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New details reveal that just one month before the October 7 massacre, Israel actively pressed Qatar to expand the flow of cash into the Gaza Strip, funds that went directly to the Hamas government. At the time, Israel’s security establishment assessed that Hamas was not interested in a full-scale escalation and was instead using limited confrontations along the border fence as leverage to extract additional economic concessions.

According to a report by Ynet, a key meeting took place in September 2023 at a hotel in Yerushalayim. During that meeting, official Israeli representatives asked a senior Qatari official to increase the transfer of funds to Hamas in Gaza, citing threats by the terror organization to escalate violence in the enclave.

The central figure at the meeting was Mohammed al-Emadi, the Qatari official who for years oversaw the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars into Gaza. These transfers were carried out with the knowledge and approval of successive Israeli governments.

The report states that Israel’s entire security system believed Hamas was not seeking a broader conflict. Instead, officials assessed that Hamas was deliberately managing friction near the border in order to secure economic relief and additional concessions.

Israeli officials also received assurances from Qatar that Hamas was interested in preserving stability. At the same time, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar reportedly demanded an increased allocation of fuel for Gaza’s power station during the August–September period, citing the extreme summer heat.

During September, Mossad chief David Barnea traveled to Doha for meetings with senior Qatari officials to coordinate the continuation of the cash transfers. According to the report, Qatari officials directly asked whether they should keep transferring money to Hamas. Barnea responded affirmatively, acting under the explicit instructions of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

The report further notes that Barnea had opposed the transfer of Qatari funds to Hamas even before assuming his role as Mossad chief. Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, as well as his predecessor Nadav Argaman, were also firmly against allowing Qatari money to reach Hamas. Despite this opposition, Netanyahu repeatedly set the priority of maintaining calm in Gaza at almost any cost and instructed officials to coordinate that policy with Qatar.

It now emerges that Israel was not merely interested in continuing the existing funding mechanism. According to the report, Israeli officials sought to expand the financial transfers and grant additional economic concessions, largely in line with Sinwar’s demands, in what is described as a desperate attempt to purchase quiet.

In hindsight, the cost of that policy is now tragically clear.

{Matzav.com}

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake just hit Mexico triggering alarms during Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s conference, prompting reporters to rush out of the room.

TRUMP: The White House doctors have just reported that I am in “PERFECT HEALTH,” and that I just “ACED” (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my cognitive examination, something which no other president or previous vice president, was willing to take.

Tesla’s annual vehicle deliveries declined in 2025 for the second consecutive year, as the end of U.S. federal subsidies for electric vehicles weighed on demand. Overall sales fell 9% for the year, while fourth-quarter deliveries were down 16% from a year earlier. The drop followed a brief surge in third-quarter sales as buyers moved to […]

Tesla lost its crown as the world’s bestselling electric vehicle maker on Friday as a customer revolt over Elon Musk’s right-wing politics and stiff overseas competition pushed sales down for a second year in a row. Tesla said that it delivered 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, down 9% from a year earlier. Chinese rival BYD, […]

Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has launched Operation “Taking Over the Camps,” aimed at retaking territory in the Hadhramaut Governorate that is currently controlled by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in eastern Yemen.

Earlier today, rescue forces in Israel rescued a family of three, including a young child, who were trapped in floodwaters near Nahal Shiloh.

The IDF says it struck a Hezbollah training compound used by the Radwan Force in southern Lebanon, along with additional sites used for storing weapons earlier today.

Trump: If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue…

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Aryeh Zilberstein zt”l, the rov of the Gerer kehillah in Bnei Brak, who was niftar early Friday morning at Hadassah Ein Kerem. He was 67 years old.

Rav Zilberstein’s levayah  began at the Gerer Beis Medrash on Yirmiyahu Street in Yerushalayim. From there, the levayah continued to Bnei Brak, with kevurah at Kiryat Shaul Cemetery.

Rav Aryeh was born on 15 Kislev 5719 (1958) as the eldest son of his father, Rav Shlomo Zilberstein zt”l, who served as rov of the Gerer kehillah in Bnei Brak. He was a grandson of Rav Zev Zilberstein, one of the prominent figures of the Gur court, known for his influence and presence in the famed shtiebel on Kishon Street.

His mother, Mrs. Chava a”h, was a daughter of Rav Meir Shcharnesky, founder of the first seminary of the New Yishuv in Eretz Yisroel.

In his youth, Rav Zilberstein studied at Ger’s Yeshivas Imrei Emes and Sfas Emes. In 1982, he married his wife, Mrs. Rochel, daughter of Rav Shmuel Malavsky of Bnei Brak.

