repeatedly pressing Newsom on whether biological sex can be changed and how the topic should be addressed in schools.
“There are certainly cases in which kids are being socially transitioned at school without parents knowing about it,” Shapiro said. “The fundamental question… is whether boys can become girls.”
Newsom appeared uncomfortable and failed to offer a clear response, saying, “Yeah… well, I think… for the grace of God… yeah.”
Shapiro questioned why the governor seemed unable to answer directly.
“We’re talking about so few people,” Newsom said, adding that the issue was surrounded by “so much hate, and bigotry, so much condemnation.”
Shapiro rejected that characterization outright, insisting his position was rooted in biology rather than animus.
“It is not an act of bigotry to say that a boy cannot become a girl, nor should my children be taught in K-12 public schools that a boy can become a girl,” he said. “That’s not an act of bigotry; that’s an act of rationality and biological simplicity.”
Even after multiple follow-up questions, Newsom declined to give a definitive answer, instead returning to broad and noncommittal language.
The governor also appeared uneasy when Shapiro praised Donald Trump as the most effective foreign policy president of his lifetime and challenged Newsom on why he would not “radically” cut California income taxes.
Shapiro further criticized Newsom’s repeated warnings that Trump might attempt another presidential run in 2028, calling the claim reckless and suggesting the governor did not truly believe it. Newsom, however, insisted that he did.
{Matzav.com}