He received semichah from Rav Shmuel Halevi Wosner and served for several years as a dayan and moreh hora’ah at the Zichron Meir beis hora’ah.

In 1994, he was appointed by the Pnei Menachem of Ger to serve as rov of the Gerer kehillah in Kiryat Gat. Following the passing of his father in 2009, Rav Zilberstein was appointed by the current Rebbe of Ger to succeed him as rov of the Gerer kehillah in Bnei Brak. In addition to his rabbinic duties, he later established a kollel for rabbanim and dayanim, which he headed.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

A possible agreement to halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is close to being finalized, but key issues remain unresolved, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his New Year’s address to the nation.

Speaking in a 20-minute speech devoted largely to the war, Zelenskyy said a draft deal is largely complete but stressed that the remaining gaps are decisive. “Ten percent remains … Those 10 percent contain, in fact, everything,” he said. “Those are the 10 percent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe, how people will live.”

Zelenskyy explained that while Ukraine’s arguments have been presented on the global stage, they have yet to win full acceptance. “Have our arguments been heard? We very much hope so. Have they agreed with us? Not fully. Not yet. That is precisely why, for now, we speak of 90 percent, not the full 100 percent, readiness of a peace agreement,” he said.

The president underscored that Kyiv will not agree to a settlement it views as fragile or dangerous. “What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No. We want the end of the war — not the end of Ukraine,” he said, adding that a weak deal would “only fuel war.”

During his address, Zelenskyy thanked nearly every European country for backing Ukraine but conspicuously excluded Hungary. Alluding to Budapest’s position on Moscow’s invasion, he said: “A Budapest-style piece of paper will not satisfy Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy also commented on President Donald Trump, noting: “The U.S. president always mentions our people and talks about how bravely Ukrainians are fighting.”

Despite acknowledging the strain on the population, Zelenskyy said the country remains determined. Ukrainians, he said, are “tired,” but “not ready to surrender.” He pointed out that Russia’s full-scale invasion has now lasted longer than the Nazi occupation of Ukraine during World War II.

He rejected claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin that a Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas would end the war. “That is how deception sounds when translated from Russian … Does anyone still believe them? Unfortunately. Because too often, the truth is still avoided and called diplomacy, though in reality it is simply lies in suits,” Zelenskyy said.

Reiterating his broader warning to the international community, the Ukrainian leader said: “Either the world stops Russia’s war, or Russia drags the world into its war.”

Even as Zelenskyy spoke of diplomacy, fighting continued. He said Russia launched another overnight assault late Wednesday, firing more than 200 attack drones. Although most were intercepted, strikes were reported in the Volyn, Rivne, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions.

“If the strikes do not stop even during the New Year holidays, then air defense deliveries cannot be delayed. Our allies have the necessary scarce equipment. We expect that everything agreed with the United States at the end of December for our protection will be delivered on time,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Officials have said Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with international leaders in France on January 6, as diplomatic efforts continue into the new year.

{Matzav.com}

Swiss investigators said Friday that they believe sparkling flares atop Champagne bottles ignited the fatal fire at a ski resort when they came too close to a crowded bar’s ceiling. Forty people were killed and another 119 injured in the blaze as it ripped through the busy Le Constellation bar at the ski resort of Crans-Montana while […]

When Zohran Mamdani officially took the oath of office as New York City mayor on Thursday, control of City Hall’s official social media presence shifted along with the job. The @NYCMayor account on X and other platforms now bears Mamdani’s name, even on posts published long before he entered office.

That transition produced an unexpected visual contrast online: Mamdani’s name now appears alongside posts authored by his predecessor, Eric Adams, including several strongly supportive of Israel. Among them is a post describing Adams’ September meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, complete with a photograph of the two leaders together.

Social media users quickly noticed the odd juxtaposition, given Mamdani’s well-documented record of harsh criticism of Israel. Commentators highlighted the irony of seeing the new mayor’s name attached to content that runs counter to his past rhetoric.

Mamdani has repeatedly declined to disavow the slogan “globalize the intifada” and drew sharp criticism for attacking Israel on October 8, 2023, just one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel. He has also accused Israel of committing war crimes during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Adding to the contrast, Mamdani has publicly pledged that he would arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader were to visit New York City, citing an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. That stance has made the inherited post documenting Adams’ meeting with Netanyahu particularly striking to observers.

At the same time, users on X have pointed out that members of Mamdani’s team have begun removing older posts from the account, including messages in which Adams promised to stand firmly with the Jewish community. As a result, the Netanyahu meeting post — and other similar content — may soon disappear from the mayoral feed.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump pushed back against renewed scrutiny of his health in a wide-ranging interview, insisting he feels fine and explaining why he continues to ignore his doctors’ advice to cut back on aspirin.

Questions about the president’s condition have followed him throughout his second term, particularly after he became the oldest individual to take the oath of office last year. Trump opened the discussion with visible irritation at the recurring focus on his well-being. “Let’s talk about health again for the 25th time,” he said early in the interview. “My health is perfect.”

Trump attributed recent speculation in part to photographs showing bruising on his hand, which the White House has said are a side effect of aspirin use. According to the president, he has been taking a full-strength aspirin daily for more than 20 years as a preventive measure for his heart, a routine he is reluctant to change.

“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump said in the interview with The Wall Street Journal, published Thursday. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”

His physician, Sean Barbabella, has recommended that Trump reduce his daily dosage from 325 milligrams to what is considered a low-dose aspirin, typically around 80 milligrams. Trump acknowledged that advice but said he has chosen to stay the course. “They’d rather have me take the smaller one,” he said. “I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.”

The president also clarified details of medical testing performed during his October visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, saying he underwent a CT scan rather than an MRI, as had previously been reported. He suggested the testing itself fueled unnecessary speculation. “I would have been a lot better off if they didn’t, because the fact that I took it said, ‘Oh gee, is something wrong?’ Well, nothing’s wrong,” he said.

While the White House has repeatedly described Trump as being in excellent health, the president readily acknowledged that his lifestyle does not include traditional fitness routines. He said he dislikes structured exercise and prefers golf. “I just don’t like it. It’s boring,” he told the Journal. “To walk on a treadmill or run on a treadmill for hours and hours like some people do, that’s not for me.”

Trump also rejected claims that he has been nodding off during recent public events at the White House, despite images that appeared to show him with his eyes closed. He said those moments have been misinterpreted. “I’ll just close. It’s very relaxing to me. Sometimes they’ll take a picture of me blinking, blinking, and they’ll catch me with the blink,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday appointed the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence as his new chief of staff, a move that comes as the U.S. leads a diplomatic push to end Russia’s nearly 4-year-old invasion. In announcing the appointment of Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs to focus on security issues, developing its defense […]

Republicans on Capitol Hill are intensifying their focus on alleged fraud tied to public programs in Minnesota, with House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer announcing plans to call top state officials to testify before Congress.

Comer said the committee will open its inquiry with a hearing in January examining the consequences of suspected misuse of federally funded programs in Minnesota. He added that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison have been invited to appear before the panel in February.

The investigation centers on allegations that hundreds of millions of dollars were siphoned from state-administered nutrition and child care programs beginning in 2021. Federal prosecutors have brought charges against dozens of individuals, and Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday that 85 of the 98 people charged in the schemes are of Somali descent.

Comer accused Minnesota’s leadership of failing to stop the alleged misconduct. “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have either been asleep at the wheel or complicit in a massive fraud involving taxpayer dollars in Minnesota’s social services programs,” he said in a statement. “American taxpayers demand and deserve accountability for the theft of their hard-earned money.”

The hearings are expected to sharpen Republican attacks not only on Walz but also on Minnesota’s Somali community. Those criticisms have increasingly been echoed by President Donald Trump and members of his administration, who have linked the fraud investigations to broader immigration enforcement actions.

Earlier this month, Trump referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage” during a White House event. On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services froze hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Minnesota child care programs, a move the administration framed as part of its response to the fraud allegations.

Trump continued that rhetoric in a social media post Wednesday, calling for the U.S. to “send them back from where they came, Somalia, perhaps the worst, and most corrupt, country on earth.”

The White House has also floated more aggressive steps. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is exploring whether citizenship can be revoked for U.S. citizens of Somali descent charged with benefits fraud, while conceding the effort could face legal challenges. “It’s something the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State is currently looking at right now,” Leavitt said in a Fox News interview. “We know that there are liberal activist judges across this country who will try to block and tackle this administration from pursuing justice at every turn. But that’s not gonna stop the president and his entire cabinet by acting on behalf of law-abiding, tax-paying citizens in the state of Minnesota and in states across the country who have been ripped off by people who have abused our immigration system.”

Walz’s office responded by signaling a willingness to cooperate with Congress while sharply criticizing both the committee and the president. “We’re always happy to work with Congress, though this committee has a track record of holding circus hearings that have nothing to do with the issue at hand,” the governor’s office said. “While the Governor has been working to ensure fraudsters go to prison, the President has been selling pardons to let them out.” The statement did not clearly state whether Walz would appear voluntarily.

The controversy has also been fueled by outside voices. Conservative influencer Nick Shirley recently released a viral video accusing several Minnesota day care centers of public fraud, amplifying attention on the issue after the clip was shared by prominent conservatives and Trump allies, including Elon Musk.

{Matzav.com}

Somaliland is pushing back against claims that its newly announced diplomatic opening with Israel came with strings attached — rejecting assertions that it agreed to resettle Palestinians from Gaza or host Israeli military bases as part of the deal. In a statement posted Thursday on X, the foreign ministry of Republic of Somaliland said it […]

With the 2026 midterm elections still nearly months away, early maneuvering for the 2028 presidential race is already beginning to surface, as potential contenders from both parties make high-profile appearances, test messages, and build relationships in key political circles ahead of the contest to succeed term-limited President Donald Trump. While party leaders emphasize that the […]

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani began his first full day in office Thursday by unveiling a series of aggressive housing initiatives, signing multiple executive orders and announcing that the city will intervene in a private landlord bankruptcy case involving dozens of buildings.

The announcements were made at a rent-stabilized apartment building in Brooklyn, where Mamdani outlined what he described as a decisive shift in how City Hall will confront landlords and protect tenants.

“Today is the start of a new era for New York City,” Mamdani said. “It is inauguration day. It is also the day that the rent is due.”

Mamdani said the new administration intends to act immediately rather than delay, stressing that it “will not wait to deliver action” and “will stand up on behalf of the tenants of this city.”

He described conditions faced by many New Yorkers returning home after his inauguration, saying that residents are dealing with rising rents while living in apartments where, he said, “bad landlords do not make repairs,” and tenants contend with problems such as cockroaches and insufficient heat.

Among the measures announced were three housing-focused executive orders. The first revives the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, which Mamdani said will prioritize resolving complaints and enforcing accountability for dangerous housing conditions.

“We will make sure that 311 violations are resolved,” Mamdani said, adding that the city will pursue “slumlords” responsible for “hazardous and dangerous threats” to tenant well-being.

A second executive order establishes the LIFT task force, a land inventory initiative aimed at unlocking city-owned property for housing development. Mamdani said the task force will assess municipal land holdings and identify viable development sites by July 1.

The third order creates the SPEED task force — Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development — which Mamdani said will focus on eliminating bureaucratic and permitting obstacles that slow construction.

Both task forces will operate under the supervision of Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Lila Joseph.

“These are sweeping measures, but it is just the beginning of a comprehensive effort to champion the cause of tenants,” Mamdani said.

Earlier Thursday, Mamdani signed executive order No. 1, rescinding all mayoral executive orders issued by Eric Adams on or after Sept. 26, 2024, unless they are formally reissued by the new administration. He also signed a separate order establishing the structure of his administration, including the responsibilities of five deputy mayors.

The Brooklyn building where the mayor spoke, located at 85 Clarkson Ave., is owned by Pinnacle Realty, which Mamdani labeled a “notorious landlord.” He said tenants there have faced persistent issues, including roach infestations and a lack of heat.

According to Mamdani, the property is one of 93 buildings linked to the same landlord, whose portfolio is currently in bankruptcy proceedings. He said the properties are slated to be auctioned to another landlord he claimed ranks sixth on the city’s worst landlord list and collectively carry more than 5,000 unresolved hazardous violations and 14,000 complaints.

“This is an untenable situation,” Mamdani said. “So, today we are announcing that we will be taking action in the bankruptcy case and stepping in to represent the interests of the city and the interests of the tenants.”

He said he has instructed his nominee for corporation counsel, Steve Banks, to pursue what he described as “precedent-setting action” in the case.

“We are a creditor and interested party,” Mamdani said, adding that the city is owed money and intends to fight for “safe and habitable homes” while working to “mitigate the significant risk of displacement” facing residents.

A tenant who spoke at the event detailed long-standing safety problems in Pinnacle-owned buildings, saying that a section of hardwood flooring in the speaker’s mother’s apartment has gone unrepaired for seven years.

“When they filed for bankruptcy this spring, Pinnacle gambled on making our housing less affordable and our lives more miserable,” the tenant said.

{Matzav.com}

An automated response by Grok, the artificial-intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, has raised questions about accuracy and bias after the system removed an image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while leaving an image of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and justified the decision by presenting disputed legal claims as established fact. The […]